Governments Arts Council shake up turning into a comedy of errors - Burnham

3.17.59pm GMT Tue 21st Mar 2006

The Welsh Liberal Democrats renewed their call for the Culture Minister Alun Pugh AM to make a statement on the replacement of Geraint Talfan Davies as chair of the Arts Council of Wales. Mr Davies leaves next week, but no successor has been appointed and no advertisement for the position has been placed.

Eleanor Burnham AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Culture reacted angrily to Mr Pugh's bungling of the change over saying: "Alun Pugh told us that he had the situation under control when he sacked Mr Davies. Mr Pugh dismissed our concerns at the time saying that it was a procedural matter. He's managed to make a hash of it. Will Mr Pugh take over the Arts Council next week or does he believe it is acceptable for the board to have no chair?

"Alun Pugh's incompetence is breathtaking. He must answer to the Assembly for this bungle. He has sacked a popular and highly successful Chair of the Arts Council who enjoyed the full backing of the board. Further, he has deprived the Arts community of Wales of one of its leaders. It's been three months since he gave notice to Mr Davies and Alun Pugh hasn't organised a successor. He hasn't even put out adverts for the job. What has he been doing all this time? This could be a farce if it wasn't such a serious subject. Alun Pugh seems determined to play the fool."

Notes:

Today in the Business Statement in Plenary Peter Black AM called for Alun Pugh to make a statement to the Assembly on the appointment of a successor to Geraint Talfant Davies.

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