the welsh agenda North by Northeast Ken Skates talks to Rhea Stevens Grahame Davies, Hannah Blythyn, Llyr Gruffydd & Darren Millar on connecting North East Wales Exclusive Fiction: Dai Smith, Rachel Trezise, Rhian Elizabeth Plus • Gill Morgan on How Change Happens • Ruth Hussey on Health and Social Care • Philip Dixon on Successful Futures Winter 2017 | No. 59 | £4.95 www.iwa.wales Cover Photo: John Briggs The Institute of Welsh Affairs gratefully acknowledges funding support from the Jane Hodge Foundation, the Welsh Books Council, the Friends Provident Foundation, and the Polden Puckham Charitable Foundation. The following organisations are corporate members: • Aberystwyth University • Federation of Small Businesses Wales • Public Services Ombudsman for Wales • Acuity Legal Limited • Ffilm Cymru • PwC • Alcohol Concern Cymru • Four Cymru • RenewableUK • Amgueddfa Cymru National • Friends of the Earth Cymru • RIBA Royal Institute of British Architects Museum Wales • Geldards LLP • Rondo Media • Association of Chartered Certified • Community - the union for life • Royal College of Nursing in Wales Accountants (ACCA) • Glandwr Cymru - The Canal & River • RSPB Cymru • Bangor University Trust in Wales • RWE Innogy UK • BBC Cymru Wales • Gofal • S4C • Blake Morgan • Goodson Thomas Ltd • Samaritans • British Council - Wales • Harvard College Library • Shelter Cymru • BT • Heritage Lottery Fund • Smart Energy GB • Cathedral School • Historix Editions • Snowdonia National Park Authority • Capital Law LLP • Hugh James • Sport Wales • Cardiff County Council • Institute Of Chartered Accountants of • Tenovus Cancer Care • Cardiff School of Management England And Wales • Tidal Lagoon Power • Cardiff University • ITV Cymru Wales • The Learned Society of Wales • Cardiff University Library • Julian Hodge Bank Ltd • The Means • Carnegie UK Trust • Macmillan Cancer Support • The Open University in Wales • CECA Wales • Morgan LaRoche • Universities Wales • Colleges Wales / Colegau Cymru • MS Society Cymru • University of South Wales • Community Housing Cymru • National Theatre Wales • University of Wales Press • Constructing Excellence in Wales • National Union of Students NUS Wales • Wales & West Utilities • Creative Risk Solutions • North Wales Fire & Rescue Service • Wales Co-operative Centre • Cymorth Cymru • OFGE • Wales TUC Cymru • Cynnal Cymru • Cardiff Metropolitan University • Waterloo Foundation • Cynon Taf Community Housing Group • Parker Plant Hire Ltd • WCVA Wales Council for Voluntary Action • Deryn Consulting • Pembrokeshire Coast National • Welsh Centre for International Affairs • Disability Wales Park Authority • Welsh National Opera • Doopoll • People and Work Unit • Welsh Local Government Association • Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru • PLANED (WLGA) • Estyn • Practice Solutions • Working Links Wales • Eversheds-Sutherland LLP • Principality Building Society • WWF Cymru • Family Housing Association • Prospect Wales Cymru • Y Ganolfan Dysgu Cymraeg Genedlaethol To become a corporate member of the IWA, please call 029 2048 4387 the welsh agenda Editor: Dylan Moore Editorial Manager: Rhea Stevens editorial Editorial Board: Clare Critchley, Geraint Talfan Davies, Gerry Holtham, Marcus As we live through an ever-evolving present Cardiff Arms Park on the morning of the death of Longley, Auriol Miller and face an uncertain future, it is sometimes Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dai Smith’s story Cover Photographer: tempting to think that our own times of ‘Passing(it)On’, narrated by a woman whose John Briggs tumultuous change are unprecedented. But the world is dying with her, the stories together paint Design: flurry of anniversaries this year – not least our a picture of a south Wales that has both changed [email protected] own – are a reminder that Wales, and the world, irrevocably but also – in some senses, and for To advertise, tel: 029 2048 4387 for better or worse, are constantly in flux; such is some people – stagnated in the thirty years since the nature of history. the IWA was created and in the twenty years The publisher acknowledges the If we think that this has been an apocalyptic since Wales said Yes to devolution. financial support of the Welsh Books Council. autumn – hurricanes battering the Caribbean; If the three Rhondda-born writers of test missiles flying haphazardly across the Sea fiction suggest a south Wales bias that many Institute of Welsh Affairs of Japan; a Nobel Peace Prize laureate seemingly have suspected of devolution itself, then our 56 James Street, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, CF10 5EZ turning a blind eye to ethnic cleansing – then other major series this issue, focusing on the Tel: 02920 484 387 we only need to cast our minds back a century oft-neglected region of