Board Minutes - May 2024

Present: Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson (Chair), Ian Bancroft (Vice Chair), Delyth Evans, Nicola Mead-Batten, Prof Leigh Robinson, Judi Rhys, Rajma Begum, Philip Tilley, Nuria Zolle, Chris Jenkins, Rhian Gibson; Hannah Bruce, Martin Veale

Staff: Brian Davies (CEO), Emma Wilkins, Graham Williams, Owen Hathway, Owen Lewis, James Owens, Joanne Nicholas, Susie Osborne, Wendy Yardley (minutes)

Staff Observers:

External: Neil Welch (Welsh Government), Princess Onyeanusi, Abiola Adio (WG public body board diversity).

1.  Welcome/Apologies for absence

The Chair welcomed all to the meeting, including Princess and Abi who have joined the Board as part of a Welsh Government Board Diversity shadowing scheme. No apologies had been received. The Chair also thanked the Board for taking part in the Safeguarding training the previous night and asked for any feedback at their earliest convenience.

2. Declaration of interests (if new)

Board members updated their declarations of interest as follows: -

Ian Bancroft – CEO Wrexham CBC, reiterated his role in relation to any discussion on Sport Partnerships as did Phil Tilley in relation to Newport Live.

3. Minutes of the last meetings

3.1 Minutes, Action Log, Decision Trackers & Matters Arising

Notes from the meeting dated 16 February 2024 were agreed as a true record. All actions completed.

3.2 Notes of the Extraordinary Meeting 17 April 2024

Agreed as true record.

3.3 Decision Tracker

No actions outstanding.

4. Chair & Executive Report – SW(24)14

The CEO added the following to the report:

• Successful meeting with the new Cabinet Secretary, Lesley Griffiths MS. She was pleased to receive high level figures on Social Return on Investment report. We’ve issued a letter with offer to meet her again in the near future for more in-depth discussions.
• Reference to Terms of Office for Board Members – talking to Welsh Government. Final decision hopefully within next couple of weeks. To avoid 3 consecutive years of appointments we have suggested a minor (one year) extension to the next two cohorts of Board member terms to allow for staggered recruitment. This would apply to the two cohorts whose terms are currently due to end in August 2024 and 2025.
• WRU Review – the Oversight group has been established with Dame Anne Rafferty as Chair and Dame Kate Grainger as the Sport Wales nominated member. Still one further appointment to be made. Due to meet 5 times a year. That draws a line with Sport Wales involvement in terms of the Rafferty Review. Sport Wales’ continued role will be in relation to the Capability Framework and offer letter expectations / conditions in order to decide on reinstatement of funding.
• Paris Olympics – Invitation from BOA for either Chair or CEO to attend for 5 days. Significant opportunity and TGT thinks that CEO would be better placed to attend. Great chance to network. IB agrees that it would be the best idea for CEO to attend and fully supports. Board agreed.
• CEO commended staff members Rebecca Pudsey and Steff Berrow on their presentation at the TRARIIS conference.
• Successful Ramadan initiative utilising Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan funding from WG - this second year built on the inaugural event. Plan is to develop a toolkit for others to utilise and compile a report for the AWRAP group.

5. Policy & Strategy

5.1 Plas Menai Update: Partnership with Parkwood Leisure SW(24)15

As part of the management partnership process an internal audit had been commissioned and we are currently 15 months in to a 10-year contract. Financial details had been provided through the hyperlink and quarterly management meetings are held with Parkwood. A further, more detailed annual report will be made to Board in July and annually thereafter if board agrees.

Discussion took place with various comments offered including the need to highlight the importance of the facility to the local community including offers through the medium of Welsh and also the need to keep a close on eye on the cost/risk profile. The reality is that without such an innovative partnership in place, under the significant recent budget cuts some very difficult decisions would have been faced.

A recent successful meeting had taken place on site between Sian and the MS for the area, Sian Gwenllian.

5.2  Be Active Wales Fund (BAWF) Scheme Evaluation SW(24)16   

A discussion paper to update Board on the distribution of funding through 2023/24 via the Be Active Wales fund, and future plans to build on the evaluation.

5.3 Board Governance SW(24)17

A paper to provide Board with an update on the following: -

• The outcome of the Board Skills Matrix review
• The plan for Board members appraisal
• A review of governance

IB thanked EW for pulling work together. Board skills matrix – thanks to everyone for providing their information. Future appraisals will be focussed and more relevant to our framework, with an initial emphasis on self-assessment. Process will be ready for Board in September and subsequent conversations will pick up agreed actions, training needs and objectives if necessary.

Swapped order of agenda to

5.5  Accountability Approach Learning (Presentation)

JN gave presentation to board. Over 9-12 months Board have received reports from the Relationship Management team led by JN.

• Involves 55 partners and an attempt at providing 3 things; accountability, storytelling (celebrating and advocating), and innovation.
• Ethos of the approach is to create a safe space where partners are encouraged and supported to give an honest account of their actions.
• Meetings with each partner bi-monthly and all the information collated to create an overview. Paper then written for board and then published. More consistency now and better commitment from partners, especially as they know Board get sight of the report. Consequently, we’re becoming more aware of what’s going on in the sector and are more able to account for the public investment.
• Received feedback from Partners and adjustments being made for year 3: reducing to quarterly meetings with a focus on content not the process; recommunicate its purpose within Sport Wales and to partners and make the process more efficient; encourage innovation by sharing practice beyond a document and impose some consequences if deadlines are missed. Finally we are going to encourage use of the approach beyond the RM and CEO.
• Proud that we’ve operationalized a “concept”.

5.4  Partner Progress & Learning Q4 Report SW(24)18

This paper was provided to the Board prior to the meeting.

5.6  Sector Resilience/UK System Masterplanning update (presentation)

Presentation by OL on the UKSport System Masterplanning process. Currently its development has been with UK level CEO’s. Challenges identified include: expectations on governing bodies, financial and governance pressures and heavy reliance on public funding (in some cases almost 90%). There is also concern on current reach and relevance of Olympic/Paralympic Games to young people.

Phase 1 – ‘case for change’ developed between (Nov 22-June 23). Phase 2 ‘plan for change’ between (July 23–Dec 24) and Phase 3 ‘implementation of the change’ (2025+).

SO gave a further presentation to Board on some related work in Wales in relation to Sector Resilience.

OL added that there are common challenges shared by both pieces of work. We need to adopt an ‘Open book’ approach and ensure we don’t replicate effort. If projects play out as we think, choices are for governing bodies to make. Driving towards a new way of doing things.

5.7 H&S Safety Annual Report SW(24)19

EW had provided a paper prior to the meeting - acknowledgement to Craig Nowell and Hannah Bruce (Champion) for assistance with the paper. Will be reporting every year at this juncture onwards.

5.8 Safeguarding Annual Report SW(24)20

Paper was provided prior to the meeting. Thanks to RG for being the Board Champion.

6. Finance & Risk

No reports due

7. Board Groups & Standing Committee reports

7.5 Summary of Subgroups SW(24)21

This paper summarised the discussions and decisions of the Board’s sub-group meetings since the previous Board meeting. Any substantial updates or issues requiring decisions are presented within separate papers.

8. Any Other Business

September Board meeting to be held in West Wales - Parc y Scarlets had confirmed availability, however, we may look at alternatives in Swansea due to easier public transport links (TBC).

9. Date of next meetings: 12 July 2024

20 September (West Wales), 22 November 2024

The minutes were approved by the Board at its meeting on 12 July 2024.