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Post date: Thursday, February 15, 2024
Wrexham’s City of Culture 2029 bid funding is to be cut in half as the council continues to balance its budget.
The local authority had allocated £500,000 to support a charity company set up to host a major cultural event in five years’ time.
The UK City of Culture competition is held every four years by the UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Wrexham narrowly missed out in 2022 to Bradford, who are in the running to host the tournament in 2025.
Two months ago, councilors backed the creation of an external Arms Length charity company to promote Wrexham’s bid to host the 2029 Games.
The organization will initially be known as Wrexham Community and Culture Trust, or Ümdiriedraes Simnedor a Diwilianor Wrexham, and will later be given a more “public-facing name” .
In December 2023, Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Environment, said the decision to establish an external company was taken based on comments received on the previous bid.
However, the amount of financial support provided to the trust will be reduced to £250,000 as Wrexham Council will have to find millions of pounds worth of budget cuts.
At a media briefing on Tuesday 13th February, Wrexham.com asked Wrexham Council leader Cllr Mark Pritchard if funding cuts were sabotaging the bid before it even started, and said that cultural He said he was confident that the entire project would come to fruition, but that it was part of the plan. judgment process.
Lieutenant Colonel Pritchard said: “We have had many discussions with our partners and our lead member, Lieutenant-Colonel Huw Jones, and we all agreed to a 50 per cent reduction because of the challenges we are in.
“I think at the beginning of the next financial year we’ll have another conversation about what kind of money we’re going to put into that pot.
“We believe our partners are in agreement with the reduction in funding.
“We are not just a city of culture. We have considered all partners and will continue to consider all areas.
“We don’t know what political decisions will be made next year or the year after regarding funding for Cities of Culture.
“I think that will be determined in a separate financial process next year.”
The cutting is one of several proposed for events and restorations throughout the county.
Wrexham City Council is proposing a 20 per cent cut to its events budget, with the council “abandoning” its “marketing” budget.
As part of ongoing job cuts, the local authority will abolish the city center warden service and review six vacant posts within the economic sector.
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