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Politics

Arts Council of Wales slammed over ‘offensive’ use of C-word on its website

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A CONSERVATIVE Senedd member called out the Arts Council of Wales over the “offensive and disappointing” use of the C-word on its website.

Laura Anne Jones, the shadow culture secretary, asked Dafydd Rhys to read aloud a section of the Arts Council website about its support for three companies at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Handed a printout in the culture committee, the chief executive started reading a highlighted extract about a drag show then paused before spelling out the C-word letter by letter.

Ms Jones, who represents South Wales East, said: “You paused on one of the words and didn’t say the full word and I can understand why because as a woman … when I read that on the Arts Council website I found that quite offensive and disappointing to see that.

“This is where public money is going. I would suggest that if that word was difficult to say in a committee – I don’t think, perhaps, it’s appropriate for a website.”

South Wales East MS Delyth Jewell, who chairs the committee, intervened to try to steer the discussion back to the impact of cuts to arts and culture in Wales.

But Ms Jones said: “Absolutely it is though, it’s where that value for is coming from. Are we looking at giving the money to the right things … when words like that are used I’m not sure that’s really the projection that Wales wants to put over to the world.”

Ms Jones contrasted this with cuts to the Welsh National Opera: “I’m not sure all projects that perhaps you’re funding are that value for money, are appropriate.

“It just may be worth looking into them and seeing if that money could be redistributed.”

Mr Rhys responded: “I haven’t seen this particular project that you refer to, personally, so I’m not going to comment on the content of that.”

He told the committee projects that go to the Edinburgh festival are independently assessed.

Asked about arts venues closing earlier in the evidence session, Mr Rhys pointed to a lack of adequate funding combined with pressures on councils and universities.

Mr Rhys said the absence of a legal requirement on councils to provide arts centres and venues makes it an easier way to try to balance the books.

He told the committee the Arts Council, which received a 10.5% cut in the 2024/25 budget, would like to see Wales follow Ireland’s lead by bringing in a statutory responsibility.

Stressing that the Arts Council transfers 92% of its funding to the sector, Mr Rhys said the arm’s-length body lost 10 to 13 staff members through voluntary and compulsory redundancy.

He explained that the Arts Council employs about 80 people so it was a significant decrease.

Mr Rhys said: “If we were to face an additional cut … it would mean we would have to reconsider how much we can deliver.”

The former S4C broadcast director welcomed an extra £1m for the Arts Council, which safeguarded 38 jobs, but he warned that in-year grants are a sticking-plaster solution.

He told committee members: “They don’t answer the long-term demand to solve some of the problems that a lack of funding causes – what it does do … is it buys you more time.”

Mr Rhys, who was appointed in 2022, said staff are concerned about workload and the future of the wider sector which can impact morale and mental health.

The Arts Council called for an urgent review of funding for arts and culture in its written evidence, warning: The declining pattern from 2010 is not sustainable. It is a 40% cut.”

News

Paul Davies MS visits Forest School outdoor education facility

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LOCAL Senedd Member Paul Davies has visited Forest School Pembrokeshire, an outdoor education facility based near Haverfordwest. Mr Davies had a tour of the facility and met with Kate Morgan to hear more about the type of experiences that the Forest School provides. Mr Davies then took part in some pumpkin carving with Kate and some of the children.

Mr Davies said, “I’ve been a longstanding supporter of outdoor learning and so it was a pleasure to visit the Forest School and learn more about their facilities and the type of activities that they provide.”

“The Forest School offers inclusive and accessible experiences in a forest setting, and it was clear to me that the children were fully engaged and very enthusiastic during the pumpkin carving session.”

“Kate and her team have done a wonderful job in developing the Forest School and I’d encourage parents across Pembrokeshire to find out more about what the School offers.”

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Community

Quayside building and community hub works approval expected

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PLANS to refurbish a quayside building in Haverfordwest’s conservation area with works including an outdoor terrace, as well as works to the existing Haverhub community hub are expected to be approved next week.

The application, by Gitti Coats, for the refurbishment and extension of Haverfordwest’s Quayside Building to form multi-functional community spaces, along with an extension to the bar building to create a first-floor terrace at Quay Street is recommended for conditional approval at the November 5 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee.

A report for planners says: “The application site comprises of two existing buildings and associated outdoor area located within the Quayside area of Haverfordwest.  One of the buildings is known as the Quayside Building, which fronts the quayside and is currently vacant.  The second building, which currently addresses Quay Street to the west, is known as the ‘Haverhub’ community hub.”

The Grade-II-listed Haverhub building, is a former post office, described as “a finely designed neoGeorgian Post Office in Bath stone,” built in 1934-6 for the General Post Office (GPO), and “is an example of the high quality neo-Georgian post offices of the inter-war period”.

A report for planners says the Quayside building would increase in height from approximately 7.9 metres to 11.7 metres with the creation of a second floor and accommodation within the roof space, the ground floor utilised for space in connection with a performance space within the Haverhub building.

To the first floor would be a multi-function room, which would also connect to a proposed bar area and associated first floor terrace which includes outdoor seating.  The second floor of the Quayside building would include a second multi-function and meeting room.

The main Haverhub building would be extended to provide a gallery and entrance lobby.  The existing bar and kitchen would also be extended.

“The proposed development would still allow the Haverhub building, including its ornate features, to be viewed within the context of the wider conservation area, whilst protecting the setting of the listed building and the surrounding conservation area,” the report says, adding: “It is considered that the scheme creates an important and attractive enhancement to this part of the Conservation Area.”

The Haverhub building was granted a change of use to a community hub in 2018, with the use and building benefiting from a ground floor internal outdoor courtyard area, which is located below the proposed first floor terrace.

The report says that, as there is already an outside space for the community hub to utilise “the addition of the first-floor seating area would not create a significantly greater impact in terms of noise generation or impact on amenity than the existing outdoor area to the ground floor”.

The proposal is recommended for conditional approval.

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Politics

Neyland church conversion plans approval expected

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PLANS to convert a former Pembrokeshire church to two homes are expected to be approved next week.

In an application recommended for conditional approval at the Pembrokeshire County Council planning committee meeting of November 5, Mr and Mrs Davies seek permission for a change of use of the former Zion Presbyterian Church, High Street, Neyland to two dwellings.

The application is for committee consideration as one of the applicants has a close family connection to a member of the council.

Zion Presbyterian Church was one of the first built in Neyland and is evident on the 1862 Ordnance Survey (OS) map identified as a Calvinist chapel with the date above the north door. It was later extended in 1871.

A report for planners says the church, in the town’s conservation area, closed in July 2023 due to the condition of the building and the lack of funding to ensure its maintenance, and was bought by the applicants in June of this year; the only interested parties, the price being lowered during the marketing exercise due to there being no demand.

It would be converted into two units, the first in the original church building, and the latter in a rear extension of the building.

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