What have we Recommended Development Membership consultation event in North West Welsh Union • Two departments; Development and Operations Development and • Operations to include events Independent • Development department to have two and half devel- opment officers supporting clubs and events reviews • Operations department to be led by workforce officer, supported by event and competitions officer and ad- ministrative support • Work with local partners who are employing develop- Undertaken by ment officers in Swansea and south-east Wales Sport Structures Limited What have we Recommended Governance • Further develop and strengthen the partnership with The project was guided by a project • Adopt a Board skills and competency framework steering group • Develop an equitable balance of the board • Change the board to four elected and four appointed Independent review: directors and potentially add the CEO in line with • Richard Helndicott The steering groups was sup- other sports • Jonathan Ford ported by Marcus Kingwell Ex- • Directors should serve no more than two terms of ecutive officer for the period of • Ian Drake four years the projects • President not a member of the board and appointed • Ian Jeremiah annually. • Neil Emberton • The board to agree a risk assessment template • Change articles or bye-laws to include matters of dispute resolution • Continue to complete the actions identified in the self- assurance process • Continue to grow reserves and improvement in finan- January—July 2013 cial procedures • Continue to develop a robust and realistically aspira- Concorde House, Birmingham, B37 7ES tional plan with a long term vision of ten years meas- Wales National Velodrome ured by Results Based Accountability Newport Sport Village • Develop an overarching marketing and communica- Phone: 0845 241 7195 tions strategy in conjunction with British Cycling Fax: 0845 241 7197 Velodrome Way E-mail: [email protected] • The board should develop a policy framework in Newport Website: www.sportstructures.com working with key stakeholders and partners and politi- cal lobbying The projects Implementation

Who we consulted We were contracted by the Welsh Cycling (WC) to deliver two distinctly different yet inter-linked We undertook extensive desk-based research and consulta- studies; tions. We engaged with member clubs using a club survey • An Independent Review of Welsh Cycling, fo- and 37 clubs responded representing 40.2% of the club cusing on governance membership and gave us a high confidence level in views • A Development Review, focusing on the Devel- expressed. We also undertook three consultation events in opment Department North West, South West and South East Wales. These were The key outcomes were set as: attended by 31 people. We also sought and received com- What did we find Governance project ments by email. Cycling in Wales is at an exciting time with significant • To prepare a position statement which: We consulted with the key stakeholders in Sport Wales and support from major stakeholders. In fact most major • Summarised the current governance, manage- British Cycling and undertook a local authority survey which stakeholders would like to further engage and support ment and funding situation within WC had an unprecedented positive response of 17 out of 22 local the growth of cycling in Wales. Cycling is an affordable • Summarised the external context including UK activity until participants move into competition. This is and Wales trends in Cycling participation, rac- authorities. ing, events, clubs and funding We compared Welsh Cycling with other sports of a compara- attractive and challenging as the “traditions” of the sport • Comments on strengths, weaknesses and risks ble nature and also explored the area of recreational cycling. would appear, in some cases, to mitigate against new • To set out the key characteristics of a resilient, Our desk-based review took into account surveys of adults participants joining the current club structure. effective and efficient governance model for and children taking part in cycling. Our review of the develop- The key question is whether Welsh Cycling is ready to WC for the next five years ment staff investigated how the team worked and what they take up these challenges with the structure and the re- • To recommend the key areas for change within achieved. This covered both development and events provi- sources it currently has? The clubs feel disaffected and WC, with an action plan for implementation. sion. feel that the governing body does not, in most cases,

add benefit or support them in their growth. Development project Conversely embracing the large interest in recreational • To recommend the aims, objectives and key cycling appears to be seen by some as outside the remit outcomes for the Development function of WC of Welsh Cycling. However in our view there is a real • To recommend the optimum model for a high performing youth cycling club to support the opportunity to use recreational cycling to link and bene- goals of WC and the aims, objectives and key fit clubs, events and other key stakeholder objectives outcomes of the Development function particularly relating to health and tourism. • To identify programme costs and potential new The recent changes in governance at a board level are a sources of funding positive first step. Momentum must be maintained over • To recommend a costed staffing and manage- the coming years with clarity to the role and purpose of ment structure for the Development team. This should recognise and reflect the role of volun- the board. It is clear the guidance, leadership and sup- teers as well as paid staff port of the Chairman and Interim Executive has given • To set out a transition plan from the current much needed leadership and stability. All those con- structure to the recommended new structure, sulted felt that the key successes of the last three years including advice on staff consultation and other were to address the issues that existed, to grow HR issues. stronger as a board and on the sporting side the medal success internationally and supporting clubs.