SENEDD Members scrutinised Wales’ new culture minister about the impact of the Welsh Government’s sweeping budget cuts to culture and sport.

Jack Sargeant appeared before the Senedd’s culture committee on November 13, with the sector bearing the brunt of cuts in the 2024/25 budget.

South Wales East MS Delyth Jewell raised concerns about a disconnect between draft priorities for a thriving culture sector and a 17% real-terms cut in revenue funding over the past ten years.

Mr Sargeant pointed to the context of austerity since 2010, saying the 2024/25 settlement from Westminster left the Welsh Government with £700m less than expected.

He told the committee chair: “We’ve had to make serious and difficult decisions. No minister … would want to have made the decisions that they have had to.”

Mr Sargeant raised examples of extra funding for culture provided during the year, including £3.2m for capital investment and a further £5m announced in September.

Labour’s Lee Waters, a former minister, suggested the culture sector is too often seen as a “nice to have” and a soft target when cuts must be made.

He asked: “Have you given any thought to how you can present this sector as an essential, key service rather than the first thing in line when cuts come along?”

Mr Sargeant said ministers sought to protect health and education in the 2024/25 budget, but he recognised the economic value and importance of culture to the people of Wales.

He told the committee: “It’s important that we try to resource that properly in the difficult challenges that no doubt still remain for the Welsh Government and the sector.”

Mr Sargeant cautioned that an extra £1.7bn for Wales over two years in Labour’s first UK budget in 15 years will not solve all the problems.

“But it does give us some level of hope we can build upon,” he said, giving little away about the Welsh Government’s draft 2025/26 budget due to be published on December 10.

Plaid Cymru’s Heledd Fychan raised the risk of falling participation, with sport and culture becoming elitist, highlighting trial charges at Big Pit in the summer and paid-for exhibitions.

Mr Sargeant replied: “Culture should be for everybody and I’m particularly conscious around making sure that working-class communities like my own in Alyn and Deeside have access.”

He added: “That does mean that we have to look at funding when we can, funding organisations perhaps better but it also means … doing things differently.”

He suggested cultural bodies will be asked to justify decisions such as introducing charges that could have a detrimental impact on access to culture.

Mr Waters questioned the reasonableness of ministers getting involved in decision-making around charging while funding for arm’s-length bodies contracts.

He said: “Something has to give … isn’t there a danger of you ‘want your cake and eat it’?”

Mr Sargeant, an engineer-turned-politician who was appointed minister in July’s reshuffle, denied suggestions he was “grandstanding” about charges while implementing cuts.

Pressed about placing statutory protection on sports and recreation services, Mr Sargeant said it would be unfair on councils to expect more without providing additional funding.

Mr Waters pressed the minister on flexibility, suggesting removing as much “ringfencing” of funding as possible as has happened to allow councils to identify their own priorities.

He said he was puzzled by the contrast, with ministers “bending over backwards” to remove constraints on local government while “micromanaging” arm’s-length culture bodies.

The Llanelli representative raised the “striking” example of conditions attached to £1.3m of emergency capital funding awarded to Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales in July.

He said: “You’ve given them £1.3m on the basis of a need for it … then you’re adding a further constraint to them of having to come up with a business justification case before they can begin to plan and spend … this seems to be unnecessarily restrictive.”

Mr Sargeant said flexibility is difficult due to the reality of constraints on finances, adding that developing a business case is important to protect the public purse.

WALES’ housing secretary confirmed plans to bring forward a building safety bill in 2025, eight years after 72 people died in the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London.

Jayne Bryant told the Senedd that accountability will be at the heart of the bill, which will reform the regulation of safety risks in multi-occupied residential buildings.

Ms Bryant, who was appointed in July, said the new system will include all buildings containing two or more homes, with some exceptions, not only those of 18m or above.

The housing secretary described progress on fire safety in Wales as comparable to England, with Scotland and Northern Ireland both significantly behind.

Ms Bryant promised to emphasise the urgency of remediating fire safety issues during a meeting with developers this week.

The Conservatives’ Janet Finch-Saunders said only 2% of buildings have completed the required safety work despite many promises by the Welsh Government.

The Aberconwy Senedd Member pointed out that ministers’ plans to pass a building safety bill by 2026 will come more than eight years after the Grenfell Tower disaster.

She said those affected feel completely despondent: “Let’s not forget, these people are living in unsafe, at-risk-of-fire properties, and they’re unsellable – they are stuck in that situation.”

