Institute Of Welsh Affairs

In the IWA's report Fiscal Firepower and Effective Policy Making in Wales, our Economic Policy Lead Harry Thompson argues that reforming the Welsh Government’s borrowing powers is a key option to better enable transformative policy making in Wales. In this podcast, you can hear Harry in conversation with Rebecca Evans MS, Minister for Finance and Local Government, and Llyr Gruffydd MS, about the challenges of fiscal policy in Wales.

A new Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative & Unionist Party will be announced on 5th September 2022. The new government formed will take over the promises made in the 2019 Conservative Manifesto around levelling up and regional funding post-Brexit. These include the nascent UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the future of the Levelling Up Fund, as part of the wider levelling up agenda. In this episode, Harry Thompson discusses the effects of Levelling Up in Wales, and what is needed to make it a success, with Sam Rowlands MS, Shadow Minister for Local Government and Member of the Senedd for North Wales. - To support our work, become a member or leave us a donation: https://www.iwa.wales/about-us/support-us/ - Read our latest report about Levelling Up, Putting Businesses at the Heart of Levelling Up: https://www.iwa.wales/our-work/work/putting-businesses-at-the-heart-of-levelling-up/

In this conversation recorded after our event with the Swiss Embassy, Auriol Miller, Co-Chair of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales Laura McAllister, and Swiss Ambassador to the UK Markus Leitner have an in-depth conversation about Swiss Federalism and what we can learn from it in Wales. Our event, The Swiss decentralisation experience & Wales’ constitutional perspectives, was held on 29 June 2022 at Capital Law's office in Cardiff. We are grateful for their support for this event. On the day, attendees heard from a panel of experts including:  Ambassador Markus Leitner – Ambassador of Switzerland to the United Kingdom Prof. Laura McAllister CBE – Co-Chair of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales Sir Paul Silk CBE – Former Clerk to the National Assembly for Wales (now Senedd Cymru) Glyndwr Cennydd Jones – Fellow of the IWA and writer on constitutional issues About the IWA: We are a think tank and charity, independent of government and politic

This was the first of a series of joint events planned as part of the IWA's partnership with Bangor University. The North Welsh population is shifting dramatically. This is not only due to the ageing experienced by other developed nations, but local factors including inward migration of retirees from across the UK and working age people leaving the area. In the two decades leading up to 2018, the proportion of North Walians aged 65 and over increased from 18% to 23%, a trend projected to continue. At the other end of the scale, those aged 15 and under now make up only around 18% of the population compared to 20% in 1998. Combined with an overall population increase of 6% across the region, and the pressures on local services including health and care are building. The 2021 Census, as well as the wellbeing assessments conducted by the Public Services boards, will provide a much deeper understanding of demographic shift, when data are available in the coming months, but the trend is clear and continui

This event was dedicated to the launch of our latest report, Our Land: Communities and Land Use. The project is funded by the Friends Provident Charitable Foundation and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. Our report tells a story of Wales severely lagging behind in giving communities a right to access land and other assets, with an arduous and demoralising process that seems almost designed to keep assets out of community control, at a time when we emerge from a period of austerity that has driven a sell-off of community land and assets. We share the viewpoint of farmers, who are not merely defined by their work but are also active citizens of rural Wales, underpinning not just the economy of these areas but also much of its cultural life, too. This launch event provided attendees with an opportunity to hear the findings of the report, as well as our recommendations for policy-makers in Wales. We believe they will empower communities to have a real say in what happens in their area, underpinning vibrant an

On the 30th of November and 1st of December 2021, the IWA held a two-day summit on the future of the Welsh economy. In this episode, our policy team, Will Henson, Harry Thompson, and Dr Jack Watkins, look back on the event and discuss some of its key moments. The first section looks at our Q&As with Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Economy in the Welsh Government, and Neil O’Brien MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Levelling Up, The Union and Constitution at the Department for Levelling Up.  We then move on to the panels that made up the event. The discussion looks at the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda, decarbonisation and the everyday economy, and the consequences of COP26 for the future of the Welsh economy. As mentioned at the end of the episode, you can now read our latest report What Does Levelling Up Mean for Wales? on our website. If you would like to support our work, do consider joining us as a member.

Co-written with Welsh consultancy firm The Means, this report draws on original research and the Understanding Welsh Places online tool to explore how Welsh places responded to Covid-19. We use stories from communities across Wales to understand how residents used local facilities and assets during the crisis, and what we learned about Welsh places’ preparedness to respond to an event of this scale. We then make recommendations about how the Welsh government and local authorities can invest in the facilities and planning to be better prepared for future crises. In this event chaired by Auriol Miller, Director of the IWA, attendees heard from a panel including: Andy Regan – Policy and External Affairs Manager, Institute of Welsh Affairs Peter Williams – Director, The Means Robyn Lovelock – Programme Manager, North Wales Economic Ambition Board

