Heledd Fychan Canol De Cymru - South Wales Central

25 years of Labour rule in Wales has resulted in the culture sector being cut to the bone, says Heledd Fychan MS

Plaid Cymru has warned that unless the Welsh Government take urgent action to get to grips with the crisis facing the culture sector, Wales is at risk of losing its national memory.

Heledd Fychan' comments come after the First Minister today (15 April 2024) defended cuts to the culture budget following an announcement that Wales’ National Museum in Cardiff is at risk of closure, as well as 90 job losses.

Over the past few years, I have supported local residents in campaigning against the expansion of Craig Yr Hesg Quarry, and also against the extension to the life of the quarry. 

Yesterday, during Mark Drakeford’s last question session as First Minister, I had the opportunity to ask him about the safety of our Coal Tips.

It’s disgraceful that the UK Government continues to be unwilling to work with the Welsh Government on this important matter. I hope the next UK Government will right the wrongs of the past, and ensure no community continues to live in fear of the coal tips.

The Labour Government in Wales has scrapped support for free meals for children during school holidays ‘indefinitely’

Plaid Cymru has reacted to the announcement by the Education Minister and First Minister Candidate, Jeremy Miles, that support for food for the youngest and most vulnerable children in Wales had been scrapped ‘indefinitely’.

Here is a summary of my work in the Senedd and across the region over the last week:

Plaid Cymru has responded to the news brought to light by Nation.Cymru that OVO Energy is to scrap its Welsh Language telephone service and Welsh Language bills, as well as advising customers to use Google Translate to read their bills in Welsh.

OVO Energy merged with Swalec in 2013, and took on its Welsh Language service at the time.

This week marks four years since devastating flooding hit communities across South Wales Central during Storm Dennis. Reflecting on the past four years, Heledd Fychan, Member of the Senedd for South Wales Central, reflected on the work completed since then, but also the fear that many still feel every time it rains heavily, and the rivers rise. She also called on the Welsh Government to prioritise action in those areas that remain at risk, which includes an on-going risk to life if the same level of flooding were to happen again.

This article was published in Nation.Cymru

Our national collections are at risk, and our cultural, arts and heritage sectors are in crisis.

For years, consecutive Welsh Government commissioned reports have confirmed the warnings coming from our national cultural and heritage institutions and organisations that they are underfunded, both in terms of capital and revenue funding. And for years, consecutive Labour ministers and deputy ministers have failed to heed those warnings.

Amgueddfa Cymru, the National Library of Wales, Arts Council Wales and the Welsh Books Council are facing a 10.5% reduction in their revenue budgets, whilst Cadw and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales are facing a 22% cut.

In terms of the Welsh Government’s overall budget, the savings are minimal yet the impact will be devastating.

In December, Jane Richardson – the Chief Executive of Amgueddfa Cymru – whilst giving evidence to the Senedd’s Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee could not have stated more clearly the current risk to the collections: “When we are expecting a storm or heavy rain, we have to put staff on standby, literally, so they can come into the building in the middle of the night to take paintings off the walls”.

Here is a summary of my work in the Senedd and across the region over the last week: