Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:20 pm on 4 April 2017.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your considered statement and response to the nine recommendations of the steering group. I want to start by noting the comments you make with regard to Cadw and what you say about impressive improvement to the visitor experience and an increase in visitor numbers, alongside embracing new audience and technology. I think that stands out to me because it chimes with my own experience recently in my constituency in terms of how Cadw has been working with Flint castle and the local community, not just to create interactive visitor boards, but a new staircase in the north-east tower for what I believe is probably the first time in contemporary history, or contemporary memory, anyway. But, what stands out for us in the community is the way, actually, Cadw has taken quite a forward, outward-looking approach in terms of involving the community and looking at a new visitor centre, which actually isn’t just going to be a visitor centre per se, but actually brings other community organisations in the community together as part of it, and gives them ownership, which I think in turn is actually increasing people’s engagement and visiting of the castle and the surrounding area.
Just returning to today’s statement, on that, I think—are there lessons we can learn for Cadw across Wales too, in terms of building on that experience of how they can be innovative and engaging with the community? But returning to elsewhere in today’s statement, I’d be keen to know how the recommendations for greater collaboration and a vision for strategic partnership as a solution to protect our heritage would help enhance our heritage offer across Wales, in particular in north-east Wales, which is currently fairly poorly represented by the national institutions. Finally, in addition, I’m pleased to hear you mentioned trade unions a number of times in your initial statement and in your responses to colleagues and that commitment to the spirit of social partnership here in Wales. But I’d like to actually ask you if you can clarify today: what would the potential implications be for workers in the sector of any greater collaboration?