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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Strategic Culture and Arts Steering Group meeting held on 11th July 2024 as an accurate record.
RESOLVED: • To note the contents of the Heritage Strategy for Rhondda Cynon Taf 2024-2030.
RESOLVED: • To note the update within the report.
The Chair welcomed attendees to the meeting of the Strategic Culture and Arts Steering Group and apologies for absence were received from County Borough Councillors R Lewis and D Grehan.
In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, there were no declarations made pertaining to the agenda.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Strategic Culture and Arts Steering Group meeting held on 11th July 2024 as an accurate record.
It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Strategic Culture and Arts Steering Group meeting held on 11th July 2024 as an accurate record.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: • To note the contents of the Heritage Strategy for Rhondda Cynon Taf 2024-2030.
The Head of Arts Culture and Library Services presented the new Heritage Strategy for Rhondda Cynon Taf 2024-2030 as required by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF), following adoption by Cabinet on 20th November 2024. As a National Lottery Heritage Fund (NHLF) Priority Area, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council received a solicited invitation to apply to the NLHF for grant funding towards a project that would look to rebuild capacity within Rhondda Cynon Taf and the community in relation to heritage. The ‘Altered Images’ project was developed as a result of this approach and was awarded a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £250,000 for a three-year project in August 2021. One of the project’s key objectives is the development and formalisation of a heritage strategy and creating connections with the sector to gain a fuller understanding of RCT’s heritage and those involved in its management. Members were informed that, in the development of the final Heritage Strategy, an online survey and engagement sessions were held between 17th July 2024 and 25th September 2024, including at the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol (National Eisteddfod), during which, the following responses were received: · Online Survey – 210 responses received. · Engagement Sessions – 3 sessions held and 172 interactions with adults, 121 children and young people . The draft Heritage Strategy was also presented to the Strategic Culture and Arts Steering Group, the Climate Change, Frontline Services and Prosperity Scrutiny Committee before final approval by Cabinet. The officer spoke of the vision of the Heritage Strategy, which is: “To celebrate and value the rich heritage of Rhondda Cynon Taf by showcasing our cultural legacy, recognising the people and stories that shape our history and preserving our buildings, collections and physical assets for the present and future generations.”; and advised of the four strategic priorities, which had been identified with target outcomes and identified actions to formulate the annual Implementation Plan. The Chair thanked the officer for the comprehensive report. The Chair spoke of his attendance at the launch event, which took place at Pontypridd Library and was pleased to note the attendance of young people, who would carry on the County Borough’s legacy. The Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure was supportive of the recommendations contained within the report and praised the successful launch event, which saw attendees ranging from young people to community groups to historians. The Cabinet Member described the scope as endless and was enthusiastic and hopeful that the Strategy would trigger conversations around past traditions. Discussions ensued with Members agreeing that traditions move on at a fast pace and used corner shops and telephone boxes as examples. The Heritage and Outreach Services Operations Manager spoke of the tremendous amount of work put into the development of the Heritage Strategy. The officer informed the Steering Group of an engagement example with schools, in that pupils from Maerdy Primary School would be walking to Maerdy Pit on 6th March 2025 to commemorate the end of the strike and to enhance their knowledge. One Member endorsed earlier comments made by the Group, particularly in terms of school engagement. The Member spoke of a recent Victorian themed day at Coed-y-Lan Primary School, which she believed to be a positive approach to enhancing the interest of pupils. The Member also queried whether community groups such as the Albion Colliery Disaster Memorial Group and the G?yl Morfydd Owen Group would be involved in the Council’s heritage planning going forward. The officer emphasised the importance of community involvement and spoke positive of the Council’s work with the groups. Members were assured that the intention was to involve all heritage community groups with the RCT Heritage Forum going forward following funding to support its facilitation. The officer advised that it would be an open forum with a diverse set of organisations with different aims and outcomes. The Member spoke of the importance of preserving the past and questioned if there were plans in place to ensure records, such as war memorials, would remain secure, when buildings are developed and changed. The officer stated that war memorials within RCT were well looked after and championed by the Deputy Leader. The officer spoke of the maintenance of trams and drams, which had been instituted by community groups and posed more of an issue in terms of maintenance and costs. Furthermore, the Member questioned if the Council were involved with the process behind choosing key women in the valleys to be commemorated with Blue Plaque memorials. The officer advised that, to date, there were 83 Blue Plaque memorials within RCT, 8 of which were for women. It was explained that an Independent Panel consider the nominations and supporting evidence for Blue Plaques and acknowledged that the Panel consisted of predominantly white men. The Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure valued the work of the Independent Panel and praised the events held to celebrate the presentation of the Blue Plaques. The Cabinet Member emphasised the importance of the community engaging with the process to nominate the recipients they believe worthy of the commemoration. The Chair thanked Members for their contributions and the Strategic Culture and Arts Steering Group RESOLVED: • To note the contents of the Heritage Strategy for Rhondda Cynon Taf 2024-2030.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: • To note the update within the report.
The Head of Arts Culture and Library Services updated Members on the Y Muni, which had been successfully community asset transferred to Awen Cultural Trust (Registered Charity and Private Limited Company by guarantee without share capital), on 10th September 2024. Y Muni re-opened on Saturday 3rd August 2024 to host a programme of events as part of the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Rhondda Cynon Taf 2024, with Awen Cultural Trust providing event and venue management services for the duration of the programme, prior to commencement of the formal lease and management agreement on 10th September 2024. Members’ attention was drawn to Section 5 of the report, which provided a detailed update on the events hosted by Awen since the re-opening of the Y Muni, along with the quantitative theatre data reported during the period (August and September 2024). The Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure was encouraged to note that 65% of the venue’s capacity had been sold during the period. The Cabinet Member spoke of driving past the building during the evenings, to see so many individuals making use of the facility. The Cabinet Member spoke highly of the warm welcome from staff during her visit, along with the architecture and acoustics. The Chair was pleased that, despite the Council’s financial situation, there were three fantastic art venues within RCT. The Chair spoke of the need to share good practice between the three venues to ensure they continue to thrive for the benefit of the local communities. One Member had attended many successful events at the Y Muni and was proud to support it. The Member spoke of the positive praise from the local community and was encouraged by the strong partnership work between the venue and groups within the vicinity, which had been amplified by the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Rhondda Cynon Taf 2024. The Chair echoed the comments by Members and emphasised the importance of spreading the word of such excellent facilities further afield. The Steering Group RESOLVED: • To note the update within the report.
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