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Plans to close libraries in Caerphilly County Borough are “on pause” pending a “last-minute legal challenge”.

A solicitor at the law firm handling the judicial review request has praised campaigners’ “dogged determination” to save “such important community assets”.

But the council’s leader called the news “disappointing” and threatened other service areas could face cuts as a consequence.

The council was preparing to close ten smaller libraries at the end of August as part of cost-cutting measures described as a “bold new vision” for the service.

It argued it could provide a better service at a smaller number of “hubs” where normal library functions would sit alongside services from the council and other organisations.

But the move has proved contentious among communities affected by the closures, who fear they may be sent “back to Victorian times”.

Today (Thursday August 21), the council confirmed its plans were on hold after an application for a judicial review was lodged.

“We have decided to pause our plans to create a resilient and sustainable library service, in light of this legal challenge,” said Cllr Carol Andrews, the cabinet member responsible for libraries.

“This does not change our intention to implement our new vision for the library service, but we must allow the appropriate legal process to progress,” she added.

Cllr Sean Morgan, who leads Caerphilly County Borough Council, called the legal challenge “disappointing but not surprising”.

He backed the proposed closures, which he said would help save money, and added the council will “obviously defend” the plans in light of the legal challenge.

“The real shame here is that the council has been in discussion with a number of community groups, who had come forward to take ownership of the library sites that were due to close – and their plans looked really exciting,” said Cllr Morgan.

“We will continue to work with these groups to consider the impact of this decision and hope they remain interested as the legal process moves forward.

“This delay will also impact our savings targets, as the library review would have helped us achieve significant financial savings. We will obviously need to identify cuts in other services if our plans cannot proceed.”

The council has proposed using Community Asset Transfers (CATs) to hand over the control of the ten libraries to community groups.

Expressions of interest have been made for several sites, but the process has also been criticised by some who feel the council should have moved more quickly to ensure the libraries could be handed over without sites needing to close at the end of August.

One resident, who opposes the library closure plans, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service it would be “intolerable and stupid” to close the at-risk libraries and remove equipment, only to expect community groups to reopen them a short time later.

Cllr Nigel Dix, who leads Caerphilly Council’s independent group, said the proposals to close the libraries, despite the public opposition, was “what this council does – they don’t listen to the people, they just decide what they are going to do and force it through”.

“Thankfully the people of Caerphilly are not pushovers and will fight,” he added. “The law is there to make sure the council adheres to the process, and doesn’t railroad things through.”

Councillor Lindsay Whittle, who leads the council’s Plaid Cymru group, added: “The public have been telling the council in no uncertain terms that they are very unhappy with the closures of their local libraries.

“But it is shocking that despite the views of the public, the Labour administration seems determined to plough on. I hope the courts, when they consider the legal challenge, will accept the vital importance of local libraries to the public.”

Craig Court, of Harding Evans Solicitors, said: “I have been impressed with the dogged determination shown by the campaign to date, fighting to save such important community assets.

“We have now issued the judicial review at court on behalf of our client and will await the court’s consideration in due course.”

Mariam Kamish, the secretary of Caerphilly Trades Union Council, thanked the activist for bringing the legal challenge, as well as other campaigners, and Cllr Brenda Miles for her previous attempt to slow down the council’s closure plans.

“We knew we couldn’t let these libraries close without a fight,” Ms Kamish said.

“It has been widely reported in the last few days that Caerphilly [County] Brorough Council spent more than £800,000 on staff Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) in the 2024/25 financial year, and campaigners can’t help wondering what is happening internally that the council doesn’t want the public to know about.

“We’d like to see that level of spending on our local libraries and leisure centres.”