Politics
Performing arts sector warns of ‘critical’ cuts
HUGH CUTS to the performing arts could have a devastating impact, stifle the creative sector and endanger Wales’ cultural identity, a committee heard.
Sharon Stone, co-director of Chapter Arts Centre, described pressures on the sector as incredibly difficult following the pandemic, with inflation soaring and a cost-of-living crisis.
She pointed to a 45% increase in utility costs over the past two years coupled with a “huge” 43% cut in the latest round of Arts Council of Wales funding.
Ms Stone, who is also director of finance at the Cardiff arts centre, told the Senedd’s culture committee: “We’ve gone from close to £680,000 a year to £390,000 a year.”
She explained that the Arts Council provides around 18% of Chapter’s income, adding: “We can’t pass that onto our audiences … we’ll price ourselves out of the market.”
Her co-director Hannah Firth told the committee some costs, such as for hiring spaces, have had to be passed on, putting pressure on the wider sector.
Louise Miles-Payne, director of Creu Cymru, which champions the performing arts, echoed concerns about the Arts Council’s latest investment review.
Naomi Chiffi, director of collaboration at National Theatre Wales (NTW), said the charity is in a “unique and inevitable” position of having lost all its Arts Council funding in the last review.
“Even before that things were difficult and … we can’t expect audiences to pick up the tab,” she added, cautioning that it is becoming unsustainable for the sector.
Asked about the potential impact of any further Arts Council cuts, Ms Firth said it could have devastating effects and stifle the creative sector, particularly for early career artists.
Ms Miles-Payne warned the theatre sector is already close to closures, with threats to Blackwood Miners’ Institute and Merthyr Tydfil’s Redhouse centre having shut.
Ms Chiffi said: “It’s really important to remember that arts isn’t a luxury, it’s not a means of entertainment – it can’t just become the privilege of the few, it’s a right for all of us….
“It’s such a vital part of the nation’s cultural identity.”
Ms Chiffi said the national theatre company has been through “great stress”, with voluntary redundancies leaving four core members of staff and five project-funded staff.
She welcomed ring-fenced transition funding from the Arts Council and a Cardiff council grant that has helped NTW continue work with schools and young people.
She told the meeting on October 17 that the wider artistic programming of NTW has sadly had to be put on hold due to the Arts Council cuts.
Labour’s Alun Davies asked to what extent the sector is in financial crisis due to austerity as opposed to failing to adapt well to changes in society.
Recognising social change, Ms Firth suggested it is a combination of the two.
“But it’s a hard financial fact that people can’t afford to go out in the way that they used to,” she said, adding that habits changed during the pandemic.
Ms Miles-Payne said the sector has faced a steady decline in funding for the past decade.
Mr Davies, a former minister, replied that it is fair to say the Welsh Government has not funded culture in the same way as Scotland or the Republic of Ireland.
Asked whether the Welsh Government cares about arts and culture – with suggestions the sector is an “easy target” for cuts – Ms Miles-Payne said: “It doesn’t really appear so.”
She told committee members that culture spending is 0.15% of the Welsh budget, compared with a European average of 1.5%.
Community
Willhome Farm Barn attraction refusal expected next week
A PEMBROKESHIRE farm barn attraction, which gained a 3,500-strong petition of support to keep it running after previously being refused by planning officers, is now recommended to be turned down by councillors next week.
Late last year, Stuart Williams of Home Farm, Leweston, near Camrose, was refused retrospective permission by planning officers to retain the Willhome Farm Barn farm park – and ancillary buildings – built in June 2022.
The site – whose facilities were used by the council’s own educational providers and parents of children with learning difficulties – is home to rabbits, llamas, donkeys, poultry, owls, goats, ponies and pigs, along with a café building, public conveniences, a children’s play area, and parking.
It was refused due to highway safety concerns and fears it would generate additional foul water flows which are likely to result in an increase in phosphate levels in the Cleddau River.
Since the refusal by planners, a change.org petition, Grant Planning Permission for Willhome Farm Barn in Pembrokeshire, was set up by Hook-based Jessica Austin, which has attracted more than 3,500 signatures to date.
Jessica’s petition said: “This decision not only affects this resilient family but also impacts schools attended with over 6,000 pupils, by adults from local wellbeing centres and families with children who have autism or learning difficulties like mine.
“It’s important to note that there are no apparent issues with existing amenities. Roads or waterways. The refusal of planning permission seems unjustified and is causing unnecessary distress within our community.”
Earlier this year, the applicant submitted a fresh call – supported by local community council Camrose – for permission to be granted, which was again due to be decided by planning officers.
At the request of local county councillor, and former council leader, Cllr Jamie Adams, a special meeting was held in July to discuss whether a decision could be made by councillors rather than officers, which was unanimously supported.
The application was due to be heard at the October meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, with a recommendation of refusal, reasons including those given for the previous application.
At the start of the October meeting, members heard the scheme had been temporarily withdrawn to allow the applicant’s agent more time to address concerns, with the plans now returning to the December 3 planning committee.
