CHANGES to library services in Ceredigion will see some branches having reduced opening times, but no closures, and Aberaeron’s new facility at Penmorfa even seeing an increase of some four hours, have been backed by senior councillors.
At the July meeting of Ceredigion County Council’s Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee, members were asked to scrutinise changes to library opening hours in the county, recommending the changes be approved at a later Cabinet meeting.
A report for members at that meeting said: “As part of budget savings introduced in 2024 difficult decisions were agreed requiring savings to be found in Library Services from a reduction of posts, vehicles, relocation of services and a review of library opening hours.”
It added: “There are increased hours for Aberaeron as it moves to Penmorfa and will take on additional duties providing reception coverage and delivering wider corporate efficiencies as well as improved service to citizens.
“The changes will bring about an overall combined reduction in opening hours of one hour bringing the total hours of provision across the four main libraries from 165.5 hours down to 164.5 hours per week.”
Changes proposed included an actual increase of six hours at Aberaeron’s new Penmorfa library, a reduction of four in Aberystwyth, a 1.5-hour reduction in Cardigan, and a one-hour reduction in Lampeter.
At that meeting, members heard the changes were aimed at reducing complexity in the service and there was not expected to be any major impact on staff in the form of job losses.
Presenting the recommendations at the September Cabinet meeting, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Customer Services Cllr Catrin M S Davies said that, while Aberystwyth was losing four hours, it would be still open for the most hours of the four libraries, at 46.5 hours.
Members agreed to support the changes.
