WELSH Labour’s Caerphilly Senedd by-election candidate Richard Tunnicliffe has launched a petition calling for UK Government funding to be spent on saving Caerphilly’s libraries.
Tunnicliffe, a publisher by trade, has welcomed the announcement of over £20 million of UK Labour Government funding into Caerphilly borough over the next ten years. After speaking with hundreds of people across the county, and the leaders of local ‘Save our Libraries’ campaigns, Tunnicliffe is calling for keeping libraries open to be top of the priority list for this funding.
Across the borough, there are currently ten libraries at threat of closure: Aberbargoed, Abercarn, Abertridwr, Bedwas, Deri, Llanbradach, Machen, Nelson, Oakdale, and Pengam. Plans to close these libraries has been temporarily paused following the granting of an interim injunction by the High Court.
The newly launched Pride in Place programme means that Caerphilly and eight other places will each receive £20 million over ten years, on top of 5 other towns which received similar funding earlier this year.
This fund will be managed by a board made up of community figures who will decide how this money is best spent.
In addition, every single Local Authority in Wales, including Caerphilly, will also receive a £1.5 million boost to help build pride in local neighbourhoods.
The money can be spent in new and creative ways on a wide range of regeneration projects, such as to saved treasured pubs or libraries, revitalise high streets and town centres, create or restore green spaces and other community assets. This will help to create jobs, improve productivity, preserving heritage, enhance transport links, improve safety and – crucially – boost local pride.
This follows the more than £11 million that the UK Labour Government has invested into Caerphilly through its Shared Prosperity Fund this year alone, which has been used to support businesses, repurpose empty properties and enhance the town centre. The Welsh Labour Government has also invested an extra £278,000 into Caerphilly through the Tidy Towns fund, to clean up the streets and boost pride.
Caerphilly MP Chris Evans said: “I am very pleased that Caerphilly will be receiving £21.5m as part of the UK Government’s Pride in Place programme and impact fund.
“This funding will make Caerphilly an even better place to visit and work by improving our high streets, town centres and community facilities, creating jobs and improving public safety.”
Richard Tunnicliffe, Welsh Labour candidate, said: “As a father, a publisher, and a book lover, I know these libraries are the beating heart of their communities. I have heard from people again and again they want to reverse the planned closures.
“Today we’re launching our petition to call on the community board who decides how to spend this money to use it to save the libraries.
“Whilst others sow seeds of division, or shout from the sidelines, I want to get things done and protect our services in Caerphilly and the Valleys.”
Nigel Farage wants to install his puppet into Caerphilly to stir division and do his bidding. Lindsay Whittle has been a career politician since the ‘70s and Caerphilly has very little to show for it. Richard Tunnicliffe is the only option for delivery in the next six months in Caerphilly.
