Music Centre in Cardiff to Leave City Centre, Lowering Access to Centre

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The hills may be alive with the sound of music, but it seems that it is on the move in the Valleys, as it was announced on Monday that the city music centre in Cardiff is to move out of the city.

The Cardiff County and Vale of Glamorgan Music Service is just one of a number of education services, many focussed on adult learners, who face the prospect of losing their central facilities. The move is expected to save thousands each year in rent, but may result in more than 1,600 musicians losing their easy access to facilities and more than 130 teachers moving. And the Assembly Member for Cardiff, Jonathan Morgan, has reacted to the news by describing the proposal as “disgraceful”.

Losing Facilities

Alongside the Cardiff County and Vale of Glamorgan Music Service, other services that use the Friary Centre in Cardiff include Cardiff Basic Skills Service, Disability Advisory Resource Team and Race Equality First. The Music Service fears that moving from the central location will mean that learners from across the county will find it more difficult to access services.

Jonathan Morgan continued: “Cardiff and the Vale has benefited enormously from the music service provision of musical excellence. It is disgraceful that this service could be left without a home.” Linda Morgan, one of the Cardiff Councillors and herself a music teacher as well as the Conservative group’s education spokeswoman, stated: “Music and singing have suffered a decline and any cut in service will be unthinkable”¦ the Friary centre has been at the heart of developing musical talent in one designated area for years. We cannot afford to break up this success.”

The council have stated that moving provision is only one option under consideration to improve services, and have stressed that this move will not involve any cut in adult education provision. The impact of the move, if it is approved at the time of final decision in February, remains to be seen; but there are certainly concerned citizens who are convinced that moving from a central location will only have a deleterious effect.

Jethro Marsh

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