Board Minutes - November 2024

PRESENT: Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson (Chair), Ian Bancroft (Vice Chair), Delyth Evans, Nicola Mead-Batten, Judi Rhys, Philip Tilley, Nuria Zolle, Chris Jenkins, Rhian Gibson, Martin Veale, Dafydd Davies, Hannah Bruce

STAFF: Brian Davies (CEO), Emma Wilkins, Graham Williams, Owen Lewis, James Owens, Rachel Davies, Wendy Yardley (minutes)

Staff Observers:

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

1.    Welcome/Apologies for absence

The Chair welcomed all to the meeting. Apologies had been received from Rajma Begum. Slight change to usual order of meeting, with Finance section discussed prior to Policy & Strategy section.

2.    Declaration of interests (if new)

Board members updated any declarations of interest as follows: -

Ian Bancroft – reiterated his substantive role in relation to any discussion on Sport Partnerships.

3.    Minutes of the last meetings

3.1        Minutes, Action Log, Decision Trackers & Matters Arising

Notes from the meeting dated 20 September 2024 were agreed as a true record. It was noted that separate updates on the Black Swimming Association and Transgender developments were sent post Board meeting. Anti-doping – NMB has agreed to be Board champion. All other actions completed.

3.2        Decision Tracker

No actions outstanding.

4.    Chair & Executive Report – SW(24)41

4.1     The CEO added the following to the report:

• Welsh Government (WG) – meeting with new Minister and his special advisor. Brief meeting but covered salient Vision and Strategy points and agreed to establish a more in-depth meeting.
• No Sports Cabinet meeting set. NW most likely to be Feb/March.
• Recent UK CEO’s meeting - focussed on Safe Sport element of UKSport (UKS) System Masterplanning. Details were presented on one particular option, i.e. some form of independent body. However, there are also several other options that should be explored. The joint Chairs of the working group are due to present and discuss at the UK Sport PLx conference in December.
• Senedd Inquiry (the impact of budget cuts) – not sure when report is due. NW to chase.
• Future Generations Commissioner conference with Public Health – CEO presented on the preventative value of sport. Good reception to messaging and useful connections made.
• WRU Review – funding restored on a quarterly basis and focussed on community development. The Chair and CEO of WRU appear before the Senedd Culture Committee end of the month.
• UK Sport has secured more UKGov revenue and its Board recently received a brief summary of the Paris Games.
• Be Active Wales Fund (BAWF) – as well as a successful reopening of the fund, it was noted that the Community Support Officer role is making a positive difference.
• EDI – it was noted that NZ will take over as Chair of the subgroup, replacing Leigh Robinson. Both were thanked and it was also highlighted that there are two new independent members.
• Commonwealth Games (CJ) – Ten sports in the Glasgow 2026 programme. The first phase of a reset model on what the future Games could look like and there is a lot more interest in the reset model as it costs significantly less. Conversations already underway with some countries.

Board comments included questions about the next steps being taken following the Preventative Health session at the Senedd. It was confirmed that relevant information was being sent to all the MS’s and there are proposals to repeat similar events in each of the Sport Partnerships when appropriate. Further work is also planned with the Future Generation Commissioners office. Sport Wales officials will also appear before the Senedd Health Committee in January, having been invited to give evidence on the “Prevention of Ill Health - Obesity inquiry”.

5.    Finance

5.1        Finance Report (Apr-Oct) - SW(24)42

Information paper. EW also gave the Board a pension update. No longer recognised as orphan body resulting in significant future contribution savings. Thanks were extended to NW for supporting work.

The paper included information on the rationale and decision to award the additional £1m WG revenue to partners. Board discussed our likely financial year outturn position and, in summary, given various impact such as NI and Salary cost increases, etc, suggested a future separate financial revenue planning discussion.

5.2      Medium Term Financial Plan - SW(24)43

A decision paper. It provided Board with an overview of potential financial scenarios over a three-year period and sought approval of a National Lottery Reserves Policy. It was noted that there is a mix of approaches across other organisations – from a fixed sum to minimum levels of 3 to 12 months. Need to be prudent on how much we retain. Following discussion, proposal was agreed with a revisit in 12 months. Will be added to the Board Schedule of business.

