Cabinet Sub-Committee for North Wales meeting: 23 January 2025

• Rt Hon Eluned Morgan MS
• Huw Irranca-Davies MS
• Ken Skates MS (Chair)
• Jane Hutt MS
• Mark Drakeford MS
• Rebecca Evans MS
• Jeremy Miles MS
• Lynne Neagle MS
• Dawn Bowden MS
• Jack Sargeant MS
• Sarah Murphy MS
• Vicki Howells MS

Leaders of North Wales Local Authorities – Part 2

• Cllr Charlie McCoubrey, Conwy
• Cllr Jason McLellan, Denbighshire
• Cllr Gary Pritchard, Anglesey
• Cllr Mark Pritchard, Wrexham
• Cllr Dave Hughes, Flintshire
• Cllr Nia Jeffreys, Gwynedd

Other external attendees – Part 2

• Dyfed Edwards, Chair of the Board, Betsi Cadwaladr UHB
• Aled Jones-Griffith, CEO Grŵp Llandrillo Menai
• Prof. Edmund Burke, Vice Chancellor Bangor University
• Prof. Joe Yates, Vice Chancellor Wrexham University
• Yana Williams, CEO Coleg Cambria

Welsh Government officials

• Andrew Goodall, Permanent Secretary
• Rebecca Dunn, Head of Cabinet Division
• Tracey Burke, Director General, CCRA
• Sioned Evans, Director General, ECWL
• Steven McGregor, Deputy Director North Wales
• Ceri Christian-Mullineux, Senior Regional Partnerships Manager - North Wales
• Christopher W Morgan, Head of Cabinet Secretariat
• Damian Roche, Cabinet Secretariat (minutes)
• Beverley Morgan, Head of Cross-Cutting Strategy, Health, Social Care and Early Years
• Emma Williams, Director of Housing and Regeneration
• Aled Jones, Cyfieithydd (Cymen)

Apologies

• Jayne Bryant MS
• Julie James MS
• Judith Paget

The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales welcomed cabinet secretaries and ministers to the first meeting of the sub-committee in 2025, noting this meeting would focus on 2 of the First Minister’s 4 priorities, Iechyd Da – A Healthier Wales and Opportunity for Every Family, with the next meeting exploring Green Jobs and Growth and Connecting Communities, including making the links with and investigating their impact on the North Wales region.

Item 1: Iechyd Da – A Healthier Wales

1.1 The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care provided an update on action to deliver on this priority area.

1.2 The sub-committee welcomed the positive action being taken across the region to address the significant challenges faced by the sector.

Item 2: Opportunity for Every Family

2.1 The Cabinet Secretary for Education introduced the item.

2.2 The Welsh Government’s goal was to create an equitable and excellent education system in Wales, where all learners were supported to achieve their full potential.

2.3 It would be vital to continue addressing the impacts of poverty on educational attainment as a top priority and the overarching aim was to provide world class education for all children and young people, regardless of economic background or where they resided.

2.4 The sub-committee welcomed the positive action being delivered in line with this priority area across the North Wales region.

The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales welcomed North Wales delivery partners from the local authority, Health and Education sectors to the first meeting of the sub-committee in 2025 and thanked all those who had assisted with the recent issues encountered with the water supply incident in the region.

Item 3: Iechyd Da – A Healthier Wales

3.1 The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales invited the Chair of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to provide an overview of how they would contribute to Iechyd Da and to set out the opportunities and potential challenges faced in North Wales.

3.2 The health board was working to deliver Iechyd Da through its own set of priorities, including reducing waiting lists; addressing workforce challenges; and focusing on infrastructure development.

3.3 The Cabinet Secretary then asked the Leader of Conwy County Borough Council to provide a short introduction from the local authority perspective.

3.4 It was reported the local authorities across the region were committed to working in partnership with the health board and others to deliver positive outcomes.

3.5 The Cabinet Secretary thanked partners for their continued commitment to cooperation across the region to deliver the best outcomes for the people of North Wales.

Item 4: Opportunity for Every Family

4.1 The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales invited Aled Jones-Griffith, CEO of Grŵp Llandrillo Menai to provide an overview of joint working across the region to release North Wales’ inherent potential.

4.2 It was reported the adult learning offering was a vital component to achieving local and international success for North Wales and its education institutions. The work of Medr was vital in bringing collaboration across the region, with systems that worked for individuals rather than organisations.

4.3 The First Minister thanked all partners for their attendance and reiterated the point that all were delivering the priorities set out by the people of Wales.

4.4 It would be vital to continue reaching out to those not currently accessing the available support, ensuring investment in the best asset Wales had, its people, for the long term.

4.5 The First Minister thanked the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales for his leadership across the region.

Cabinet Secretariat
January 2025