The application is recommended to be refused on the basis officers say it is in an unsustainable location and would have a negative environmental impact through additional traffic movements, highways issues, and “it has not been established that the proposed development would not generate additional foul water flows which would result in an increase in phosphate levels in the Cleddau River catchment adversely affecting the Cleddau Rivers Special Area of Conservation”.
News
Local MP’s family avoids farm tax bombshell
THE FAMILY of Mid & South Pembrokeshire MP, Henry Tufnell, took steps to avoid a potential tax liability weeks before Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced her controversial tax changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR). The timing has sparked questions about whether Mr Tufnell, a backbench MP, had prior knowledge of the changes—though his spokesperson firmly denies it.
“As has been widely reported, it would seem that even Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for DEFRA, was not aware of the specific changes to APR and Business Property Relief (BPR) before the Budget was announced,” the spokesperson told The Pembrokeshire Herald. “It would, therefore, be implausible to suggest that Henry…would have this kind of knowledge prior to the Chancellor’s Budget announcements before they were made public.”
Avoiding the new tax by coincidence
Around three weeks before the announcement, Mr Tufnell’s millionaire parents implemented financial measures to shield their 2,000-acre Cotswolds estate from the tax changes. While such tax avoidance is perfectly legal, critics have called the optics “spectacularly unfortunate.”
Where the money is
The average Welsh family farm earns less than £45k a year, with most of its value tied up in land—an asset that can only be realized by selling it, often at the cost of the farm’s viability. However, the Tufnells are far removed from this scenario. The family estate, owned by Mark Tufnell, includes an entire village of tenants, and Jane Tufnell, Henry’s mother, cofounded a major investment management company with over £20bn in client investments.
Avoid tax, says Pembrokeshire MP
When asked for comment, Mr Tufnell’s spokesperson encouraged Pembrokeshire farmers to follow suit in seeking professional advice to manage potential tax burdens. “The actions taken by Henry’s parents were based on professional advice… This is something every farmer in Pembrokeshire should consider in light of the Chancellor’s recent announcements.”
This statement has fueled criticism that those who stand to benefit most from the new tax policy are not small family farms but the wealthiest landowners employing tax advisers to exploit legal loopholes.
Policy must be scrapped
Welsh Parliament Member Samuel Kurtz slammed the policy, calling it devastating for small, family-run farms. “Labour must now do the right thing: scrap this policy. It’s evident that it cannot, and will not, work,” he said, echoing concerns from tax specialist Dan Neidle that the policy disproportionately impacts farmers while sparing tax avoiders.
As public outrage continues to mount, questions remain about the fairness of the tax and its potential repercussions for Wales’ hard-working farming families.
News
Assisted Dying Bill moves forward after emotional Commons debate
THE Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, spearheaded by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, has passed its second reading in the House of Commons with a majority of 55 votes. A historic 330 MPs supported the measure, while 275 opposed it.
The bill proposes allowing terminally ill adults with less than six months to live the option to seek medical assistance to end their lives. Following Friday’s (Nov 29) vote, the legislation will now progress to the committee stage for detailed scrutiny. It will also be debated in the House of Lords before potentially becoming law.
MPs divided over assisted dying
The vote was conducted as a free vote, enabling MPs to act according to their conscience rather than along party lines. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves were among those who backed the proposal. However, other senior figures, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, voted against it, citing concerns over coercion and fears of a “slippery slope” towards euthanasia.
A five-hour debate in the Commons saw emotional arguments on both sides. Former Conservative minister Andrew Mitchell shared his shift in perspective, recounting the moving stories of constituents who watched loved ones suffer “in great pain and indignity.”
In contrast, Labour veteran Diane Abbott expressed concerns that the bill could pressure vulnerable individuals, stating: “Sick people may feel like a burden on society.” She warned that passing the bill could see the NHS become “a fully-funded 100% suicide service,” while palliative care remains underfunded.
‘Choice and dignity’ at the heart of the bill
Introducing the bill, Ms Leadbeater emphasised the importance of giving terminally ill patients “choice, autonomy, and dignity,” arguing the current law is failing them.
“This is about ensuring that those who are dying are afforded the care and respect they deserve,” she said, highlighting the bill’s stringent safeguards.
Under the proposed law, two independent doctors and a high-court judge must approve each case. Additionally, patients would need to self-administer the medication, ensuring their consent is clear and voluntary. The bill also imposes a 14-year prison sentence for anyone found to have coerced a person into seeking assisted dying.
Supporters rally outside Parliament
Outside the Commons, campaigners from Dignity in Dying held a demonstration in support of the bill. Protesters called for legal changes to provide terminally ill individuals with greater control over their end-of-life choices.
The debate continues to divide public opinion, but Friday’s vote marks a significant step towards potentially changing the law in England and Wales.
The legislation will now undergo further examination in committee and will face additional debate in the House of Lords. Both sides of the debate are preparing for intense scrutiny of the proposed safeguards and ethical implications.
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