At this free online event, attendees heard about our latest report, part of our project on the Foundational Economy, funded by CREW. Produced in collaboration with The Means, a consultancy working on economic regeneration across the UK, our report outlines how regulations and their enforcement can disproportionately impact small and medium sized businesses, making it hard for new firms to enter established markets and to expand. Hear more about the series of recommendations we make of how Welsh regulators can ‘think small’ first and ensure a more level playing field. The event was chaired by Andy Regan, Policy and External Affairs Manager at the IWA, who was joined by: Jack Watkins – Foundational Economy Project Lead , Institute of Welsh Affairs Peter Williams – Director, The Means Llyr ap Gareth – Head of Policy, Federation of Small Businesses You can read the report and find out about the recommendations here: https://www.iwa.wales/our-work/work/the-impact-of-regulation-in-the-foundational-economy/

This event discusses the surge in volunteering during the Covid-19 pandemic, and explores the challenges the sector has faced as well as whether there has been a shift in policy over the past 15 months. Since the pandemic began in March 2020, interest in volunteering in Wales has seen a significant increase. It has played a crucial role in supporting communities and helping people meet their basic needs. In this last edition of our Rethinking Wales series we explore the reasons behind this surge and examine how Covid-19 has changed what volunteering looks like. We also discuss the role of infrastructure and public services in Wales to ensure the long-term engagement in volunteering post-pandemic. Panellists: Sue Leonard, Chief Officer, Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services Sue Husband, Director, Business in the Community Cymru Kerry Marlow, Coordinator, Porthcawl Covid-19 Strategy Group Judith Stone, Assistant Director of Volunteering, Wales Council for Voluntary Action This is an hour lon

This event, jointly organised by the Media Reform Coalition and the Institute of Welsh Affairs, is part of ‘The BBC and Beyond’, an MRC campaign which aims to reimagine public media for the digital age. The event focusses on what a reformed public service media landscape within Wales could look like. The BBC has set out its strategic goal to recreate itself as a ‘truly UK wide organisation (…) decentralising power and decision-making across the four nations’. But a healthy media landscape cannot depend on any single organisation, so this event explores how to embed public service media principles across more of the media ecosystem in Wales and the UK. All political parties in the Senedd supported the IWA’s call for the Welsh Government to create a new, contestable fund to support independent news. This event considers the innovative journalistic models and practices this fund could nurture and how to ensure it embeds public service media principles – of independence, accountability, democracy and universali

This event discusses changes to how communities in Wales are using banking services, and explores the possibilities of more community-oriented models. One of the most dramatic changes to Welsh high streets in the last decade has been the decline of banking, with the closure of just over 40% of bank branches leaving customers and businesses struggling to manage their cash. In this edition of our Rethinking Wales series, we explore the reasons behind this change and what can be done to ensure that people can continue to access this vital basic service in the future, whilst also finding ways to make the banking system work better for the interests of Wales. Panellists: Tegid Roberts, Banc Cambria Ben Joakim, Head of Strategy, Principality Building Society Valentine Mulholland, Senior Policy & Propositions Manager, Money & Pensions Service This is an hour long panel discussion on Zoom chaired by the IWA Director, Auriol Miller. An open, politically independent and inclusive space for discussion

“If you can’t afford a bike, having the freedom to go cycling doesn’t mean anything.” This event discusses access to sport for Welsh communities and how the pandemic has exacerbated inequalities. Whilst elite sport has been able to continue fairly uninterrupted since the first wave, we examine the public’s access to sport and exercise, and explore how inequalities have manifested themselves. We explore inequalities of access to sports equipment and facilities, what effect this has had on regular and irregular participants in sport and what needs to change as we emerge from the pandemic. Panellists: - Victoria Ward, CEO, Welsh Sports Association - Brian Davies, Director of Sport, Sport Wales - Mark Lawrie, CEO, StreetGames - Dean Pymble, Campaign Manager, Show Racism the Red Card This is an hour long panel discussion on Zoom chaired by the IWA Director, Auriol Miller.

The Welsh Places Charter has been created by the Welsh Places Influencing Group, convened by the IWA. We are a coalition of organisations, practitioners, and academics passionate about creating a Wales in which people’s social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing is at the centre of our communities. It is clear that the way in which we live and work will not be the same as we emerge from the pandemic and big questions need to be asked about what we need to do to ensure that our places can not only recover but are thriving and resilient. We believe that the answers to these questions lie within our communities, and throughout this Charter we set out a vision for a Wales where more economic power is returned to local citizens, and it is the norm for people to have a greater say in how they shape their communities. Our panel will explore why this Charter matters and why it can make a difference to our communities. The event is chaired by Auriol Miller, Director of the IWA, who is joined by: Ell