Mark Isherwood, the Tory shadow housing secretary, warned delays and gaps persist despite claims progress is being made on building safety reforms.

Mr Isherwood, who chairs the Senedd’s public accounts committee, said people’s safety concerns should be prioritised rather than sidelined in bureaucracy.

Siân Gwenllian, Plaid Cymru’s shadow housing secretary, raised concerns about many tenants and residents living under clouds of uncertainty and risk for too long.

She said: “We need to ensure that developers keep to their commitments but also that the government has clear outcomes for any developers that fail to reach the standards.”

Ms Gwenllian called for clarity on consequential funding for Wales after the UK Government budget, with investment in remediation set to rise to more than £1bn in 2025/26.

She stressed that funding will be central to success, saying: “We have to avoid any situation where financial deficit leaves some buildings unsafe.”

She tentatively welcomed news that developer Watkin Jones has “at last” signed a deal to make properties safe at Victoria Dock in Caernarfon.

Jane Dodds, the Liberal Democrats’ leader in Wales, said it is unacceptable that addressing fire safety has taken so long following the Grenfell tragedy.

John Griffiths, who chairs the Senedd’s housing committee, raised the disproportionate impact of the building safety crisis on disabled leaseholders.

Mr Griffiths also expressed concerns about remediation work at the nearby Celestia complex in Cardiff Bay being behind schedule and expected to take three years.

His Labour colleague Mike Hedges similarly raised constituents’ concerns about delays to work at the Altamar building in Swansea.

Rhys ab Owen, an independent who represents South Wales Central, said accountability and transparency are chief among leaseholders’ concerns.

VOLUNTARY guidance aimed at making the Welsh Parliament more representative of the population lacks any real teeth, Senedd Members warned.

Sioned Williams described new draft guidance for political parties on diversity and inclusion as “too little, too late”, with the next Senedd election less than 18 months away.

Plaid Cymru’s shadow social justice secretary said the voluntary guidance has no teeth after the Welsh Government scrapped a proposed law on gender quotas in September.

She said: “Although any and all steps to try to increase diversity in politics are very welcome, I am deeply disappointed at the rolling back by the Welsh Government.”

Ms Williams suggested a once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure a 50:50 gender split may have been missed, given the current progressive majority in the Senedd.

She said: “Candidates are already declaring their intention to stand.

“Voluntary guidance, which won’t be ready for months, really isn’t going to achieve that change for the Senedd elections in 2026.”

Her Plaid Cymru colleague Heledd Fychan pointed out there will be no penalties nor repercussions if political parties do not implement the guidance.

The Conservatives’ Darren Millar criticised a lack of engagement from the Welsh Government since legislation on gender quotas was withdrawn.

He questioned a “limited” focus on other aspects of equality such as age, faith and disability.

Mr Millar, who represents Clwyd West, said: “We very much hope when the final guidance is published it will be reflective of that broader range of characteristics.”

Jane Dodds, the Liberal Democrats’ leader in Wales, raised the Electoral Reform Society’s warning of a “sizeable risk” the next Senedd could be the least gender-balanced in history.

She told the debating chamber or Siambr: “The evidence is clear: legislative gender quotas are the only way to achieve gender-balanced Senedds.”

Ms Dodds, who represents Mid and West Wales, suggested political expediency and party interests were prioritised over women’s representation and democratic reform.

Hannah Blythyn, a Labour backbencher who represents Delyn, said making the Senedd more representative not only changes the face of politics but its focus too.

Ms Blythyn said: “We’ve talked about other protected characteristics and as an out lesbian, I’m very much in the minority in this place still and I’d like to see that diversity grow.”

In a statement to the Senedd on November 12, Jane Hutt recognised “huge disappointment” that gender quotas will not be underpinned by law.

Describing the draft guidance as a catalyst for change, the social justice secretary stressed that the Welsh Government remains committed to a gender-balanced Senedd.

Ms Hutt explained the final guidance, which is also aimed at council elections, will be published in spring following confirmation of new boundaries for the 2026 Senedd poll.

Pointing to measures under the Elections and Elected Bodies Act passed in July, she said: “We all know the guidance alone is not enough to ensure we achieve diversity in politics.”

She added: “Women are an under-represented majority in this Senedd. By including the section on voluntary gender quotas in the guidance, I want all parties to recognise the importance of considering what action they may take to increase women’s representation.”

A consultation on the draft guidance closes on January 7.