Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Committee CWLS (2) 04-07 (p3) Meeting date: Wednesday, 14 March 2007 Meeting time: 9:00am - 12:15pm Meeting venue: Committee Room 1, Senedd Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Committee Report To Plenary Under Standing Order 9.9 Legacy Report: 2003 - 2007 Introduction 1.1 The Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Committee is one of the Assembly’s seven subject committees. This report is made under Standing Order 9.9, which requires subject committees to report to the Assembly from time to time on their progress in fulfilling their work programme. The report is made separately from the Committee’s annual 1 report for 2006-07TPF FPTand is in two parts. Firstly it gives an overview of the strategic priorities and work and achievements of the Committee during the Second Assembly. The second section is a legacy to the relevant successor Committee(s) of the Third Assembly, indicating key issues that those Committees may wish to consider. 1.2 Copies of all the Committee’s reports, agendas, papers, minutes and transcripts of meetings can be found on the National Assembly website: HTUhttp://www.wales.gov.uk/keypubassemcultwelsport/index.htmUTH Strategic Overview URemit and Responsibilities 2.1 The Committee’s remit mirrors the portfolio of the Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport, which covers arts, museums, ancient monuments, libraries, the languages of Wales, media and broadcasting, sport and recreation, and lottery issues. The portfolio also includes oversight of five Assembly Sponsored Public Bodies (ASPBs) – Arts Council of Wales, Sports Council for Wales, Welsh Language Board, National Museum Wales, and the National Library of Wales. 2.2 The responsibilities of subject committees are set out in Standing Orders 2 9.7 and 9.8.TPF FPT UWork and Achievements 1 TP PT http://www.wales.gov.uk/keypubassemcultwelsport/content/reports-e.htm 2 TP PT http://www.wales.gov.uk/organipochamberbusiness/standingorders-e.htm 1 2.3 The Committee met 55 times during the Second Assembly. As part of its commitment to making its proceedings more accessible to the people of Wales, the Committee held six of those meetings in locations across Wales (National Museum of Wales, Cardiff; Newport Arts Centre; Cyfarthfa Castle, Merthyr Tydfil; Liberty Stadium, Swansea; the International Pavilion, Llangollen, and the National Botanic Gardens, Llanarthne). The Committee also met jointly with the Welsh Affairs Committee in March 2005 to consider the third phase of the Ofcom review. 2.4 In addition to its formal meetings, the Committee undertook 17 visits during the period including one to Ireland in 2004 as part of its evidence gathering for the policy review on the contribution of arts and sport to community regeneration; and one to the Scottish Parliament in 2005 as part of evidence gathering for the policy review on dance. UPrincipal Achievements nd 2.5 The Committee’s strategic priorities during the 2P P Assembly were set out in its strategic forward work programmes and Annual reports. Its principal focus and achievement during the four years has been its five policy reviews on: • HEnglish-medium writing in WalesH (March 2004) • Hthe Contribution of Arts and Sport to Community RegenerationH (April 2005) • HDance in WalesH (December 2005) • HEnglish language newspapers in WalesH (June 2006) 3 • HFootballH in Wales. (February 2007)TPF FPT 2.6 The main recommendations in the first four reports were accepted by the Welsh Assembly Government. Notable outcomes from the Committee’s reports have been the establishment of a Library of Wales which published its second set of classic works of Welsh writing in English in November 2006; and increased funding for community arts and sports, and for dance. On football, most of the recommendations were to the Football Association of Wales. At the time of writing this report, the FAW had not responded to the Committee. The recommendations to the Welsh Assembly Government were accepted. 2.7 One recommendation from the Football review was made to the Third Assembly: “Progress on the implementation of the report’s recommendations should be reviewed within 12 months of its publication by a relevant Committee of the National Assembly for Wales”. 