Nodiadau cyfarfod Comisiwn Seilwaith Cenedlaethol Cymru: 16 Rhagfyr 2025

NICW

Dr David Clubb, Chair
Dr Jenifer Baxter, Deputy Chair
Helen Armstrong, Commissioner
Aleena Khan, Commissioner
Nick Tune, Commissioner
Dr Eurgain Powell, Commissioner
Eluned Parrott, Commissioner
Elspeth Jones, NICW Nature Guardian

Programme Office / Welsh Government

Stuart Ingram, NICW Secretariat
Nicola Britton, NICW Secretariat

Lawyers for Nature

Bronte Ansell
Jessie Mond Wedd

Oxford Business School

Mary Johnstone-Louis
Juliane Reinecke

Apologies

None

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and ran through the agenda for the morning’s session.

No new declarations were received.

The notes from the previous meeting were agreed, unchanged. 

Mary Johnstone-Louis and Juliane Reinecke led a workshop style discussion with Commissioners around their feelings on the Nature Guardian pilot.

Brontie Ansell and Jessie Mond Wedd from Lawyers for Nature updated Commissioners on the initial findings of their Nature on the Board Research. The final draft report will be completed shortly and shared with Commissioners in the new year. 

The Work Programme report and budget report was circulated to Commissioners in advance. The following specific areas were discussed in relation to the report:

Year 1: renewable energy report

The Chair reported that a response to his letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning had been received. It was discussed that major gaps still exist between the Welsh Government and NICW, particularly around creating a vision and having a strategic energy policy. It was concluded that NICW would keep a watching brief on this subject, but would not pursue this further with this Welsh Government. 

Year 2: flood research

It was reported that a meeting with new Welsh Government flood officials has been held. It was noted that a Written Statement will be published in March 2026 outlining progress. Discussion highlighted that the National Flood Forum had been asked to look at a potential model for Wales, that the Sustainable Farming Scheme was a potential lever to bring about change and that the community engagement processes may be reviewed. It was highlighted that it was difficult for the Welsh Government to ‘retool’ mid-way through a Senedd term. 

Year 3: climate change communication

The recent meeting with the Chair of the UK CCC Adaptation Committee, Baroness Brown, was highlighted as a success, with a good opportunity to promote NICWs recommendations. These would also be discussed further at the CCEI Committee Scrutiny session in January.

The meeting was also updated on the 3 Grangetown Legacy projects and that proposals had been received and given funding. It was noted that Nirushan Sudarsan from the Youth Forum had talked to the Hwb Diffodyl session recently regarding the NICW work there. 

Year 4: infrastructure assessment 

It was reported that the Infrastructure Assessment work was coming to an end and the final reports will be ready in the new year after a short engagement exercise with stakeholders. Work on the report outputs is to be agreed and Arcadis’ graphic designers were involved. 

Year 4: infrastructure delivery research

The successful internal workshop with NICW Commissioners and Arup was highlighted. Case study choices have now been finalised. Arup were holding round table workshops on each in December. The draft report is due in January. 

Nature on the Board event

Landed Futures are to be asked to help run and facilitate the Nature on the Board event in January. Practical discussions are ongoing. Commissioners should receive a formal invite shortly. 

It was noted that there is an event on Planning and Health being organised by Public Health Wales for 21 January 2026.

None.

The next meeting will take place in Bute Park on 30 January 2026.