Publication of the report about the independent review of Cadw’s governance arrangements
In December 2022, the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism announced that Roger Lewis would lead a task and finish group to consider Cadw’s current governance arrangements and the wider provision of public heritage services across Wales.
The report on the independent review was published today, 5 December 2023.
Cadw has consistently performed well in recent years with significant achievements in the many roles it undertakes. This has been confirmed by the review team in the Chair’s introduction with the statement that, ‘the Cadw team are to be congratulated for delivering impressively upon its mission and purpose across all of its many and varied areas of responsibility over recent years’.
These include its role in supporting the protection of the wider historic environment of Wales, its role as a major visitor business and in conserving and delivering safe public access to 131 historic sites in its direct care. The review rightly recognises that the ‘breadth, scale and complexity of Cadw’s work is not to be underestimated’.
The review makes a number of recommendations that could enhance Cadw’s performance. The recommendations range in scope and include several that are intended to help clarify the role of the Cadw Board and the ways in which government procedures might be adapted to allow Cadw to operate even more effectively.
Several recommendations make suggestions on how the ways in which Cadw works with its partners can be reinforced and others consider how some of Cadw’s wide-ranging activities can be enhanced to assist its core purpose.
The Deputy Minister will take time to consider the report in detail and respond to the recommendations in early 2024.
