A CROSS-party group of Welsh Assembly members is calling for a minister to intervene in cuts to Gwent Theatre.

The Abergavenny-based group is due to close next month after it lost its £250,000 annual grant funding from the Arts Council of Wales.

Now a group of AMs from Gwent and beyond have signed a statement asking heritage minister Alun Ffred Jones to intervene “to ensure that all children are afforded the same opportunities for theatre in education, regardless of where they live.”

Signatories include Torfaen Labour member Lynne Neagle, South Wales East Liberal Democrat AM, Veronica German and Nick Ramsay, Conservative AM for Monmouth.

Bethan Jenkins, Eleanor Burnham, Jonathan Morgan and Alun Davies, all AMs from outside Gwent also signed the motion.

It follows an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons, signed by all Gwent MPs, condemning the arts council for its decision.

The statement noted with concern that the closure of Gwent Theatre “will mean the end of theatre in education provision” in some of the most deprived communities of Wales.

Ms Neagle said: “The fact that AMs and MPs from across the political divide in Wales are working together on this issue is testament to the strength of feeling on these cuts.

“It leaves a huge gap in the provision of theatre in education in South East Wales and the Heritage Minister simply must intervene and ensure that all children and young people in Wales have access to the arts - no matter where they are from.”

Mrs German added: “Gwent Theatre was a real success story for South Wales and it’s a great shame that thousands of school children will no longer be able to benefit from the company’s performances.”