Wales ranks third from bottom of European countries in terms of spending per person on recreational and sport and second from bottom for cultural services, a new report has said. There are poor quality pitches and sporting facilities across Wales, with one hockey club saying they play their home games in England because the can’t fund repairs to their pitches.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) told the committee that poor facilities are the “number one issue affecting players and clubs”. They say they need to spend £10m a year to improve facilities.
They told the committee of Senedd members that pitches are deteriorating with worsening weather conditions, with over 40% of matches being postponed by weather in some winter months. Currently across Wales only 21% of pitches are rated at ‘good’ standard; only 23% of changing facilities are rated at a ‘good’ standard and 54%state that artificial pitches are difficult to access.”
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Swim Wales said the condition of aquatic facilities in Wales have been “in steady decline for a decade” and that 30% of swimming pools are at risk of closure over the next decade if action is not taken by central and local governments.
The WLGA called on the Welsh Government to consider reducing or removing the non-domestic rates paid on council leisure buildings and a number of witnesses said funding cuts have led to job losses or reduced employment opportunities within the sector. Publishers described a sector at breaking point, with some facing real-terms cuts of 50% over a decade
Politicians in Cardiff Bay have raised serious concerns about what that means for people in Wales in terms of both their physical, and mental health. A committee of Senedd members who have been tasked with looking at the impact of cuts on culture and sport over the last decade. They say it shows a “lack of strategy, vision and direction” from the Welsh Government.
In a list of spending on sport and recreation by country Wales has £59.75 spending per person for cultural services compared with the UK’s £91.12 spending per person. Top of the list is Iceland where the sum is £978.51 as well as Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
In terms of culture spending, Wales spends £69.68 per head, the 2022 figures show, only ahead of Greece. Iceland again is top, with £691.60 spending per head.
The report details cuts to organisations like Welsh National Operate, Books Council of Wales, Amgueddfa Cymru, the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments and Sport Wales. It says that all forms of attendance at cultural events are down, compared to pre-pandemic with some organisations saying the cost of living crisis has impacted the number of visitors with theatre and music events have seen some increase, cinema is in “significant decline”. The Federation of Museums and Galleries said 69% less people are going to museums.
Funding cuts have impacted the maintenance and upkeep of buildings. Music Venue Trust that 16 music venues are at risk of closure and Creu Cymru told the committee: “Permanent closure of venues will have long lasting impacts on the community and cultural landscape, reducing access to cultural experiences and spaces for artistic expression.”
Northop Hall Ladies Hockey Club said that they have to play home games in England because they don’t have funding to deal with their pitch which is prone to flooding and Gwent Hockey Club described their facilities as “substandard”compared with facilities used by opposition clubs in the West of England.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) said that:“Poor facilities are the number one issue affecting players and clubs, and pitches are deteriorating with worsening weather conditions, with over 40% of matches being postponed by weather in some winter months. Currently across Wales only21% of pitches are rated at ‘good’ standard; only 23% of
Committee chair, Plaid Cymru MS Delyth Jewell said: “There is, regrettably, limited joined up thinking across government when it comes to the benefits of culture and sport.
Ms Jewell said: “For too long, culture and sport have been treated as “nice to haves”, and these sectors have faced a decade and more of funding reductions, which has left thembrittle and under-resourced”.
“In Wales, funding of culture and sport is lower than in most European nations,which regrettably highlights the lack of strategy, vision and direction which has been given to these vital policy areas from the Welsh Government”
The committee makes 13 recommendations including how to fund arts companies, its plans for a National Contemporary Art Gallery, a school swimming strategy, and to increase funding for culture and sport until they are comparable with other countries.