Hay-on-Wye: ‘Town of books’ could lose its public library due to funding cuts The town that plays host to one of the UK’s biggest literary festivals has been threatened with the closure of […]

The town that plays host to one of the UK’s biggest literary festivals has been threatened with the closure of its public library.

Residents of Hay-on-Wye, dubbed “the town of books”, have until the end of this month to present Powys County Council with a “viable” plan outlining how they intend to raise the £18,000 needed each year to keep the library open.

“Powys County Council have to make savings within the library service so have proposed to close 11 of the 17 libraries, leaving only six libraries open across the county,” said Hay’s deputy mayor Trudy Stedman.

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The authority needs to find £29.8m in savings by 2019.

Ms Stedman said Hay Town Council wanted to protect the library but is unable to scrape together the sum of money demanded and pointed out instructing locals to fund the service themselves was “unfair” and “would effectively be a double tax”.

She added that the community had previously been led to believe the library was going to be moved to a local school but there had been no indication from Powys County Council it could be shut down.

“We are all shell shocked,” Ms Stedman said, before vowing to “fight the decision”.

“We’re the town of books,” she said.

“I don’t think it’s going to be an easy fight to win but we’re not going to take it lying down.”

i has contacted Powys County Council for comment.

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