BOARD APPROVED the proposed National Lottery Reserves Policy.

6     Policy & Strategy

6.1      Business Plan Update Report - SW(24)44

A discussion paper. Some specific items were raised for discussion: notably the anti-racist review being undertaken into our recruitment procedures and policies following a tender process, plus the staff and Board member anti-racist training that is also under development with Page Consulting, whereby a cohort of staff volunteers at various grades and departments will conduct the training providing both ownership and sustainability. Some of the challenges being encountered were also discussed, including Sport Partnerships – where a deadline of 31 January has been set for commitment in Gwent. More generally, Exec agreed to standardise the terminology in future similar papers regarding measure of progress and potentially identify areas requiring specific Board member input.

6.2        Partner Progress & Learning Report - SW(24)45

A discussion paper outlining the progress Sport Wales funded partners are making towards realising the Vision for Sport in Wales. Board discussed various aspects of the headline learning from quarter two. In terms of The National Lottery (TNL) item, members were keen to ensure partners recognised both WG and TNL funding.

6.3        Economic Value of Sport Report – SW(24)46

Information paper. The results appear significantly higher than the report produced in 2020 and provide some consistency now in these metrics across all Home Countries. Members supported the importance of this kind of reporting, as it helps to place sport on the political agenda. There was also discussion on how much more use can be made of this insight. Taken together with the Social Return on Investment (SROI) there is a clear demonstration of the journey we are on with regard to the Vision and Strategy. Consideration ought to be given to whether we do collective briefings with WG officials. And it could potentially be an agenda item at Sport Cabinet.

6.4        Sector Resilience Update – SW(24)47

Information paper. This project of significance in the Business Plan was instigated at request of sector partners. The initial report is to be shared with partners before year end and then engage them in facilitated sessions in February. Overall, there does appear to be a willingness to think differently but there is a need to involve Chair’s as well as CEOs. Debate also centred around whether there was need for a specific project Board sub-group but the agility of identifying some individual Board members for support and comment is a more suitable, agile approach. The staff team is very grateful to those individual Board members for their input to date.

6.5        Darts – Governing Body Recognition SW(24)48

A decision paper. The UK recognition process is still being reviewed; however, existing applications are being processed. There are currently no recognised NGBs for Darts in any of the Home Countries. Board agreed with the recommendation to reject but encouraged supportive feedback to be provided.

6.6        Pickleball – Sport Recognition and NGB application – SW(24)49

A decision paper. Board agreed the recommendation to recognise pickleball as a sport, subject to the other Home Country Sport Councils recognising a NGB for the sport. Whilst this decision potentially conflicts with some of the Sector Resilience stream 3 work, Board also agreed with the recommendation to reject Tennis Wales’ application to be the NGB for pickleball in Wales.

7     Board Groups & Standing Committee reports

7.1      Board Effectiveness Review – SW(24)50

An information paper. Review conducted and thanks extended to members for contributions to skills matrix via interviews with RSM. Recruitment adverts for new Board members in February with a view to start in September.

7.2        Summary of Subgroups - SW(24)51

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. It was clarified that the Strategic Capital meeting was via conversations over email.

8     Any Other Business

• TGT – UK Football Regulation Bill. Chair had spoken to CEO of FAW and NW aware.
• BD – Reminder that representatives of the International Working Group on Women and Sport (IWG) are attending the buffet lunch at February’s Board meeting.
• DE – admin issue with Board papers. There had been an IT issue, which has been resolved.
• Abi – thanks to Board for all their input/help/advice.

There being no further business. Chair thanked all for attending. meeting closed at 1210pm.

9      Date of next meetings: 

21 February 2025, 16 May 2025, 18 July 2025, 18-19 September 2025 (Plas Menai), 21 November 2025

The minutes were approved by the Board at its meeting on 21 February 2025.