The two studies were published last week and over the past year, consultants have been working on two distinct studies.  The Sport Museum for Wales was presented by Just Solutions while Event Communications worked on the National Contemporary Art Gallery Wales study.

Both sets of consultants spoke with a variety of stakeholders, the recommendations presented within the reports are drawn from those discussions.

The Sport Museum study recommends that there is investment in the current museum at Wrexham, to enable it to establish a National Football Museum for Wales.  It goes on to recommend that a Sporting Heritage Expert Panel for Wales is established to be responsible for establishing a National vision for sporting heritage and an associated framework for action.  Finally, the third recommendation recognises that many other sports in Wales merit attention but there are ways to do this other than creating more museums.

There are three phases to the National Contemporary Art Gallery study, and is a model that can be developed and taken forward in a number of different ways depending upon resources:

Phase 1 is the National Canvas, a co-commissioning of up to one hundred new works across Wales that would sit in the landscape, with artists working alongside local communities.

Phase 2 involves investing in the infrastructure already in place across Wales, providing us with a distributed method of delivery that can open up national collections and new works to audiences across Wales.

Phase 3 is the development of a national contemporary art headquarters, a permanent space serving as a vibrant platform for contemporary art.

The Minister, said:

“Wales is a nation rich in art and culture; our history and heritage are key elements of our character, and how those are expressed through art and sport is always worthy of further discussion and exploration.

This is an excellent opportunity for us to reflect on our successes in these two fields and consider how to adopt a Welsh solution to celebrate our sporting success and give a platform to our modern art.   These studies are the beginning of a journey to finding an exciting Welsh model which will celebrate the best we have to offer and give as many people as possible access to these treasures.

We must ensure everyone can access, enjoy and participate in our rich and vibrant arts and culture.  

It is clear that these actions are not for the Welsh Government alone and further conversations will need to take place.  This report is the start of those conversations and following feedback on the recommendations, a decision on the way forward will be made in early 2019.”

View: Sports museum for Wales feasibility study

The £3.6 million JobSense project – supported by £1.8 million of EU funding and £1.1 million of  Welsh Government funding – will work with 390 economically-inactive and long-term unemployed people with hearing or sight problems.

Each JobSense participant will have access to their own specialist caseworker to help them overcome barriers and towards employment – they will provide support ranging from overcoming transport challenges to raising awareness of the technology available to support sensory loss in the workplace.

Participants will also receive communication support from British Sign Language interpreters, lip speakers, palantypists (speech to text reporter), screen reading technology and advice about how to obtain grants from the UK government’s Access to Work fund.

The project will also work with employers to challenge stereotypes about sensory loss, identify suitable vacancies and inform employers about the support and technology available to people with sensory loss.

Professor Drakeford said:

“This funding will play a vital role in breaking down some the barriers people with a sensory loss face in entering work and helps to reduce the disability employment gap in Wales.

“Everyone deserves the opportunity to gain the skills they need to get a job. JobSense will help some of those furthest from the labour market enter the world of work and build rewarding careers.”

Rebecca Woolley, director of Action on Hearing Loss Cymru said:

“There are almost 90,000 people of working age in Wales with some form of sensory loss and we know that being deaf, having hearing loss or being blind or partially sighted does not limit anyone’s capacity for excellence in the workplace.

“We are delighted to receive this funding. Not only will it ensure that people with a sensory loss are supported to achieve their full potential but employers in Wales will be empowered to confidently support them to thrive in the workplace.”

JobSense will be delivered  across north east Wales, Powys and south east Wales by Action on Hearing Loss Cymru working with Elite Supported Employment Agency and the Centre of Sign Sight Sound (COS).

IBTM World is the leading global event for the meetings, incentives, conferences and events industry. The trade show, held from 27th until 29th November 2018, brings together the global meetings industry to showcase meetings destinations from all over the world. 

The team will be promoting the country’s credentials as a destination for business events which bring millions of pounds in economic benefit to Wales in the form of spending by conference delegates throughout the country.

Wales has a huge potential to draw further business events to our award-winning venues and destinations which already have a fantastic track record in hosting major events. 

