Politics

National museums face almost £3m budget gap

Published

7 months ago

October 9, 2025

THE PLANNED “business-as-usual” Welsh budget would leave national museums facing a near-£3m shortfall and lead to more cuts, the Senedd’s culture committee has heard.

Jane Richardson, chief executive of Amgueddfa Cymru (Museum Wales), was quizzed about the impact of Welsh Government plans for a standstill budget rising only in line with inflation.

She said a flat settlement in the draft budget – which will be initially unveiled on October 14, with the detail to follow on November 3 – would leave Amgueddfa Cymru nearly £3m short.

Giving evidence on October 8, the chief executive told the culture committee: “We would need to find ways of reducing programming and activities to address that shortfall.”

Plaid Cymru’s Heledd Fychan, who worked for Amgueddfa Cymru until her election in 2021, sought assurances that Wales’ seven national museums would be maintained.

Kate Eden, who chairs Amgueddfa Cymru, replied: “They’re not currently under review, no. But, as you’re aware, we do always have to keep under consideration the span of activities that we undertake but currently there is no plan to actively review those.”

Pressed about rationalising the seven sites, Ms Richardson told Senedd Members: “Not under the current financial arrangements. Were we to have a drastic slashing of our budget, that’s of course what we would have to do.”

The chief executive stressed: “We’re very committed to being a national museum with national reach – we don’t want to be a museum of Cardiff plus a few others.”

Ms Richardson warned an inflationary increase for longer-term capital funding would be “very problematic” in terms of tackling a backlog of building works.

She called for more money to be “baselined” through the museum’s core “grant in aid” funding, warning of a significant resource drain from having to justify each project.

Despite dozens of redundancies due to a previous £4.5m budget deficit, Ms Richardson told the committee staff surveys show morale has since improved significantly.

She explained the museum has introduced new income streams – from commercial flannel production to brand licensing – while making a £1m operating profit from catering and retail.

On introducing charging, she said: “We believe that charging for added-value experiences is an important contribution to increasing the income we receive as a museum.”

Ms Richardson told the committee the museum would continue to pursue charging for activities such as certain exhibitions, including a “pay-what-you-can” model.

She explained the extended charging trial for the underground tour at Big Pit national coal museum, which runs until June 2026, will remain under review.

But she said: “There has been no drop off in the number of people or the percentage of visitors doing the underground tour… since the charge was introduced… feedback is clear that the overwhelming percentage of visitors support and understand the need for a charge.”

Ms Richardson raised the “Art of the Selfie” exhibition, saying Welsh Government insurance did not cover the cost of loaning the Van Gogh self-portrait from Musée d’Orsay in Paris.

She said the museum paid £40,000 for a private insurance policy for one painting but more than recovered the costs by charging a £1 minimum fee.

She told the committee: “Had it run at a loss, we would then have to think: can we afford to bring in such high-value and important works… to the people of Wales?”

Ms Richardson outlined the “NMC 100” vision for the 2027 centenary of the grade one-listed National Museum Cardiff which aims to display collections in a uniquely Welsh way.

The project would also see an overhaul of maintenance issues such as a leaking roof, with only 30% of the building, which is the size of 24 Olympic swimming pools, open to the public.

Ms Richardson stressed: “We owe it to the people of Wales, that we perform at the same level as other national museums both within the UK and more widely in Europe.”

Supporting Wales’ future generations commissioner’s calls for a bill to safeguard services, the former council director warned culture is always among the first areas to be cut.

During a difficult week, in which the St Fagans national museum was hit by a burglary, Ms Richardson told Senedd Members: “Wales should lead the world on culture… it’s our best and greatest export, so we should be proudly defending it.”

Local Government

Pembrokeshire council leader Jon Harvey to stand down

Published

2 minutes ago

May 1, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

THE LEADER of Pembrokeshire’s council is to stand down amid denied claims of a ‘coup ‘, with a three-way challenge for the role taking place at the May AGM .

The leader of the council is elected every two years under the council’s constitution, and current leader Cllr Jon Harvey has decided not to stand for re-election.

Pembroke St Mary North member Cllr Harvey became leader in May 2024 after narrowly beating fellow leadership hopeful Conservative group leader Di Clements by 30 votes to 27.