3 TP PT Report publication date 2 2.8 Another key area of the Committee’s work was scrutiny of government proposals on the reform of the cultural ASPBs, and consequential impact on the handling of policy on the arts and sport within government. By the end of the Second Assembly, aspects of both detail and policy in all three areas remained undefined although we understand that broad principles have been agreed on the way forward for the arts and sport. Proposals in respect of the future handling of the Welsh language are to be considered by the Third Assembly and are expected to have legislative implications, (see paragraph 3.7 below).. UScrutiny of ASPBs 2.9 A regular feature of the Committee’s work has been the annual scrutiny of the cultural ASPBs. This was backed up by separate informal meetings with each body which allowed for more in depth discussion than time otherwise allowed in a formal committee setting. Since these meetings also took place at sites of interest owned or managed by the relevant ASPB, they also presented opportunities for the Committee to extend its knowledge through other visits in the area. Reports from these visits were made to the formal Committee meetings. UBroadcasting 2.10 Whilst broadcasting is not a devolved area, the Committee nonetheless contributed to several key consultations and reviews on the future of broadcasting, and on the implications for Wales. These included the BBC Charter review and subsequent Green and White Papers; Ofcom’s review of public service television broadcasting, and the Laughton report on S4C. 2.11 The Committee also held a joint session with the Welsh Affairs Committee in March 2005 on the Ofcom review. UBudget Monitoring 2.12 In addition to its standing order responsibilities in respect of the Welsh Assembly Government’s budget proposals, the Committee introduced termly monitoring of the Government’s expenditure within the culture portfolio. This required the Minister to report each term on progress on spend or change against the budget forecasts. Legacy to Successor Committee(s) UStrategic Issues 3.1 Key issues for future consideration include the development and organisational handling of strategic policies within the current arts and culture portfolio. There are in addition, specific programmes and objectives being advanced by the current five cultural ASPBs which were 3 4 raised with the Committee at its penultimate meeting on 1 March 2007TPF FPT, 5 and by the Welsh Books Council at the meeting on 7 February 2007.TPF FPT The Arts UArts policy 3.2 The responsibilities and relationship between the Welsh Assembly Government and the Arts Council of Wales in respect of arts funding, policy and development was subject of much debate during the period. In 2006, a review was carried out by an independent panel led by Elan Clos Stephens. The report “A Dual Key Approach to the Strategic Development of Arts in Wales” was endorsed by the Assembly in December that year. The Committee hopes that the report will be taken forward early on by the Third Assembly but would caution that it needs to be taken as an indicator of future good practice rather than a prescriptive guide. 3.3 Nonetheless, the Committee recommends that the Third Assembly should take forward two key recommendations, and within the previously agreed timetable, for the establishment of: • a Strategy Board for the arts, and • a new, single national arts strategy, and • one cultural strategy. UArtform Development 3.4 In terms of specific strategic developments, the Committee recommends that momentum should not be lost on: • the Arts Council of Wales’ plans in respect of the development of a national English language theatre for Wales; • the development of a national gallery of art for Wales and continued support for • the National Museum Wales’ plans for its redevelopment of its Cathays Park site which include a national museum of art; • the National Library of Wales programme of digitisation and of improving access for all; • the important work by the National Museum Wales on research and conservation and the need for its collections fund; • the development of a Museum of People’s History; 4 TP PT Record 1 March 2007 5 TP PT Record 7 February 2007 HTUhttp://www.wales.gov.uk/cms/2/CommitteeMeeting/N0000000000000000000000000000041/ 89b75799eb1bb22956fff473ca404fa7.htmUTH 4 • following up the Joint Marketing report on Welsh writing in English, and to strengthening the publishing industry in Wales as recommended in the Committee’s report on Welsh Writing in English; • implementing in full the other recommendations from the Committee’s reports on Welsh writing in English, Dance, and the Contribution of the Arts and Sport to Community Regeneration Sport 3.5 Along with the Arts Council of Wales and arts policy, sports policy and the inter relationship between the Sports Council for Wales and the government has been under consideration. The Committee understands that matters of organisational responsibilities and staffing had now been resolved satisfactorily. Under different circumstances, the Committee would have sought a detailed report on the matter. 3.6 One issue that we do recommend is followed up by the Third Assembly, is the recommendations from the Committee’s football report – see paragraph 2.7 above. Welsh language 3.7 A further area for the Third Assembly’s consideration is the future handling of Welsh language policy, including the future of the Welsh Language Board; the need for legislation for any future Dyfarnydd/Welsh Language Commissioner. The Committee also highlights the generous offer of future help and advice from the Irish Language Commissioner made at the meeting on 13 December.