Latest news with #SeneddCommittee
Business News Wales
3 days ago
- Business
- Business News Wales
Senedd Committee Calls for an End to Charges for Big Pit Underground Tours
Access to Wales' coal mining history should not be put behind a paywall, according to a Senedd Committee. The Culture Committee's report on charging for exhibitions asks the Welsh Government to fund Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales enough so that that underground tours at Big Pit National Coal Museum can be free of charge. A charging trial in place since April set the ticket price at £8 per person – or cheaper on the day or with concessions. It follows the Committee's previous report which showed that, after a decade of funding cuts, Wales spent the second smallest amount per person on culture compared with other European nations. Delyth Jewell MS, Chair of the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee, said: 'Free entry to national museums has been a successful policy and we want to see it continue – as a matter of principle, no one should have to pay to enjoy collections that belong to the people of Wales. 'As the custodians of our nation's history, the Welsh Government has a responsibility to fund our national institutions adequately so that they can afford to provide free entry to everyone. 'But it has not been meeting this responsibility. 'Over a decade, the Welsh Government has cut public funding for culture in Wales to the extent that it's one of the lowest levels in Europe. Ministers even made suggestions that charging for entry to museums was 'on the table'. 'There have been some welcome increases for culture in the latest budget, but it does not obscure the real terms cut in funding the sector has had to endure, and the Welsh Government is yet to find a way to provide sustainable funding that recognises the worth of our culture.' Big Pit National Coal Museum in Blaenavon, Torfaen, is one of Amgueddfa Cymru's seven museums. It offers underground tours led by former miners so visitors can explore the original mine shafts and machinery. From April 2025 to July 2026, tickets for the underground tour at Big Pit must be purchased in advance for £8 per person. Limited tickets are available on the day for £5. Concession tickets are available without the need for evidence to be shown. The Committee notes that most visitors were happy with the amount they paid – but as a matter of principle, it recommends that underground tours should remain free of charge. The report made another four recommendations, including that income from temporary exhibitions should not replace the need for adequate public funding for museums, and that the Welsh Government should explore ways of helping organisations host more temporary exhibitions to improve the range of exhibitions on offer.
Business News Wales
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Business News Wales
Wales' Future Infrastructure Needs 'Must Be Given Greater Priority'
The Welsh Government must give greater priority to planning for Wales' future infrastructure needs and decide on the future of the body set up to advise it on infrastructure requirements, according to a Senedd Committee. A new report from The Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee concludes that planning for big projects such as flood defences and energy projects are being held back by the Welsh Government. The report looks at how the Welsh Government works with the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales (NICW), a body created to look ahead at major infrastructure challenges. The Senedd Committee finds that the Welsh Government has a 'non-committal' attitude towards NICW. This is because of long delays in responding to their reports and uncertainty regarding their budget, said the Committee, adding that it was led to question if the Welsh Government values NICW's work. Last year, the Senedd Committee recommended that the Welsh Government should commit themselves to formally responding to any report published by NICW within three months. However, despite the Welsh Government reviewing how they should work with NICW, they didn't come to any conclusion about when they should respond to their recommendations, the Committee said. NICW is still awaiting a response to their report into flooding, published in October 2024. The Committee report says that it is overdue for the Welsh Government to decide on the role and objectives of NICW. According to the Committee, this should also go hand in hand with giving the organisation more certainty in their work by extending their funding past the next Senedd elections in 2026. The report looked at how a similar organisation in New Zealand, which has a similar population size to Wales, plans its country's infrastructure work. The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission confirmed that the cost of carrying out a comprehensive infrastructure assessment was around £2.5 million. With the UK Government also having recently carried out a similar piece of work, the Senedd Committee said it was concerned that the Welsh Government's decision-making could be weaker and more costly in the long run if a similar effort isn't undertaken here – despite the initial extra cost. Llyr Gruffydd MS, Chair of the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee, said: 'The report is clear that it's time for the Welsh Government to decide whether or not they're going to treat the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales seriously. 'NICW is meant to advise and challenge the Welsh Government on how they're planning for major things like adapting to climate change, beefing up flood defences and renewable energy developments. 'This makes sure that Wales is ready for the challenges of the future, so it's been incredibly disappointing to see the Welsh Government showing very little interest in NICW's work. 'It's time for the Welsh Government to back NICW and give them the support they need to do an infrastructure assessment in Wales – and at a bare minimum to respond to their reports in a timely manner. 'The big infrastructure challenges of the next 20 years might not seem like a priority right now, but if the Welsh Government continues to disregard this, it will be the taxpayers of the future who will be paying the price.'
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Charity warns more money is needed to help those with conditions
Parkinson's UK Cymru has urged the Welsh Government to establish a long-term funding strategy for community arts and sports. The charity warns that without this, people with chronic conditions, including Parkinson's, will face 'significant isolation, loneliness and deteriorating health outcomes.' Despite a recent £4.4 million annual top-up for the arts, Parkinson's UK Cymru believes more is needed. Dawn McGuinness, community development manager at Parkinson's UK Cymru, said: "Getting involved in the community is a lifeline for people living with Parkinson's but many cultural and sports initiatives that we and our partners organise rely on funding." A Senedd Committee report highlighted that Wales ranks third from bottom of European countries in terms of spending per person on recreational and sporting services and second from bottom for cultural services. Parkinson's UK Cymru works with partners across Wales to provide arts and sports-based support for people living with the condition. One initiative is ParkinSings, a pilot project with social enterprise Choirs For Good, which gives those with Parkinson's and their carers an opportunity to enjoy the benefits of community singing. The charity warns that without funding streams and long-term investment, many people living with chronic conditions will have limited opportunities to live well with their condition.
