Beddau and Tynant to lose Library and Day Centre

For those of you who don't know Beddau it lies between Pontypridd and Llantrisant.

It is in fact two villages because  Tynant is often included when referring to it.

Locals are probably the only ones who instinctively whether they are in Beddau or Tynant '

But for the most part it is Beddau that the local Rugby Club, Post Office Doctors Surgery and Library that  bare that name even though they cover both villages. 

Now we are to lose one of the above as part of the savage cuts proposed by Rhondda Cynon Taf council.

Rhondda Cynon Taf currently operates 26 libraries as well as mobile library, housebound, schools library and deposit collection services. 

The proposed change would see the number of libraries reduced to 12 with 4 each in Rhondda, Cynon and Taf.

RETAIN: Treorchy/ Tonypandy/Ferndale/ Tylorstown

CLOSURE: Treherbert/ Ton Pentre/ Penygraig/Porth/Ynyshir/Maerdy

CYNON

RETAIN: Hirwaun/Aberdare/Mt Ash/Abercynon

CLOSURE: Cwmbach/Penrhiwceiber/Ynysybwl

TAFF ELY

RETAIN: Pontypridd/Rhydfelin/Church Village/Llantrisant

CLOSURE: Cilfynydd/ Tonyrefail/ Nantgarw/ Beddau/ Pontyclun

The Council will deliver an enhanced Mobile Library Service would operate in every part of RCT to support these changes

There is no way a mobile Library service can replace our Library.

People use our Library not only to take out books or use the computer services . But for many its also a social centre where people meet and chat and for many Older people it an important part of their life.

We will be able to use Llantrisant Library which recently moved to Llantrisant Leisure Centre  when it and Talbot Green where merged .

Bit although its about a half hours walk fro my house its a dangerous road and the idea of children walking there  from Beddau or Tynant fills me with dread.

You may ask what about a Day centre? . Well we have one but not much longer.

The proposed cuts would see the number of Day Centres reduced to 9 with standardised opening hours of 10am – 4pm across the board. The 9 centres proposed to remain have capacity to respond to any potential increase in service users travelling from the centres put forward to close.

In the Rhondda there would be a retained centre no further than 1.9 miles away and within Taf Ely a retained day centre would be no more than 3.8 miles away from those put forward for closure.

This proposal would save £600k p.a.

RHONDDA

RETAIN: Alec Jones Porth/ Teifi House Maerdy/ Nazareth House Williamstown/ Brynnar Jones Gelli

CLOSURE: Dai Davies Cymmer/ Edith May Ynyshir/ Wesley Ferndale/ Noddfa Treorchy/ Llewellyn Pentre/ Combine House Tonypandy/ Dan Murphy Trealaw

CYNON

RETAIN: St Mairs Aberdare/ Mountain Ash

TAFF

RETAIN: Pontypridd/ St Georges Tonyrefail/ Pontyclun

CLOSURE: Beddau/Rhydfelin/ Gilfach Goch

So its a Double Whammy for Beddau and Tynant .

The two proposals will save £1,4 milion

There are no proposals to cut the number of executives or reduce councillors lucrative pay and expenses.

Something that can be restored once this appalling recession is over .

But we will never get our library back

The Labour run council may  hope that all the blame for this will be  placed on the Westminster Government  . But as I see the heart ripped out of my village . I know that my council must take responsibility for going for the easy targets and the wrong ones at that.