Our panel look back at the 2021 Senedd election and assess what the outcome means for the future of Wales. We look at the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic on the results, the impact of young people being given the right to vote for the first time and whether the electoral landscape of Wales has shifted in the wake of the results. Our panel discusses the election campaigns and share their opinions of the outcomes, including what drove voters to make the decisions they did. We also discuss the implications of the result for policy-makers in Wales over the next Senedd term, examining where the newly-elected Welsh Parliament might lead Wales over the next few years. The event is chaired by Auriol Miller, Director of the IWA, who will be joined by: Laura McAllister, Professor of Public Policy, Cardiff University Rocio Cifuentes, CEO, Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team Wales (EYST) Andy Regan, Policy & External Affairs Manager, IWA This is an hour long panel discussion on Zoom and attendee

In December, Professor Gerry Holtham stepped down as an IWA Trustee after nearly twenty years and in this event one of the evergreens of Welsh public life seeks to balance the inter-generational books. Wales has the highest median age in the UK and in 20 years 1 in 4 of the population will be over 65. This figure reflects the fact that educated, young people are leaving in their tens of thousands resulting in Wales facing the lowest retention rates – with regards to both the proportion of students studying and staying to find work – than any other UK nation. Facing less secure work and high house prices – especially in coastal areas – it could be argued that young people today in Wales are less well-off relative to their elders than any generation since WWII. This calls for a radical reorientation of public policy to favour the young. We must consider: Free tertiary education for all students who are resident in Wales or who remain and work in Wales for five years post graduation. Free or concessiona

Our panel of transport experts and local leaders discussed how to create a region-wide travel network that works for everybody who lives and works in the capital. Is it time for Cardiff to have a congestion charge? What are the politics of big changes to the transport system? The panel explore the challenges and opportunities for transport in the Cardiff City Region as we move from the Covid-19 crisis and towards the ‘new normal’. We looked at plans for the region and delved into what lessons can be learned from successful transport solutions from further afield. Panellists: Prof Mark Barry, Cardiff University Christine Boston, Sustrans Cymru Cllr Huw Thomas, Cardiff Council Allison Dutoit, Gehl, UWE Bristol Attendees were able to engage in debate and ask questions of the panel. The Cardiff University – IWA debate series brings together researchers, policymakers and practitioners to discuss topical issues at the heart of politics, society and the economy in Wales. Challenging assumptio

During this panel discussion we hear from people with a learning disability about their experiences during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, specifically in regards to relationships and connections. Mencap Cymru have been collecting oral histories which show how important friendships and relationships are for people, often supporting our identity and validation of our worth. However, there remain significant challenges for people with learning disabilities when it comes to connecting with others. We hear from people with a learning disability about their experiences during Covid-19, and discuss if the pandemic has highlighted anything that they would like to see change when we return to the “new normal”. Sian Davies, Head of Strategic Programmes, Mencap Cymru will Chair the event. She will be joined by: - Stuart Todd, Lecturer, University of Wales Trinity St David - Sophie Hinksman, Co-chair, Learning Disability Ministerial Advisory Group - Joe Powell, Chief Executive, All Wales People First - Michael Allco

This report presents an analysis of policy and practice in business support in Wales and its impacts on the Welsh economy. We argue that business support needs to be reoriented to be more accessible to firms in the foundational economy, and that doing so will have both economic and social benefits. This launch event will include a presentation of our findings and recommendations, along with an opportunity for questions, comments and debate with our audience. We want this report to be the beginning of a wider conversation. The report was produced as part of the IWA’s collaborative project with CREW looking at the foundational economy as a policy agenda in Wales. Our report calls for policy makers: To develop smarter approaches to sector policy, informed by engagement with firms and by a wider variety of data sources; To rethink ‘productivity’ so that it includes the quality of outputs in foundational sectors, and invest in spreading new processes and technologies; To invest in a way that strengthens the

To understand the ongoing impact of the pandemic on individuals, work, the community and the world around us, we need to listen to people’s experiences. That is why the Institute of Welsh Affairs and the Wales Co-operative Centre, alongside 8 other partner organisations, launched a new initiative to gather these stories using the online storytelling tool Sensemaker®. This event launches a second report on our findings and outlines why this unique method of collecting people’s unfiltered experiences will bring stories across Wales to the attention of decision-makers. It’s not our intention to collect personal information about people. This tool will be used to spot general trends and patterns for us to better understand how the pandemic has affected us all. We also show you how to access the anonymised data, which will be available to the public, so anyone can analyse the stories and information gathered to spot specific trends. Sophie Howe, the Future Generations Commissioner, attends as our keynote list

The topic of this discussion is proposed changes to GCSEs and qualifications for 16 year olds as part of the ongoing reform of the curriculum.  How can assessment remain robust whilst supporting the curriculum’s radical vision? How can the new curriculum balance freedom for teachers with public expectations about content, including on Welsh history and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic history? We explore what these changes will mean for learners and teachers, and drawing on lessons learned about the education system from COVID-19. We are joined by: Oliver Stacey – Qualifications Wales Ceri Reed – Parents Voice in Wales Community Interest Company Dave Stacey – Senior Lecturer and AoLE Humanities Lead, University of Wales Trinity Saint David This is an hour long panel discussion on Zoom chaired by the IWA Director, Auriol Miller, and attendees were able to engage in debate and ask questions on the live chat.