Labour Llafur Preseli Labour Party

Secretary: Chair: Louise Tarbuck Daniel Metcalf 23 New Street Sunny Side, Thurston Lane St Davids Sardis Pembrokeshire Haverfordwest SA62 6SW SA73 1LD Tel: 01437 729321

Present: Louise Tarbuck (CLP Sec), Daniel Metcalf (CLP Chair), Katharine Whitehead, Alan Roach, Mollie Roach, Ken Davies, Gaynor Davies, Jordan Ryn, Simon Childs. Andrew Elliot, Wim Rutjes, Zosia Kolyhusha, John Branden, Janet Bately, Pam Jones, Michael Bunney, Philippa Thompson, Guy Stoar, Jane Bayley. Alex Warlow, Jane Davidson (Guest Speaker) Angela Newsom (Reg Supporter)

1. Welcome and new members welcome, and apologies given for Alan York, Wendy Lewis, David Gale, Iona and Tony DeVito, Eluned Morgan, Joyce Watson, Paula Lewis, Pamela Groves-Nation,

2. Minutes of last AMM Meeting (27th April) and last Executive Committee Meeting (18th June) were passed.

3. Louise Tarbuck (LT) gave a brief update on the Westminster Selection – the “Meet the |Members meeting had been held the previous week in Uzmaston with Selection Committee members present as observers. and had been well received by all who took part. We are now in the campaigning phase for our shortlist of three talented women Dinah Mulholland, Amanda Clare, and Philippa Thompson. The New CLP web site is live and now being maintained by our new IT Officer Adam Pollard- Powel, and more resources will be added with time All minutes of meetings, reports such as NEC, WEC, NPF, NCC, CAC will be routinely uploaded. Monthly reports that are for information only will no longer be sent out as attachments. Minutes and agendas and relevant papers will continue to be circulated. Alan Roach gave a short report on his programme of Political Education being developed, and again has asked all members and branches to supply suggestions for topics, to invite him to branch meetings for Pol Ed discussions, etc. Womens Officer position is still vacant although Mollie Roach is keeping it ticking over. We have identified training and developing women to take part in meetings, gain confidence and to feel confident to take part in all our activities as a prime role for the Womens Section. We hope that we can support anyone who wants to stand in community council and PCC even, as a Labour candidate, but mostly its about enjoying the Labour party, and not a careers path (unless that’s an ambition!) LT can provide full details and all support needed for anyone new to the role. Previous experience is definitely not a requirement, so please step forward if you can. Eluned Morgan had asked if anyone would like to be her CLP Campaign Coordinator. LT noted that any requests from all Leadership candidates would be treated similarly

4. Forthcoming NHS 70th Birthday Campaign Haverfordwest 7th July Stall in the Old Bridge now fully organised with Welsh Cakes to give away, bunting, Balloons etc. 11 – 2 pm, followed by a group canvass of Penybanc, Prendegast Ward.

5. Guest Speaker Jane Davidson, Director of the Wales Institute for Sustainability, “Looking After Current and Future Generations in Wales” talk followed by discussion )See write up below)

6. Tony Devito Memorial 200 Club Draw was postponed until the next meeting as the book and numbers had not reached LT in time for the meeting. Dates of next meetings:- Stall Haverfordwest 7th July; Canvass Prendegast, 7th July 2 – 4pm; Hustings and Candidate Election, 8th July 3pm Roch Victoria Hall; Executive Committee, 16th July &;30pm Services Club, Quay Street Haverfordwest; AMM Friday, 27th July Fishguard Bay Hotel, 7:30pm.

AOB.

There was a brief discussion on Dan and Alex going to a meeting at Llandrinod Wells for the Welsh Democracy Review OMOV CLP consultation meeting as part of the democracy review for the leadership election. Paul Murphy was there, as he is responsible for the survey and response. It was noted that the end date for the CLPs to respond to WL is July 31st, and that there will be a special conference on Sept 15th, recalling the conference delegates from the WL Conference earlier this year. If any of them is unavailable there will be an election of replacements at the next AMM.

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Jane Davidson Pro Vice-chancellor for Sustainability and Engagement University of Wales Trinity Saint David Current and Future Communities, and the Well Being Act, 2015

Jane gave an entertaining and informative talk on this topic. She spoke of her upbringing in Africa, and at boarding school, where her early years formed her socialist beliefs. She joined Labour under Michael Foot, and saw during the Thatcher years the destruction wrought upon the most vulnerable. She worked variously as a teacher, youth worker, anti-poverty councillor, and work place and nursery support in local govt. Housing is still a national scandal; health, housing and social care are still massively under-provided for, and lack of them is detrimental to the well being of the people.

In Pontypridd she was selected as a candidate for AM, and fought for her seat as a socialist, and was elected. She worked with Rhoderi Morgan as Minster for Environment, Sustainability and Housing. In 2003 the WAG was the only legislature in the world with gender equality, and family friendly hours, although these were not enshrined in law. It appears there has been a loss of family friendly working hours now though. Sustainability was embedded in the law creating the Assembly, and the Well Being of Future Generations Act is a way to enshrine those principles in law. The Act attempts to provide definitions of concepts that work in law, and this needed a proposition of values, and also collaboration, without which legislation doesn’t work. Rhoderi Morgan spoke of his vision of a “one public service” across Wales, ie that boundaries and silos that exist in all the public services that prevent the real delivery of services are removed.

