Greyhound Racing Ban Implementation Group meeting: 11 July 2025

Members

• Dr Emily Blackwell (Chair): Senior Lecturer in Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Bristol Vet School
• Katie Bennison: Valley Greyhounds representative
• Dr Sarah Carr: Veterinary surgeon
• Dr Olivia Cook: Veterinary surgeon
• Scott Fryer: Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
• Dr Sam Gaines: RSPCA & Cut the Chase Coalition representative
• Vanessa Waddon: Hope Rescue & Cut the Chase Coalition representative
• Gareth Walters: Welsh Local Government Association representative

Secretariat 

• Jackie Price: Welsh Government Official
• Wendy Westlake: Welsh Government Official

Guests

• Huw Irranca-Davies MS: Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs (part meeting)
• Julia David: Special Advisor (part meeting)
• Ruth Parness: Senior Private Secretary (part meeting)

1. Jackie Price welcomed everyone to the meeting, confirming Dr Emily Blackwell as the Chair of the Group. Jackie advised that Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, had joined this inaugural meeting to address the group.

2. Dr Blackwell thanked everyone for attending the meeting and asked them to introduce themselves. Dr Blackwell then opened the floor to the Deputy First Minister to address the group.
3. The Deputy First Minister thanked everyone for agreeing to act as members of this group. He also stated his gratitude to them that the meeting was able to go ahead at such short notice.
4. The Deputy First Minister acknowledged the opposing views about the ban around the table. His hope is that the membership continues to evolve to ensure a balanced view. He concluded by confirming that a written statement will be issued to the Senedd later that day about the group. 
5. Dr Blackwell thanked the Deputy First Minister for his support to the group. Following the departure of the Deputy First Minister, his Special Advisor and Senior Private Secretary, Dr Blackwell set the formalities of the meeting in motion.

6. Dr Blackwell set out some ground rules for how the group will work together. The group agreed to turn off phones to avoid interruptions and to work without acronyms, so that there is less risk of misunderstandings. The group also agreed to work with each other in a civil manner, with the freedom to share their experiences. Challenges to ideas, rather than the person, would be acceptable.
7. It was agreed that details of the group and the notes of their meetings, would be published.
8. To aid their understanding of the Bill process, a flowchart (on senedd.wales), which is part of the Senedd’s Guide to the Legislative Process (on senedd.wales) was shared. It was noted that as part of the process of producing a bill, an impact assessment would be produced and will be published when the Bill is introduced.

9. Dr Blackwell asked each person in turn to confirm whether they had any conflicts of interest.
10. Katie Bennison confirmed that she is a Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) member and, as the general manager of Valley Greyhound Stadium, has a commercial interest in the work of the group. Dr Olivia Cook confirmed she had written a note to set out that she does not have any conflicts of interest.
11. No other conflicts of interest were raised.

12. Dr Blackwell confirmed if everyone had received a copy of the Terms of Reference (ToR). The group went through the ToR taking each section in turn, to agree the text.
13. Following the agreement to publish details of the group, the Meetings section will be updated. No further changes were agreed. The secretariat will share a revised version of the ToRs for agreement at the next meeting. 

14. Dr Blackwell asked the group to set out their priorities for the task. The aim was to understand where there were common priority areas. It was agreed to pull the priorities together into a working document for discussion at the next meeting.

15. Dr Cook raised the question of what number of members constitutes quorate. It was agreed that with seven members currently (excluding the Chair), a meeting could not take place if there were less than 4 members.
16. Dr Sam Gaines asked a question about sharing with others outside of the group. It was agreed that bearing in mind the confidentiality clauses in the ToR, sharing could be set at the level agreed in the notes of the meetings which will be published.
17. Katie Bennison asked whether it would be possible to add another member to the group. This person would have a lot of the data and financial information which may be helpful for the group. It was agreed that the individual should be added and that he will be expected to sign the same terms and conditions as the other members had done previously.
18. Katie would like it recorded that the Deputy First Minister was invited to the Valley Racing Stadium, and they would like him to attend when his diary allows.

19. Dr Blackwell asked everyone to consider whether they are available for the next meeting on either 13^th or 15^th August (virtually) and the following meeting, on either 15^th or 22^nd September (in person – venue to be confirmed). The secretariat would follow up on this action point.