Latest news with #AbergavennyLibrary
South Wales Argus
8 hours ago
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Abergavenny library mosque proposal decision date named
A decision to grant a 30-year lease on the former Abergavenny library was approved in May before being put on hold pending review by a council scrutiny committee, which met last week, and said the decision had to go back to the cabinet within 10 working days. Just days before the scrutiny committee took place the words 'No Masjid' and crosses were spray painted on to the grade II listed building with police investigating the criminal damage as a hate crime. Masjid is Arabic for place of worship or mosque. Monmouthshire council's Labour-led cabinet will now consider the arguments made at the place scrutiny committee when it meets for its regular meeting on Wednesday, June 25 and must decide whether to stand by its original decision or reconsider it. The scrutiny committee heard from Abergavenny mayor Philip Bowyer and town council colleague Gareth Wild, a Baptist minister, who both spoke in favour of the cabinet's decision to grant the lease to the Monmouthshire Muslim Community Association. READ MORE: Banner of support draped over Abergavenny mosque graffiti Four public speakers, including Sarah Chicken the warden of the alms houses next door to the former library, a resident, and Andrew Powell landlord of the nearby Groefield pub objected to the decision, citing reasons such as parking and potential for noise as to why a mosque and community centre would be unsuitable. Cabinet member Ben Callard, who lives near the proposed mosque and represents the area on the town council though he is the county councillor for Llanfoist and Govilon, explained no planning permission is required. Community centres and places of worship fall under the same planning use as a library. But he said the community association had promised to hold a public consultation on its plans, but that was criticised by councillors who called the decision in for review, as it was 'consultation after the decision'. The review was instigated by Conservative councillors Rachel Buckler and Louise Brown, who represent Devauden and Shirenewton, and Llanelly Hill independent Simon Howarth who questioned how the decision was made. They faced criticism as Abergavenny councillors and the town council backed the original decision. The former Abergavenny Library. The three questioned the council's process and complained there had been no scrutiny of the decision. Cllr Callard said the community association's bid was the highest scoring tender, and the £6,000 a year rent similar to one of the other bids, and rejected the idea it would be practical for the council to operate as a landlord if every lease had to go through a full scrutiny process. Cllr Callard also said if councillors disagreed with it offering the building for new uses, as it was no longer used as a pupil referral unit with the library having transferred to the town hall in 2015, the decision made last November to declare it 'surplus to requirements' should have been called in for review. The cabinet will consider the scrutiny committee's suggestions a re-tender should be run with specifications including an independent valuation, a survey of the building, consideration of the building's history and importance, a public consultation and the possibility of selling the building. It meets at County Hall in Usk at 4.30pm.
South Wales Argus
28-05-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Laura Anne Jones MS questions library change into mosque
The Labour-led Monmouthshire County Council awarded the lease of the iconic building to the Monmouthshire Muslim Community Association. Conservative Senedd Member for South Wales East, Laura Anne Jones, has raised concerns about how the decision was reached. Ms Jones emphasised she has no objection to the Muslim community having an appropriate place to worship. However, she suggested that the process under which the decision was made and its long-term implications pose potential problems. Ms Jones said: "It is absolutely right that members of all faiths, including the Muslim community, have somewhere appropriate to worship. "However, this historic library building is a treasured part of Abergavenny's civic heritage and I believe it would have been far more appropriate to create an all-faith space – a building where people of all faiths and none can come together to reflect, build relationships and learn about each other." She expressed concerns that this Carnegie library would be dedicated to only one group, possibly excluding others. She also raised questions about the absence of wider consultation before this significant community decision was made. She questioned why options such as shared or multi-faith use were not more thoroughly explored or consulted on. Ms Jones said: "People in Abergavenny care deeply about this building and its future. "They deserved to have their voices heard before a long-term decision like this was taken behind closed doors." The former Abergavenny Library shut in 2015, after which it was used as a base for the council's pupil referral unit for children unable to attend school. The unit has since moved to alternative premises. Last year, Monmouthshire County Council declared the grade-II listed building, which was built in 1905, surplus to requirements and considered leasing or selling it. A restrictive covenant on the contract prevents it from being used as a public house, restaurant or take-away, but does not prevent commercial or community use. The 30-year lease went to the Monmouthshire Muslim Community Association after it was the highest scoring applicant on the council's tender process. The group, which currently meets at the St Michael's Centre for Friday prayers, plans to use the former Abergavenny Library as Monmouthshire's first mosque and community centre. Currently, there is no mosque in Monmouthshire, despite there being a small Muslim population. Councillor Ben Callard, cabinet member responsible for buildings, told the cabinet that Abergavenny has the highest number of Muslims in Monmouthshire and that an Islamic place of worship would fill a significant gap in provision for the rapidly growing Muslim population in the region. He added that it would be beneficial in bringing the building back into "beneficial community use" supporting the "educational, social, economic and recreational value for Muslim residents of Monmouthshire and the wider community". The council said that no change of use planning application is required for the building as its intended use as a mosque falls under the same category as a library, but a Certificate of Lawfulness will be applied for to provide assurance. Despite her concerns, Ms Jones said: "It is absolutely right that members of all faiths, including the Muslim community, have somewhere appropriate to worship." She urges Monmouthshire's Labour-led council to clarify why the lease was awarded for such an extended duration, and why other options, such as multi-faith use, were not properly explored or consulted on.
