The NCMD has received a reply to our campaign email on the budget cuts to PAS in Wales. This response is from the office of Dawn Bowden, Deputy Minister for Arts and Culture.
Thank you for your email to Dawn Bowden, Deputy Minister for Arts and Culture to express your concerns regarding the future of the Portable Antiquities Scheme in Wales (PAS Cymru).
The Portable Antiquity Scheme Cymru is an important scheme that plays a critical and unique role within the broader framework supporting archaeological discoveries and heritage management in Wales. Thanks to the dedication and professional expertise of the Finds Liaison Officers, and the support received from metal detectorists throughout Wales, the scheme has gone from strength to strength. It is heartening to receive your letter, along with many others, recognising the value that the scheme brings.
The Welsh Government published its final Budget for 2024-25 on 27th February. This budget has been developed amidst the toughest financial situation Wales has faced since the start of devolution. As a result of inflation, the Welsh Government’s overall budget is worth £1.3 billion less in real terms than when it was set in 2021. Welsh Ministers have had to make stark and painful choices and spending plans have been radically reshaped to focus funding on core public services, including the NHS.
Amongst other measures to support the heritage sector, the final budget reduced the previously proposed 22% cuts to Cadw and Royal Commission to 10.5%. This is greatly welcomed.
Since 2015 the Portable Antiquities Scheme has been joint-funded by Amgueddfa Cymru, Cadw and Welsh Government’s Culture Division. Despite the pressures on budgets, all three have confirmed their intention to continue working collaboratively together in support of PAS Cymru and are due to meet imminently to formalise the funding for 2024-25.
Yours sincerely
Correspondence unit
You can see other articles relating to this topic:
https://www.ncmd.co.uk/2024/03/12/portable-antiquities-scheme-in-wales/
You can also view & sign the petition if you wish. Please note that while anyone can sign the petition, only those signatures who have a Welsh Postcode will be counted towards the 10,000.
https://petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/246088
We will keep you updated on any further news.
Kind Regards
Alan Tamblyn
General Secretary NCMD
