Senedd Cross Party Group on Industrial Communities

Annual Report for the year to 27^th November 2024

Group Membership (during the year to November 2024)

Chair: Vikki Howells MS (Chair) (resigned 12^th September 2024)

Huw Irranca-Davies MS (resigned 8^th April 2024)

Luke Fletcher MS

Joel James MS

Delyth Jewell MS

Sarah Murphy MS

Peredur Owen Griffiths MS

Sam Rowlands MS

Secretary: Meirion Thomas

Group Meetings (since 8^th November 2023 AGM)

Meeting 1

Meeting Date: 8^th November 2023 via Microsoft Teams

Present

Vikki Howells MS (Chair); Alex Davies Jones MP (Speaker); Steve Fothergill (Speaker), ICA National Secretariat; Chris Whitwood (Speaker), ICA National Secretariat; David Rees MS; Laurie Sutcliffe, (Office of Alex Davies Jones MP): Robin Lewis, Office of Vikki Howells MS; Cllr Gareth Jones, Rhonda Cynon Taf CBC; Cllr Neelo Farr, Bridgend CBC; Cllr Andrew Dacey, Neath Port Talbot CBC; Cllr Rob Jones, Neath Port Talbot CBC;  Cllr Andrew Barry, Merthyr Tydfil CBC; Cllr James Pritchard, Caerphilly CBC; Amanda Murphy, Office of Lee Waters MS; Helen Parfitt, Office of Peredur Owen Griffiths MS; Jordan Griffiths, Office of Luke Fletcher MS; Ryland Doyle, Office of Mike Hedges MS; Adil Pirmohammed, Neath Port Talbot CBC; Paul Hudson, Caerphilly CBC, Dawson Evans, Torfaen CBC, Michelle Rowson, Coalfields Regeneration Trust; Meirion Thomas, ICA Wales;

Issues discussed:

a) “Next Steps in Levelling Up the Former Coalfields”  - an update on the APPG Report given by Alex Davies Jones MP and Chris Whitwood of the Industrial Communities Alliance Secretariat.

b) “The future of the UK Steel industry” -  Professor Steve Fothergill, National Director of the Industrial Communities Alliance provided the CPG with an update on the recent announcements on the future of the UK Steel industry in general and the Tata Steel making plant at Port Talbot in particular.

Meeting 2

Meeting Date: 17^th April 2024 via Microsoft Teams

Present

Vikki Howells MS (Chair); Steve Fothergill (Speaker), ICA National Secretariat; Chris Whitwood (Speaker), ICA National Secretariat; Cllr Gareth Jones, Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC; Cllr Jayne Smith, Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC; Cllr Andrew Dacey, Neath Port Talbot CBC; Cllr Tim Bowen, Neath Port Talbot CBC;  Cllr Jeremy Hurley, Neath Port Talbot CBC; Cllr Tyssul Evans, Carmarthenshire County Council; Jordan Griffiths, Office of Luke Fletcher MS; Billy Jones, Office of Luke Fletcher MS; Zahra Yasmin, Office of Luke Fletcher MS; Aren Gulsen, Plaid Cymru Group Support Office; Adil Pirmohamed, Neath Port Talbot CBC; Ieuan Sherwood, Bridgend CBC: Michelle Rowson Woods, Coalfields Regeneration Trust; Meirion Thomas, ICA Wales;

Issues discussed:

a) The current position for the UK Steel industry – a verbal update on the current position with regards to the  Steel plant at Port Talbot and the wider future for the UK steel industry was given by Professor Steve Fothergill the National Director of the Industrial Communities Alliance.

b) “More jobs, Better jobs, Closer to Home” - Next steps in rebuilding the economy of Britain’s older industrial towns.  - a presentation of a report produced by the Industrial Communities Alliance was given by Chris Whitwood of the Alliance Secretariat.

ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT (for the 12 months to 27^th November 2024)

Chair: Currently vacant (Vikki Howells MS resigned on 12^th September 2024)

Secretary: Meirion Thomas

Category	Item details	Amount
Group Expenses	None	0.0
Cost of all goods	No goods purchased	0.0
Benefits received by the group or individual Members from outside bodies	No benefits received	0.0
Any secretariat or other support	No financial Support received	0.0
Services provided to the group such as hospitality	None	0.0
Total Cost		£ 0.0

Meirion Thomas

Secretary to the CPG, 27^th November 2024