Fears Wales’ national collections could be at risk due to budget cuts

Published

8 months ago

March 21, 2024

THE SENEDD has backed calls to keep free entry to museums amid concerns that Welsh Government budget cuts risk endangering Wales’ national collections.

Heledd Fychan warned a maintenance backlog of tens of millions of pounds has deteriorated to such an extent that the National Museum Cardiff is fearful it could be forced to close.

The Plaid Cymru MS told the chamber that failing a mechanical, electrical and plumbing inspection would mean closing the museum, partly or fully, for an undefined time.

She said: “We’ve been shown photos of priceless collections next to buckets overflowing with water. We’ve been warned about outdated electrics and inadequate storerooms.”

Ms Fychan drew parallels with Brazil, saying 92% of the country’s collections were lost in an avoidable fire after curators’ warnings were ignored and the museum was underfunded.

The South Wales Central MS criticised job losses during the debate on a cross-party motion, co-submitted by Tom Giffard and Jane Dodds for the Tories and Lib Dems respectively.

She said culture institutions are all going through redundancy programmes, meaning vital skills are already being lost, with no time to put succession plans in place.

“And worst of all, the Welsh Government is helping to fund these redundancies,” she said.

Ms Fychan expressed alarm about suggestions free entry to national museums could end, saying the policy has been a success since it was introduced under Rhodri Morgan in 2001.

Raising concerns about the long-term impact of cuts, she pointed to an article by Andrew Green, a former chief librarian, entitled ‘Why is the Welsh Government at war with culture?’.

Mr Green wrote that people should be “deeply worried by a government whose members can’t manage to grasp the critical importance of maintaining and improving state support”.

Plaid Cymru’s shadow culture minister also quoted Pedr ap Llwyd, who retired as the National Library’s chief executive on Friday, as warning of a “gap in the political will”.

She said: “Our culture and our heritage matter. They aren’t something nice to have when times are good; they are a vital part of our nation.”

Tom Giffard, the Conservatives’ shadow minister, raised concerns about “disproportionate” budget cuts, questioning why the arts and culture sector has borne the brunt.

Mr Giffard accused Welsh ministers of “hiding” behind the arm’s-length body principle to avoid responsibility for decisions instead made around the cabinet table.

Sioned Williams, the Plaid Cymru MS for South Wales West, said Amgueddfa Cymru and the National Library of Wales are facing an existential crisis.

She said: “The warning is clear. If we don’t support the calls in the motion before us, the price for the future of our nation will be one that we cannot afford to pay.”

Mike Hedges, a Labour backbencher, who represents Swansea East, said it is important that cuts do not endanger the collections due to unsuitable spaces or a lack of specialist staff.

But he told MSs: “We also need to realise we cannot keep on spending more money … let’s find places to save and let’s prioritise things – if everything’s a priority, nothing is.”

Delyth Jewell, who chairs the Senedd’s culture committee, said Amgueddfa Cymru staff often come in at night to move art from the walls and place buckets to catch rainwater.

Dawn Bowden, the deputy minister for arts, recognised the challenges Amgueddfa Cymru and the National Library of Wales face in maintaining ageing buildings.

She said Amgueddfa Cymru has received £5m and the National Library £2m, which is being kept in the next financial year to address the most pressing maintenance concerns.

Ms Bowden told the Senedd she commissioned an independent review of the collections’ management last year and it is due to report this month.

Criticising Prof Llwyd’s “somewhat disingenuous” comments about a lack of political will, Ms Bowden said he had ample opportunity to put his concerns to her but did not.

She stressed that she does not want Amgueddfa Cymru to charge for entry but, in a crisis, every avenue of income generation at its disposal must be explored.

The motion was agreed 27-16 following the debate on March 20, with seven MSs abstaining and some support from the Labour backbenches.

Pembrokeshire free school transport call to be heard at County Hall

Published

2 days ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to allow school pupils from Johnston and Tiers Cross access to free school transport to the nearby Haverfordwest high school is to be heard by councillors next week.

Due to a change in catchment areas the pupils are no longer able to access free transport to Haverfordwest, instead coming under the Milford Haven catchment area.

A petition calling for the reinstatement of the former catchment area to access free transport for pupils to Haverfordwest was recently started in the county.

The e-petition, which ran from September 18-November 1 on the council’s own website, attracted 351 signatures, meeting the threshold for a debate at the relevant Pembrokeshire County Council overview and scrutiny committee, in this case the Schools And Learning Overview And Scrutiny Committee meeting of November 28.

The petition, started by Kirsty Coaker, reads: “We call on Pembrokeshire County Council to change Johnston and Tiers Cross School Catchment back to Haverfordwest.

“Children of Johnston and Tiers Cross are now ineligible for free school transport to Haverfordwest High due to the areas no longer being in ‘catchment’.

“Both Johnston and Tiers Cross are Haverfordwest postal codes and are classed as Haverfordwest, yet the school catchment is Milford Haven.

