A popular theatre in North Wales, frequented by arts lovers from Chester and the North West, is threatened with closure.

Flintshire council chiefs have warned that if the Welsh Government does not intervene and provide the cash-strapped authority with more money then Clwyd Theatr Cymru in Mold could be forced to close its doors.

The cash-strapped council is facing its biggest ever cuts in its history and is faced with having to save £52.8m over the next three years, including £18.3m this year.

Related:

Bosses have told how front-line services including the theatre, care homes, recycling centres and leisure centres will all have to close, if the Welsh Government continues to slash the council’s annual budget.

Deputy leader of the council Bernie Attridge said: “The stark reality is if we do not get any assistance and support from Welsh Government, we will see our care homes closed, our leisure centres closed and Theatr Clwyd closed. That is just to name a few.”

Clwyd Theatr Cymru currently costs £5.3m a year to run – which is made up of an annual revenue grant of £0.8m from Flintshire Council, £2.6m from the Arts Council for Wales and a further £1.9m is generated through the theatre’s revenue.

It is not the first time the theatre has come under threat, as questions were raised over the future of its funding during council cuts in 2013.

Clwyd Theatr Cymru is the only theatre in Wales – and one of only a small number nationally – to have its own resident production company which is subsidised by the council.

The theatre consists of five auditoria: The Anthony Hopkins Theatre, The Emlyn Williams Theatre, Studio 2, The Clwyd Room and a 120 seat cinema.

'We are not crying wolf'

Cllr Attridge said that the Welsh Government must listen to the council’s plea for assistance and that they could help Flintshire out “by the stroke of a pen”.

He said: “Our representatives in Welsh Government need to realise today that this is the tipping point. We are not crying wolf, we are not asking for new money, but by the stroke of a pen they can help Flintshire Council out.

“Today they need to listen to us. We are serious, there is no other way out of this. I hope they take notice. I don’t want to sit here and preside over the closure of care homes and leisure centres and Theatr Clwyd.”

The council also says if financial assistance is not provided by minsters then school budgets will “significantly reduce”, there will be “major cuts” on spending on roads, bin collections will become less frequent and there will be “no future support for tourism”.

It comes as the council prepares to have to slash £20.8m from its budget for 2016/17 and £13.7m in 2017/18.

Going forward the council has a three-point-strategy including service reform, corporate financial stewardship and working with the Welsh Government.

Ian Bancroft Chief Officer for Organisational Change said: “Clwyd Theatr Cymru, along with a list of other services, was detailed in the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy, launched yesterday for discussion and development, as being exposed to major cuts if any of the three parts of the council’s financial plan cannot be achieved.

“This includes seeking support from Welsh Government to help fund pressures passed down from a National level or to meet critical social priorities.”

poll loading

Should Clwyd Theatr Cymru be a victim of council cuts