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport, Lord Elis-Thomas said: 

“It is vital that we bring as many conferences and events to the region as we can, as they are key to the growth of our economic strength as a nation. Our investment in Venue Cymru in North Wales and, in particular the opening of ICC Wales next year will be a catalyst for putting Wales on the map internationally. We must capitalise on this opportunity and encourage the world to discover what a wonderful place Wales is to visit as a business delegate.

“In 2019 we will be celebrating a Year of Discovery. As part of that, our business events campaign will encourage key industry decision makers to discover Wales for events by highlighting what makes Wales different. It will focus on our important economic sectors including Life Sciences, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, Creative Industries, Food and Drink, Energy and Environment, Financial and Professional services and Technology and emphasise our fantastic range of versatile meetings and events space, experiences and activities and our agile and innovative approach to delivering business events.”

The Wales stand at IBTM World will include many of Wales’ top venues, destinations and support partners including Cardiff, The Vale Resort, Venue Cymru, Celtic Manor Resort, Think Orchard, and the International Convention Centre Wales which opens in July next year.

The letter from HMRC, accompanied by a Welsh Government leaflet, about Welsh rates of income tax, tells taxpayers living in Wales that their tax code will begin with a C from 6 April.

Taxpayers in Wales will see no difference to the income tax they pay in 2019-20 following the introduction of Welsh rates of income tax. But from 6 April 2019, for the first time, some of the income tax raised in Wales will be paid directly to the Welsh Government to spend on public services in Wales. This is a change from the current system, where all income tax paid by taxpayers living in Wales is paid to the UK government to fund spending across the UK.

The Welsh Government will propose the rates for Welsh rates of income tax and they will be voted on by the National Assembly for Wales.

Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said:

“The Welsh Government has proposed setting the first Welsh rates of income tax at 10p. This means that when the new arrangements are introduced in April, Welsh taxpayers will continue to pay the same overall income tax rates as English and Northern Irish taxpayers.

“All income tax paid by people living in Wales will continue to be collected as one payment, as usual, but the money raised in Wales will stay in Wales to spend on our public services, such as schools, hospitals and roads.”

The introduction of Welsh rates of income tax follows the successful introduction of land transaction tax and landfill disposals tax in April 2018 – the first Welsh taxes in almost 800 years – which replaced stamp duty land tax and landfill tax.

More information about Welsh rates of income tax is available on gov.wales. You can also follow the campaign on Twitter:

#MyTaxMyWales @WelshTreasury

Forests and woodlands provide a wide range of career opportunities which require highly specialised skills such as tree felling, pruning, coppicing, wood chipping and re-planting.

The two year pilot is funded by the Welsh Government with support from the European Social Fund. It’s key to the delivery of the Employability Plan and is designed to fulfil the skills and recruitment needs identified by the forestry sector through:

• Supporting up to 30 new forestry jobs
• Encouraging and supporting farm diversification
• Increasing skills that drive sustainable timber resource
• Creating a network of employer links.

These job creation opportunities play a crucial role in preparing the sector given the current uncertainties concerning Brexit, and take advantage of the green growth opportunities outlined in the Woodland and Trees Strategy for Wales.

Eager to shine a light on the profession and its possible career pathways, Eluned Morgan wants to encourage more learners over 16 to aspire to be foresters

Launching the pilot at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair today, she said:

“This investment in forestry skills and employment support is crucial if we want people to recognise forest and woodland management as a viable career pathway.

“We rely on the forestry industry to sustainably manage our woodlands and provide us with renewable resources, and that would not be possible without the right skills in place.”

Coleg Sir Gâr, well-established experts in the forestry skills sector, will be delivering the apprenticeship programme which will be rolled out across South, Mid and West Wales.

David Davies, Curriculum Head of Land-Based Studies at Coleg Sir Gar, said:

“The industry really needs workers with the right skills and with more incentives like this we can really encourage more people to become foresters.

“We will be supporting the apprentices to complete their studies at Level 2 and 3 in Trees and Timber, Land-based Engineering and Environmental Conservation, equipping them with the skills they need to further their careers in the forestry industry.”

Minister for Environment, Hannah Blythyn, said:

“Our woodlands provide renewable resources which are vital to key Welsh industries and we must ensure they are managed correctly.

“Back in June I published an updated woodlands and trees strategy which set out the kind of woodland we want. The specialist skills and knowledge of the sector are essential to its delivery.”