By Andrew Ranger

MP for Wrexham

This week, Wrexham County Borough Council has launched a public consultation on the future of Wrexham’s libraires and community resource centres.

The council have said that they need to make £185,000 in cuts to the libraries after reduced funding over the past decade, along with increased need for support from residents and rising inflation.

Our libraries and community centres are an integral part of our communities. They encourage our children to fall in love with reading with a wide selection of books for them to choose from. There are challenges and groups that make reading fun for them.

The vital Homelink service is a lifeline for people who are homebound and have no-one to pick up books on their behalf. It means that those people can still enjoy their hobbies, whether that is reading fiction or studying different topics.

Libraries help with older people by tacking digital exclusion by providing free WiFi, printing services and photocopying along with groups that can teach digital skills to ensure that people feel confident in a more digital world.

There are many events that take place in our libraries and community centres such as the annual Carnival of Worlds that celebrated 10 years in 2024. There are also well attended regular meet the author events, annual back to school sessions to gently encourage children on the transition to full time education.

They are also places where different groups can meet, from knitting and natter groups, Welsh language sessions for children, sports discussions, friendship groups, scrabble clubs and much more. These are often lifelines for people who may not have any other social outlet which prevents them feeling isolated.

You can have your say several ways on the proposed cuts over the next couple of months. You can fill in the consultation online here. You can also pick up a paper copy at any library or community centre if you prefer.

There are several ‘Have your Say’ roadshows taking place at each library over the coming weeks so you can attend in person and discuss your views. The consultation ends on the 19th January 2025.

I was delighted to hear that the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct could become the first Welsh landmark in the Lego collection, joining only 4 other UK locations.

The 6 foot Lego model of the Aqueduct is currently on display in Ty Pawb for people to visit and there is a online campaign to get the 10,000 votes needed for Lego to consider adding the Aqueduct to it’s set collection. You can vote here

Wrexham of course has historic links with Lego, with the world-famous bricks being produced in a factory on the Industrial Estate and later being distributed from a site on Ruthin Road. It feels therefore very fitting that the first Welsh potential addition to the Lego collection is the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.