The West Glamorgan Archives Committee met remotely on Friday, 11 September 2026. The meeting saw Councillor C Williams elected as Vice Chair for the Municipal Year 2026-2027, and the committee received a report from the County Archivist.

Report of the County Archivist

The County Archivist, Andrew Dulley, presented a comprehensive report detailing the activities of the West Glamorgan Archive Service between June and August 2026. The report highlighted significant increases in visitor numbers and document usage, particularly at the Swansea premises, which has been attributed to the move to new facilities.

Use of the Service: The statistics presented showed a substantial rise in on-site visits, with 761 visitors compared to 641 in the same period the previous year. Swansea saw a notable increase to 502 visits from 367, while Neath recorded 220 visits. Group visits also increased, and audiences for off-site visits rose to 426 from 324. The number of pupils reached by the Education Service saw a significant jump to 432 from 282. Special events and exhibitions reached 322 people, a notable increase from zero in the previous year. Overall, the total number of people reached on and off-site was 1509, up from 965. Document issues in Swansea more than doubled to 4,585 from 2,189, with Neath also showing an increase to 318 from 216. Post and email enquiries saw a slight decrease to 564 from 590. The report also noted an increase in page views on the archive service catalogue to 16,354, though page views on Ancestry decreased slightly to 85,197 from 88,442.

Steps towards Accreditation: The report confirmed that the West Glamorgan Archive Service has had its appointment as a Place of Deposit under Section 4(1) of the Public Records Act 1958 officially confirmed following an inspection of its new premises, Y Storfa. The inspection, which took place on 13 May, covered storage, environmental conditions, public facilities, and record transfer processes. The confirmation, received on 16 June, was described as a significant endorsement of the service's facilities and operations. The service is also taking steps towards full accreditation, with provisional accredited status currently held.

Talks, Seminars and Other Engagement: The archive service has been actively engaging with schools and the wider community. During the past quarter, education sessions were delivered to Neath Port Talbot College, Dŵr y Felin School, and Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Rhosafan, covering topics such as women in the First World War and the history of Neath Abbey. A two-day collaborative event at Neath Abbey, involving CADW, the Neath Port Talbot heritage officer, and the Neath Antiquarian Society, engaged 400 pupils. The service has also been attending community events as a stallholder to reach non-users, including at the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea Airport for the FC85 event, and Swansea Minster for a Minster Moments event. The launch of the Royal Institution of South Wales's annual publication, Minerva, the Swansea History Journal, was hosted on 13 July. Tours of the service were also provided to a major depositor and visiting groups.

Improvements to the Neath Antiquarian Society Search Room: The report detailed significant improvements made to the search room at the Neath Mechanics' Institute. In response to the shift from microfilm to digital resources, redundant equipment has been removed, and a new digital platform for local parish registers and Methodist baptism registers has been implemented. The search room has been reconfigured to better serve as both a display and research space. The Neath Antiquarian Society has utilised the new wall space to display its collection of historic artworks, and artefacts such as apprentice pieces from Neath Abbey Ironworks and the Neath Corporation bell are now on display. The rearrangement of furniture has improved the room's flow and appearance. Ray Collier, representing the Neath Antiquarian Society, expressed his thanks for the work undertaken, noting the considerable difference it has made.

Staffing Matters: The report noted the departure of Archive Trainee Ffion Titcombe, who has secured a place on the Archives Course at Aberystwyth University. She has been replaced by Megan Watkins, a recent graduate of Aberystwyth University. Archive Assistant Ffion Kidwell also left the service to return to her teaching career, having made significant contributions, particularly with school groups and at the Neath service point.

Professional Meetings and Training: Archive staff have participated in various professional development activities, including meetings of the Welsh Digital Preservation Consortium, Archives Accreditation, and the Capeli Cymru meeting. They also attended training on grant writing and a meeting with staff from North East Wales Archives regarding best practices for moving premises.

Accessions of Archive Collections: A list of archives received during the period June to August 2026 was provided, including electoral registers, records from various chapels, oral history projects, and historical documents relating to local industries and organisations.

Election of Vice Chair

Councillor C Williams was elected as the Vice Chair of the West Glamorgan Archives Committee for the Municipal Year 2026-2027.