“Please help our children access suitable transport to and from secondary school.”

The e-petition will now be considered at the November 28 meeting.

Climate

Pembrokeshire group plans for larger community wind turbine

Published

2 days ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A NORTH Pembrokeshire group which has raised more than £76,000 from its community wind turbine for local projects is hoping to expand with a bigger turbine.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Abergwaun Community Turbine Ltd, through agent Machynlleth-based Dulas Ltd is hoping to get permission for a larger turbine to replace the existing Abergwaun Community Turbine.

The proposed turbine, in a pasture field at Trebover Farm, to the south of Fishguard, would be 67m tall, the existing 2015 one being 45 metres.

In supporting statements, parent company Transition Bro Gwaun said: “The Community Climate Fund (CCF) is the mechanism by which Transition Bro Gwaun (TBG) is fulfilling our ambition of funding projects in Fishguard, Goodwick and across North Pembrokeshire, using income from the community wind turbine.

“The core themes for grants are climate change mitigation and adaptation, enhancement of biodiversity and improvements to community resilience through promotion of community engagement and resource sharing.”

In 2015, TBG raised its 50 per cent share of capital funding for the project by means of loans from 28 local individuals and four community groups, contributing a total of £286,500, the other 50 per cent contributed by landowners Parc-y-Morfa Farms Ltd.

The statement added: “Profit generated by sale of electricity from the turbine is split 50:50 between TBG and Parcy-Morfa Farms Ltd through the jointly owned trading arm, Abergwaun Community Turbine. By the end of 2022, all loans had been repaid, allowing the launch of TBG’s Community Climate Fund. This year we have awarded our third round of grants bringing the total amount granted to £76,036.”

In 2022, £15,274 was awarded to seven projects, including Fishguard Sports AFC to install solar panels on their clubhouse as part of their Tregroes Park development, Ysgol Bro Gwaun for their Increasing Biodiversity and Bees project, and Nevern Valley Veg / Llysiau Cwm Nyfer to install a solar powered vegetable irrigation scheme.

In 2023, £39,85 was made available for seven projects, including Sea Trust Wales to part fund the installation of solar panels on the Ocean Lab roof and to produce a display on solar technology, Letterston Memorial Hall to part fund the installation of an air source heat pump heating system, and Fishguard and Goodwick Rugby Club to install solar panels on their clubhouse.

2024 awards of £20,917 were made to six projects, including Theatr Gwaun to insulate their loft to reduce heating loss, Parc Cerrig Growers for developing a rainwater harvesting system with a pond to irrigate their allotments, Caerhys Organic Community Agriculture for an electric cargo bike for delivering organic vegetables in the Fishguard and St Davids areas, and Nevern Valley Veg to develop wildlife ponds and rainwater harvesting for food production.

The supporting documentation concludes: “The repowering of the existing turbine at Trebover would require a limited increase in turbine size which would result in a very limited change in landscape and visual effects in comparison to the existing Trebover turbine.”

The application will be considered by planners at a later date.

Business

Call to end ‘fad’ of ‘school dogs’ in Pembrokeshire

Published

2 days ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to end the ‘fad’ of permanent ‘school dogs’ in Pembrokeshire for their benefit and the befit of the schools, instead using visiting ‘therapy dogs’ is to be heard next week.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Schools And Learning Overview And Scrutiny Committee meeting of November 28 will consider a public submission by Robert Thomas – who works with therapy dogs – on the subject of school dogs.

The submission reads: “My definition of a school dog is one that spends long periods in the school and is managed and owned by school employees not outside assessed and insured visiting therapy dogs who stay for an hour with a competent handler.

“The welfare of many dogs in schools in Pembrokeshire has been compromised over the last few years and we are concerned that the rise in the popularity of school-owned or teacher-owned dogs is an animal welfare issue.

“I can think of several school dogs in Pembrokeshire where it has gone wrong for the animal.”

He cites examples of ‘school dogs’ the county, where he says they have had to be removed, with the animals being unsettled, barking and even nipping on occasions, showing “a lack of understanding of animal welfare”.

His submission adds: “We have done some work with the Animal Welfare team at the Welsh Government around licensing this field, a consultation was completed in March 2023, currently awaiting the outcome.

“It has become a fad across the country and many dogs spend all day in schools supported by staff members who have another job to do. It feels like PCC does not have a policy overarching animal welfare policy in schools to protect dogs from being seen as staff members and there purely for human benefit, not the dogs.

“Dogs need to rest and sleep during the day and not in school. The visiting therapy dog model works best as the impact is greatest and the welfare of the dog is managed externally. If the dog is there all the time that can diminish the impact, and the novelty can wear off for the pupils.

“In my experience schools should concentrate on teaching and leave the therapy dog introduction to those that have the expertise in animal welfare.”

The submission will be considered by committee members at the November 28 meeting.