The Welsh Government has today announced £157m of new funding to
support the First Minister's priorities this year.
The additional funding includes £21m for diagnostic equipment for
the NHS to help cut waiting times, which comes on top of a £50m
package announced last month to cut the longest waits.
£20m will be provided for school and college repairs and
maintenance through the Welsh Government's school and college
building programme, Sustainable Communities for
Learning, which is in addition to £30m already provided this
year.
There will be an extra £1m for arts and cultural organisations,
provided through the Arts Council of Wales, which will support 60
organisations. This is in addition to £1.5m announced by the
Welsh Government for the sector in September.
Other funding will support transport, housing and local
government to create green jobs and growth. Further details of
funding will be announced by the Welsh Government during this
week.
First Minister , said:
“After speaking to people across Wales, I set out my four
priorities, which includes cutting the longest waiting times and
speeding up access to NHS treatment. The funding for diagnostic
equipment will give the NHS the tools to do just that, helping
people get diagnosed and treated faster.
“We are delivering on what people want – funding our NHS and
cutting the longest waiting times, creating jobs and working to
improve education standards.
“I am determined we go further and work faster, and this extra
funding will help us do just that in these priority areas.”
Speaking about the extra funding for arts and culture
organisations, , the Minister for Culture,
Skills and Social Partnership, said:
“I'm pleased to announce additional funding this year to protect
jobs and organisations in our arts sector.
“We have a very strong arts sector in Wales, which develops and
supports world-class Welsh talent. This investment, for 60 arts
organisations including the Welsh National Opera, Wrexham Sounds
and Blackwood Miners' Institute, will provide vital support for
our cultural organisations.”
The new £157m package of funding – a combination of revenue and
capital – is for the current financial year (2024-25). The Draft
Budget, which sets out the Welsh Government's spending plans for
the next financial year (2025-26), will be published on Tuesday
10 December.
Notes to editors
Organisations from across the nation will benefit from the £1m
for arts and cultural organisations. From Blackwood Miners
Institute and the Riverfront to the Torch Theatre in Milford
Haven, the Wales National Opera, National Dance Company Wales and
No Fit State Community Circus to Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Mid
Wales Opera, the Wyeside Arts Centre in Builth Wells, Cimera
circus in Caernarfon, Wrexham Sounds and the International
Eisteddfod at Llangollen.
