AFTER months of speculation plans for Abergavenny's new library were finally cast aside when Monmouthshire County Council agreed to rescind the decision to build a new state of the art library on the cattle market site.

The original 2010 plan was to have seen some £3.433m spent on the design and build of a new library building, with capital budget funds safeguarded accordingly for the site.

But at a meeting last week MCC took the decision to call a halt to the proposals and to remove the funding, after it was noted that the council was not in a financial position to cover the additional overhead costs of a new building, including rates, heating, lighting, which are estimated to come require an additional £60,000 in revenue money.

While this news may have come as a shock to some, the council says that its focus on new community hubs meant that there was an inevitable possibility that design and construction may cease.

The decision was welcomed by many councillors of the council, who says that the local community has persistently spoken out against moving the library and the one stop shop out of town.

The council is now considering the feasibility of locating the new community hub for Abergavenny - which would include a library - in the town hall.

Funds originally designated for the building of a new library have as a result been re-allocated the capital programme to be used in part to fund the development of a prospective site for the community hub in Abergavenny.

This news was welcomed by Councillor Douglas Edwards who said he felt a central hub would be better for the town.

Councillor Roger Harris also said that despite his previous support for the new library building, he now felt that the change to a community hub would be the right move.

Other councillors, such as Councillor Bob Hayward, did however, question the timing of the removal of the funds and said they feared the decision to not build the library could deter Morrisons from developing the cattle market site, and leave Abergavenny in a difficult position if none of the prospective buildings for the hub were found to be viable.

There were also worries that if the money is put back into the capital pot, the remaining amount may not be used within the Bryn y Cwm area, and Abergavenny would see no benefit from the funding.

However council officers stressed that they were aware of the key areas within Abergavenny that could benefit from the money, and this would be taken into account.

The decision was approved, the £3.433m was rescinded from the new library project.