Lead member defends Tŷ Pawb as jewel in Wrexham's cultural crown

Leader Live

2 days ago

That was the core of an impassioned defence of the cultural market by Hugh Jones, Wrexham Council's lead member for Strategic Planning and Public Protection.
Wrexham County Borough Council's Employment, Business and Investment Scrutiny Committee was examining a report into Tŷ Pawb's finances which showed the centre is improving it's financial position, but is still making significant losses. This year it is projected to make a loss of £89,000 – it's lowest loss for four years.
Labour group leader Dana Davies led the probe by councillors.
'We're in a better position than we've seen previously and overspend is coming down year-on-year,' she said. 'Where are we sitting with our repairs and maintenance? I know we've had issues with the roof but I want to understand the future R&M costs.
'We also need a breakdown of the premises cost – R&M, utilities, rates, cleaning and waste removal come to £374,000, that seems high.'
Cllr Jones said he would ask finance to provide that breakdown, but Plaid Cymru Cllr Andy Gallanders of Rhosnesni criticised the lead member.
'I'm disappointed in the reply you gave to Cllr Davies,' he said. 'You should know the finances inside out.
'It's also interesting Hugh, as lead member, that you've now admitted that the building once highlighted as the 'Crown Jewel' is not so sparkling anymore.
'Are the losses just the price for culture or a project that wasn't done right in the first place – i.e the building not being watertight?
'If this was a school, we'd be putting it into a three-year plan for deficit recovery. So what's the difference between this and our schools – where our headteachers are losing staff left, right and centre? Is it simply the cost of culture?'
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Cllr Jones and Amanda Davies, city centre arts and culture lead, highlighted progress that had been made to reduce energy costs through solar power and challenges, including the allocation of 50 corporate car parking spaces at Tŷ Pawb for council staff.
Cllr Jones defended Tŷ Pawb – arguing that the value of its contribution to culture and society in Wrexham far outweighed the costs it continued to incur.
'There is a cost of culture. There is a cost of fulfilling the council priorities, there is a cost to fulfilling the Welsh Government priorities in terms of community engagement and involvement,' he said. 'That's never going to come for nothing.
'When the Quarterbridge report first came out people were skeptical about our ability to get 100,000 people a year through the door at Tŷ Pawb, we've actually got 471,000 people through the door in the last 12 months.
'Tŷ Pawb is still the jewel in the crown for Wrexham. We have to realise the contribution that Tŷ Pawb makes to the community of Wrexham. Particularly to those communities that are difficult to reach.
'This doesn't cover the contribution Tŷ Pawb makes to improving people's lives across a wide section of the community in Wrexham. You can't put that down in pounds, shillings and pence. It delivers a huge community benefit and a benefit to us all.
'Yes we've got problems with the building but we're dealing with that. Overall, I believe Tŷ Pawb has been a success. You can't put a price on enriching people's lives so I would defend everything we do.'