Author: David Clubb
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Co-creating a good public appointments process
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Boards Wales takeaways: A fresh start Those of us who have had any involvement with the Public Appointments process in Wales know that it could use a little ‘va va voom’ to bring it up to good practice elsewhere. It does the job, but there are areas where it’s lacking in functionality. That’s where this…
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Boards Wales and GatenbySanderson
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A year of Boards Wales I started this website and blog almost exactly one year ago. It has been a project of passion and purpose, driven by my experience in trying to signpost people to Board opportunities in Wales – and finding that there was no central, easily accessible place to find them. I stewed…
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The importance of good leadership
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“Bad” leaders drive out “good” leaders, but “good” leaders cannot drive out “bad” leaders when “bad” leaders are allowed to operate with impunity. “How bad leaders can drive out good leaders”, Emblemsvåg and Emblemsvåg Boards Wales takeaways: Good leadership We know that good leadership is an essential part of obtaining good outcomes. Not only does…
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A tale of two councils; governance at Wrexham and Cardiff
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“My officers observed low levels of member engagement in training and personal development…. and further examples of poor behaviour and fractured relationships at senior level.” Adrian Crompton, Auditor General for Wales Boards Wales takeaways: We don’t always talk about governance. But we should. It’s what determines whether public services run well, whether decisions are made…
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A watershed moment; water and governance in Wales
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“Our water industry is broken. That is why this Government will fix our broken regulatory system so the failures of the past never happen again.” Steve Reed, UK Environment Secretary Boards Wales takeaways: What’s new? On 21 July 2025, the recommendations of the Independent Water Commissioner were published, marking a significant turning point for the…
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The forest is in the Boardroom. We just forgot to see it.
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“Infrastructure developments need to work in harmony with nature, so the idea of giving nature a voice on the board of such an important advisory body is inspiring.” Karen Whitfield, Director of Wales Environment Link Boards Wales takeaways: What’s new? On April 30th, 2025, the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales (NICW) published a blog, two…
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Cybersecurity; new Board obligations
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“In today’s digital world, where organisations increasingly rely on data and technology, cyber security is not just an IT concern – it is a business-critical risk, on a par with financial and legal challenges.” Richard Horne, CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre Boards Wales takeaways: What’s new? On April 5 2025 the UK Government…
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Community Governance in Wales; local democracy at risk?
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“This report on the democratic health of community and town councils… highlight(s) significant challenges that, if left unaddressed, threaten the very foundation of local democracy.” Shereen Williams, Chair, “Democratic health of community and town councils” Boards Wales takeaways: What are community and town councils? Community and Town Councils (CTCs) form the level of democracy that…
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From firefighting to future-proofing; Audit Wales event
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“Complacency can lead to a false sense of security” Adrian Crompton, Auditor General, Audit Wales Boards Wales takeaways: A governance event fit for the task In February 2024 Audit Wales published a report entitled ‘From firefighting to future-proofing‘. The report is definitely worth a read; it opens with an account of the myriad issues facing…
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It’s time for Welsh Boards to consider social media strategically
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“X…increasingly amplifies hate speech, fake news, scams, extreme views, and illegal content.” Leonardo Marino, Communications officer at GÉANT Boards Wales takeaways: Why is there a blurred line between strategic and operational? In principle the distinction between the responsibilities of Board members and the executive are clear. The Board does the strategic stuff, and the executive…