Cllr Harvey replaced Cllr David Simpson as leader.

Three nominations have been received for the leadership battle at the May 15 AGM: Conservative Group Leader Cllr Di Clements, unaffiliated member and current Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care Cllr Tessa Hodgson, and Leader of the Independent Group Cllr Anji Tinley.

Former leader of the Independent Group on Pembrokeshire County Council Cllr Huw Murphy, in a statement, has claimed Cllr Havery has been removed in a “coup,” which the leader has denied.

Cllr Murphy, in his statement where he talks about himself in the third person, said: “Cllr Murphy stated that the decision confirms what many councillors already know, in that the Cabinet is fractured and no longer retains the confidence of a majority of elected members.

“He further suggests that efforts by some Cabinet members to replace Councillor Harvey is no more than a bid to maintain their own Cabinet roles and the additional allowances this attracts, which appears to be an act of considerable disloyalty towards the now outgoing Leader.

“Cllr Murphy further commented that the removal of the Leader following what appears to be a coup by other Cabinet members does not resolve many of the issues as Cabinet failure is not the fault of the Leader alone, far from it.

“The motto of Pembrokeshire County Council is ‘Ex Unitate Vires’ (in Unity Strength). It’s abundantly clear there has been no unity or strength in Cabinet for some time, rather a desire to now sacrifice their Leader on the altar of trying to save their own Cabinet positions, which is an unedifying spectacle for many.”

Cllr Murphy concluded by expressing his gratitude for Councillor Harvey’s service over the past two years as Leader, but said that “councillors now had a genuine opportunity to embrace real change in electing Councillor Anji Tinley as the next Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council”.

Cllr Harvey has denied any ‘coup’ taking place, promising a full response to Cllr Murphy’s claims.

He later said: “Honestly, I had to laugh at this statement by Cllr Murphy. I’ve enjoyed my time as Leader immensely and I am proud of my record but I have done a full leadership term.

“The decision to stand down and not seek re-election was mine and mine alone and I’m looking forward to supporting Cllr Tessa Hodgson at the AGM.”

Business

Pembrokeshire St Brides Castle biomass and solar scheme

Published

7 minutes ago

May 1, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS for a green energy scheme at a Pembrokeshire former country house which is now holiday apartments have been given the go-ahead.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, HPB Ltd, through agent Acanthus Holden Architects, sought permission for a biomass boiler plant and installation of 16 rows of solar panels to the south of the tennis courts, St Brides Castle, St Brides, along with the removal of two tennis courts, two polytunnels, two sheds and relocation of a container.

Marloes and St Brides Community Council: Supporting

An officer report recommending approval said: “St Brides Castle. Listed Grade II* is a former country house (now holiday apartments) just south-west of the small settlement of St Brides.

“The house and its listed ancillary buildings stand prominently within a large grade-II-registered park and garden. The development site lies immediately south of the registered asset, outside of its boundary.”

It added: “Although in a sensitive location, the proposed scheme is well-screened, utilising an existing hedged enclosure. The proposed panels do not protrude over the hedge line, the proposed extra planting to the south and west providing further screening. The proposed building, also well-screened, is of traditional design, proportions and materials.”

The application was conditionally approved by park planners.

News

UK terror threat level raised to severe after Golders Green attack

Published

11 hours ago

April 30, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE UK’S terrorism threat level has been raised from substantial to severe, meaning an attack is now considered highly likely.

The decision was taken by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre on Thursday (Apr 30), following the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green, North London, which has been declared a terrorist incident.

The Home Office said the change was not based solely on that attack, but reflected a wider increase in the threat from Islamist and extreme right-wing terrorism in the UK.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the attack was an “abhorrent, antisemitic” act of terrorism and said her thoughts were with the victims and the Jewish community.

There are five terrorism threat levels in the UK: low, moderate, substantial, severe and critical.

Severe means an attack is highly likely, while critical means an attack is highly likely in the near future.

Threat levels are set independently by JTAC and MI5, based on intelligence and analysis. They do not have an expiry date and can be changed at any time.

Police say the public may see an increase in visible patrols and other security measures, including Project Servator deployments, where specially trained officers patrol public areas to identify suspicious behaviour.

The public is being urged to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious to police. In an emergency, people should always call 999.