north east Wales is an to find an autumn which included the Battle of attempt at counterbalance. Rhea Stevens talks to Charity number: 1078435 Passchendaele, the Russian Revolution and the Ken Skates about growing up in the region and The IWA is an independent think Balfour Declaration. its economic prospects, Grahame Davies offers tank and charity dedicated to promoting the economic, social, It can sometimes seem that we are trapped a personal reflection on his Welsh-speaking environmental and cultural well- in an endless cycle of jubilees, but if nothing Wrexham identity, Hannah Blythyn outlines the being of Wales. else they can provide a sense of perspective potential for cross-border working contained To become a member and receive to our current challenges. At this year’s IWA within the nascent Mersey Dee Alliance, while benefits such as copies of the summer party, we were pleased to introduce Darren Millar and Llyr Gruffydd each offer their welsh agenda, early-bird notice some of The Next Thirty, individuals profiled in take on the future of the north. of events, regular newsletters and free publications, from £30 a year, the last issue of the welsh agenda who we think Twenty years on, questions remain about please call Laura Knight on are worth watching in the years ahead. Writer the nature and extent of a devolution dividend. 029 2048 4387. Rhian Elizabeth commented that Wales excels Just what difference has the National Assembly at remembering its past but is perhaps not so made to the lives of the people of Wales? Networks focused on shaping the present, citing the recent Whatever progress has been made on the North Wales centenaries of Dylan Thomas and Roald Dahl structures of governance in Wales, it is lives like Network Coordinator: as examples of a country that celebrates the those depicted in this issue’s fiction (and those in Andrew Parry achievements of its long-gone great and good at articles like Vanessa Webb’s on young carers), to Cardigan Bay the expense of emerging talents. which we need to be paying very close attention Network Coordinator: As a continuation of our thirtieth as we continue the task of bending history in the Meilyr Ceredig anniversary celebration, we are pleased to direction of justice, building a Welsh society that Swansea Bay have given Rhian the opportunity to write a works for everyone. That’s why the work of the Network Coordinator: contemporary story as part of an exclusive IWA matters, and why we are ever grateful for Delith Thorpe fiction series. ‘The Difference between a Terrorist your support. and a Hero’ depicts three Welsh teenagers en Through the welsh agenda and the IWA websites, the IWA provides a platform for route to London in the aftermath of the awful debate, discussion and the exploration fire at Grenfell Tower. Following Rachel Trezise’s Auriol Miller, of ideas. The ideas contained in the independently produced articles and story set against the backdrop of a demolished IWA Director papers we publish are those of the writers and contributors and do not, therefore, necessarily reflect the views of the IWA, its members and Board. the welsh agenda winter 17—issue 59 | 1 10 #59 Winter 17 14 31 4 A report card: North east Wales Wales – will do better Connections Kevin Gardiner offers a candid assessment of where Wales 26 North east Wales: is at, and advice on how the Unfamiliar Complexities nation might go forward Grahame Davies is proud to claim an overlooked, 6 Fiction – misunderstood identity Passing (It) On: Dai Smith 28 Future of the North Zig-Ah Zig-Ah Llyr Gruffydd argues that Rachel Trezise investment in north-east Wales is vital; Darren Millar The Difference between emphasises the importance a Terrorist and a Hero of infrastructure, and calls Rhian Elizabeth for greater devolution to 35 the region 14 Ken Skates: people, place and politics 31 Laying down the Rhea Stevens meets Ken drawbridge Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Hannah Blythyn welcomes Economy and Infrastructure the opportunities of cross- and finds a man rooted in border collaboration and formative experiences in his innovation provided by a native north east Wales Mersey Dee Alliance 17 Are we building a successful future? 33 The Hussey Report: Solving Wales’ most Dr Philip Dixon provides urgent and intractable a detailed assessment policy conundrum of progress on schools’ Prof Marcus Longley meets 50 curriculum reform Dr Ruth Hussey between her team’s interim and final 23 How can change reports on Health and Social happen? Care in Wales Gill Morgan argues that barriers to change in public 35 Brexit and agriculture: services are bound up in the What next for Welsh failure of policy makers to farming? involve the front line staff Dr Nicholas Fenwick argues charged with delivery that agricultural economic modelling