National Infrastructure Commission for Wales meeting notes: 27 March 2025

NICW

Dr David Clubb, Chair
Dr Eurgain Powell, Commissioner
Steve Brooks, Commissioner (Online)
Eluned Parrott Commissioner (Online)
Aleena Khan, Commissioner

Secretariat/Welsh Government

Stuart Ingram, NICW Secretariat
Nicola Britton, NICW Secretariat

Apologies

 Dr Jenifer Baxter, Deputy Chair
Helen Armstrong, Commissioner
Nick Tune, Commissioner

The Chair welcomed Commissioners to the meeting with a check-in and celebration of success.

Declarations of Interest

Steve Brookes and Eluned Parrott indicated they will need to update their entries.

Action

Arrange DoI to be updated: Secretariat

Notes of Previous Meeting

Minutes of the previous meeting were approved. 

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

Commissioners agreed there is a need to continue to draw attention to recommendations in the report and connect with others on driving the agenda.

Year 2: Flooding

Commissioners discussed how to ensure the report and recommendation maintains traction. Eluned Parrott suggested a future NICW visit focuses on flooding in RCT which could be combined with renewed engagement with NRW and the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.

Year 3: Climate Conversations

Steve Brooks noted the final report from ARUP on  the Climate Resilience project would be delivered on 28 March. He briefly spoke about the next phase of preparing a NICW report for the autumn. However a more in depth discussion will take place at the April mtg when Helen as lead on the community project will be present.  

Year 4: Infrastructure Assessment

The Chair announced the contract has been awarded to Arcadis. He also asked if another commissioner would like to become involved and concluded he would discuss with Aleena Khan.

Transport Futures:

SOIF reports are still due and will be discussed at the next meeting.

Commissioners discussed the need for a lessons learnt exercise from the various procurement exercises undertaken especially in relation to risk and challenge.

Action:

New blog post on renewables and the continued urgency of the agenda: DC

Connect with RenewableUK Cymru and the FGC to discuss keeping renewable agenda visible/relevant and ? joint event: DC/Secretariat

Explore options for a visit to RCT and mtgs with NRW and Cabsec: Secretariat/Eluned Parrott

Confirm which commissioner will share project manager role with Nick Tune for the Infrastructure Assessment: DC

Commissioners discussed the need for a lessons learnt and operational risk exercise from the various procurement exercises undertaken. There was a suggestion of a pre tender meet NICW event for suppliers. Eluned Morgan volunteered to own this risk.

Action:

Arrange a lessons learnt session re procurement: Secretariat

Steve Brooks introduced this session explaining that signing up to a comms strategy now would save time and resources long term. It was agreed to endorse in principle.

Commissioners discussed the report from Nature on Board. It was agreed to progress informally with having representation on NICW but to also write to the Cabinet Secretary to formalise this role. The report will also be published as a blog post.

Action:

Publish report as blog post :DC
Seek recommendations from Simeon Rose for a nature advisor: DC
Write to Cabinet Secretary :DC
 

It was agreed a separate session is required for the development of a future work programme for 2025/26 to finalise mini projects and lead commissioners.

Action:

Arrange a work planning for 25/26: Secretariat
 

None

The next meeting will take place on 25 April in Bute Park.