The Well Being Act was designed to restart the work begin in 2003, and enshrines seven goals. It is relatively new, and so not well or widely understood, but it is expected that there will be legal challenges that will establish it through test cases. For example, zero hours contracts are actually against the Well Being Act, but this has not been tested in the courts yet. For people to fulfil their potential will require better health provision, especially through community health projects, targetting of resources for those at the lower levels of wealth, a better emphasis on the needs of rural communities and the rural poor. These are early days, and the Well-being Act is only now being rolled out. Sophie Howell is the Commissioner for Well Being in Wales. There are early signs of public services already beginning to cooperate across boundaries, even for those that are not devolved services (such as police). The Swansea Tidal Lagoon has been rejected this week by Westminster, and Jane has been working with Sophie to promote the lagoon as part of the Welsh renewable energy agenda. The Act could prevent the lagoon being denied, and we haven’t heard the last of it despite the set back this week.

Angela Newson spoke enthusiastically about the visions provided by the Act, sharing a background with Jane in social areas, and grass roots. She saw the Act as being very relevant to us in Preseli Pembs and tackling the poor economy and deprivation here.

Jane said the Act gives us permission to think differently. The WAG has now secured an increased power generation ceiling of 350mW, and would hope to get this increased to allow Wales to use its natural resources to become a major exporter of power.

Can the Act make a difference? To look on it another way, if it were really being followed there wouldn’t be any closures of libraries, or leisure centres, or sale of other Local Authority or publicly owned assets. These are all essential to help keep our elderly, indeed all ages, healthier in the community.

Philippa Thompson noted there is a disconnect between Mental Health provision and the Act. Jane said she had challenged HDUHB on their approach to the Act. This will need all goals to be linked, as the Act ensures these are all interconnected. It was noted that the Community Hubs proposed by HDUHB have not been defined as to what they will consist of or provide. They are indeed open to a challenge under the Act on this.

Mollie Roach questioned the concept of “sustainability” for voluntary organisations that depend on grants that end, when they are providing a service that has ongoing demands. Jane noted that sustainability should be seen in terms of money, rather than actual outcomes as at present. There is a special role for the state here. It was noted that there are over 40 institutions that under the devolved powers are responsible for care. Sustainability would suggest these should be a “single service”.

Simon Childs questioned the barrage/ lagoon project being rejected by Westminster, not in Wales as the financial case had been wrong, (for example) the expected life time of the sea walls had been grossly underestimated. He wondered how we could use the Act to influence those beyond our borders, and how we can use it to defend us against these outside influences.

Jane noted that the 350mW limit is not the only factor, but we should expect the lagoon generation to be resurrected soon. It is obvious that we cannot get our needs looked after by the current UK govt where there had been (1) the lagoon decision (2) stopping electrification (3) 5G early adoption also stopped. We can use these politically against the Tories as “Pay back”. We can also look to our communities for examples of where people have simply “got on with it” themselves, ie were empowered to act in their own interests – like the village that has just connected itself to the Broadband network by digging their own ditches for the cables from the nearest supply point to their homes. We need more people to feel they can take control back into their lives.

Angela Newson asked about the recent announcement of the new nuclear reactor in Wales, and if that didn’t contradict the well being act? Jane agreed that this was an anachronism and that on whole life costs, the argument would have favoured the lagoon. Jane also suggested contacting “Dan” at the wind farm in Ammanford for support in developing ideas for community generation projects. In Lampter there were also “frood” share offers for communities to buy into projects as share holders and investors. Alex Warlow observed that sticking to the Act would require us to fight globalisation, and quoted farming “agri-business” as taught in universities was producing wildlife deserts in the low lying farms in , and that as soon as you walk to the higher, less intensively farmed area, the wild life was there. He suggested agribusiness was an ideology that destroys the environment and disregarded the future generations well being. Jane agreed. She also spoke about the rates of pay of Local Authority Executives and Universities, as being destructive and short sighted. That is where transparency is so very important. In Wales the University is working with the Well Being Act and commissioner. The Universities are working to upskill young people, and among the students sustainability is a passion. The University of Wales was already running award-winning courses. The students want to build a better world, and the universities help by building up numbers of skilled students and graduates.

The “lost generation” of Thatcher was discussed, whereby a whole generation has been brought up to disregard sustainability for short term gain, but these were now “dying out”.

Jane spoke of RSA food standards, and the projects underway to grow local food suppliers and local supply chains. Procurement lead times in the food industry meant that we should be getting ready for Brexit now, developing new growers and suppliers to feed Wales. The Defra view that “small community farming is dead” must be challenged. Currently in mid Wales there is a growth deal for training activists. Angela returned to the mono culture deserts topic, and Jane responded that studies show that with organic farming the biological diversity returns relatively quickly, including her own experience with her own land.

Philippa then spoke about Andrew RT Davies and his recent remarks on supporting agri business in Wales. Jane noted that Sophie saw hige opportunities for us with the Act on getting post0 Brexit food supplies.

Dan asked if there was a similar commitment to sustainability in the UK Labour manifesto. Jane had not had talks with Jeremy Corbyn, but had with John McDonnell and Nia Griffiths, and so there was an element of this in the new economic dialogue they are promoting. The 5p carrier bag, organ donation and Welsh recycliing were all things arising from Janes work leading up to the Act and ideas that were finding their way into other parts of the UK and the political agenda. Jane used the phrase that we are better “fighting for something and not against anything” as inspirational for those who see the Act and its commitment to sustainability as lighting a candle in the dark.

Jane was warmly thanked for her talk by the members.