Written question WQ84714
- Asked by
- Tom GiffardConservative
- To be answered by
- Minister for Finance and Local Government
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 8 days
Question
Will the Minister outline how many libraries have closed in Wales each year since 1999?
Answer
Answered by Minister for Finance and Local Government
The Welsh Government is responsible for managing the Welsh Public Library Standards (WPLS) to fulfil Ministerial statutory duties in relation to the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act, ensuring that a comprehensive and efficient library service is provided by local authorities.
WPLS data returned by local authorities allows the total number of libraries across Wales to be identified from the 2011/12 financial year onwards. These indicate that between 2011/12 and 2020/21 the total number of public libraries across Wales reduced by 54.
These figures include all public libraries, including community libraries supported by a Trust/local authority. They do not include independent community libraries and do not represent the relocation of a library to a community hub, which may have occurred in some instances.