The library closures would have less impact, says the council

The libraries at Llanfair Caereinion, Llanwrtyd Wells and Talgarth could close at the end of the year.

The council said savings made would allow it to fund and keep open its popular Bookrunner children's service.

An action group opposing the move claimed the council's decision represented a false economy, and said libraries played a "vital role".

A council spokesman said the decision to close the part-time libraries had been "very difficult", but the service was experiencing "severe financial pressures" and the authority had to operate within set budgets.

However, the spokesman said the decision to scrap three libraries to try to save �30,000 had been called in by its principal scrutiny committee.

The library is a well used, multi-purpose facility Talgarth councillor William Powell

The committee, which is expected to meet on Thursday, could force a full council debate on the closure proposal.

"No one likes to see a service close but we had a stark choice between maintaining Bookrunner (children's mobile library), which provides a valuable service to more than 11,000 youngsters, and closing three small libraries," added the spokesman.

"With mobile libraries able to replace the small libraries, it was agreed that the three closures would have less impact on the library service than the loss of the Bookrunner facility."

'Constant attack'

There are larger libraries near the ones which are set for closure, but people would be expected to travel a few miles.

Talgarth councillor William Powell said closing the libraries would be a "hammer blow" to the three communities.

"The library is a well-used, multi-purpose facility, and also houses the important registrar facilities," he said.

Llanwrtyd Wells councillor Colonel Timothy Van Rees said smaller towns were "under constant attack" from cuts to services.

A Small Town Library Action Group [Slag] has been formed to fight the closures and a demonstration has already been staged in Talgarth.