Minutes Board of Trustees Meeting 10 January 2025

Meeting: National Library of Wales Board of Trustees Open Meeting

Date: Friday, 10 January 2025

Location: On-line only

Present: 

Board Members: 

• Ashok Ahir (Preseident and Chair)
• Gronw Percy
• Andrew Evans
• Janet Wademan
• David Hay
• Susan Davies
• Quentin Howard
• Andrew Cusworth
• Lee Yale-Helms
• Hannah Lindsay
• John Allen
• Mohini Gupta
• Michael Gibbon
• Heledd Bebb

Executive Team: 

• Rhodri Llwyd Morgan, Chief Executive
• Owain Roberts, Director of Collections and Digital Services
• Mererid Boswell, Director of Finance and Corporate Services

Also present: 

• Annwen Isaac, Human Resources Manager
• Sara Weale, Parternship Council
• Philip Roberts, Welsh Government
• Mary Ellis, Welsh Government
   

Minutes:

• Annwen Isaac

 Apologies:

•  Rhian Gibson, Director of Communications, Engagement and Partnerships

Section 1: Common Matters

1.1 Welcome from the Chair and opening remarks

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting, extending a special welcome to the three new Trustees namely Heledd Bebb, Mohini Gupta and Michael Gibbon.  We also welcomed Phillip Roberts and Mary Ellis on behalf of the Welsh Government and Sara Weale on behalf of the Library Partnership Council.

It was also noted that Andrew Prescott will join as a Trustee from May 2025 onwards.

Welcome was also extended to Annwen Isaac who would take on the Governance role and also to Llinos Williams, Executive Officer to the Chief Executive's Department.

The link was shared with the Trustees to the report of the Culture, Communication, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee of the Senedd "A decade of cuts: The impact of funding reductions on culture and sport" which was published on 9 January 2025.
 

1.2  Statements of interests relevant to the agenda

Members of the Executive Team, the Human Resources Manager and the Executive Officer declared an interest in the discussion of the pension scheme as active members of that scheme.

1.3 Minutes of the meeting held 6 December 2024 and matters arising which are not on the agenda

The minutes were approved as a correct record of the matters discussed, with the following matters arising which are not on the agenda:

Storage space options - it was confirmed that the Buildings Panel and the Storage Space Group would meet in February.  A document of the lessons learned considering the Hafod tender will be presented to the same meeting.

RSM Risk audit Questionnaire – a questionnaire will soon be circulated to the Trustees.

Beaufort Recommendations Action Plan - it was confirmed that an action plan to promote the Library's new Strategy will be presented to the next meeting, 7 March 2025.
 

Section 2:

2.1 Chief Executives Report

The Chief Executive presented a verbal report, drawing attention to the following specific issues:

Storm Darragh - as a result of the storm there was damage to the plastic covering of the roof, emergency repairs had to be carried out to prevent the water from flowing in.  The electricity was also lost.  By now the plastic cover has been re-installed.  Staff came in at short notice to assist with the removal of the endangered collections.

Strategic Plan - the plan has been shared with the staff internally; the public consultation will be held during January/February.  It was also confirmed that the consultation will be published on the website and social media as well as contacting stakeholders.

Change and Renewal Program – The internal Task Force has been established and will meet on 20 January.

Projects - the priority projects will be looking at long-term storage needs, the Digital Manifesto and responding to the outcome of the Beaufort Report.

Welsh Government Draft Budget - the draft budget has been published which is fairly encouraging, as there is no further cut to the GIA, having said that there will be difficult decisions to make.  £850M of additional capital budget has been set aside to complete the work on stores 1 and 2, and £1M for assessing long-term storage and digitization options. The Library will have to apply for this money.

Minister Jack Sargeant, MS will visit the Library on 8th May to look at the renovation work to the roof and the decarbonisation work.  A "Gateway for Review" assurance survey of the roof repair project will take place at the end of January.

Dinas Llên - the Library is working together with local partners to submit an application to try to gain UNESCO status for Aberystwyth. The application will be submitted by the end of January 2025.

CDP4 Doctoral Project - 4 students will work closely with the Library during the period of this project.

No Welsh Art Exhibition - an article was published in the Guardian over the Christmas period promoting the exhibition.

Museum Wales - Gwen John Exhibition 2026-27 - the Library will work closely with the Museum as they prepare the exhibition. Gwen John's manuscripts are here in the Library.  The exhibition will visit Cardiff, Edinburgh, Yale and Washington DC.

Discussions are taking place regarding the future of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments  of Wales and CADW, aiming for closer collaboration or merging in the future.

Section 3 – Strategic Matters

3.1 Pension Scheme

Mererid Boswell presented a verbal report stating that discussions on the consultation continue with the Trade Unions. The Unions' response to the alternative paper presented to them before Christmas will be discussed at the Pension Scheme Board on 29 January 2025.

3.2 Membership of Board Committees

Following a discussion on committee membership it was agreed as follows:

Storage Space Group – Susan Davies to join.

Performance, Quality and Governance – Heledd Bebb and Mohini Gupta to join.

Builidings Panel – David Hay to join.

Pension Scheme Board  – Michael Gibbon and Heledd Bebb to join, Lee Yale-Helms to continue as Chairman.

Section 4 – Corporate Matters

4.1 Financial Matters

4.1.1 Statutory Annual Accounts 2023/2024

A presentation on the Annual Accounts 2023-24 was given by Mererid Boswell.

A special meeting of the Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee was held on 19 December 2024 to scrutinize the accounts. Anthony Veale, Audit Wales was present to present the Audit of the Accounts Report and the Management Letter.  Audit Wales will give an unqualified opinion on the 2023/24 Accounts, which is very encouraging.

Mererid was thanked for her clear and understandable presentation and for her work in preparing the accounts and to Andrew Veale and Audit Wales for their work.

The Treasurer was happy to recommend that the Board approve the Accounts, and it was unanimously approved by the Board.

Mererid thanked Gronw Percy and Janet Wademan for their assistance noting the importance of discussing with the auditors at the start of the audit.

It was noted, at the next meeting, it would be beneficial to have a report on the situation in terms of legacies and income generation.

The Library will also have to consider the implications in terms of revaluation policy and indexing of the building as there is a high cost of having an appraisal. Accounting policies will be discussed at the Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee on the 18th of February 2025.

4.1.2 ISA 260 - Correspondnece from the External Auditors

The Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee had discussed the document at their meeting on 19 December 2024 with the recommendation that the Board of Trustees accept the document.

The content was agreed and the document was accepted by the Board of Trustees.

4.1.3 NLW Audit Enquiries Letter

The letter was shared for information only.

4.1.4 Management Accounts November 2024

The November 2024 management accounts were presented. It was noted that we are in a better place than expected.  Following the Voluntary Exit Scheme, there is a reduction in staff numbers.   It was reported that the commercial income was higher as the Shop and Pen Dinas were performing well.

The 2024-25 Salary increase has been accepted by the Unions and the back payment to 1st April 2024 will be paid to the staff in the January 2025 salaries.

4.1.4 Budget 2025-2026 / 2027-2028

A draft budget was presented by Mererid Boswell which had been prepared on the basis of a draft funding settlement received by the Welsh Government in December 2024. The draft budget of the three year forecast is based on the best assumptions taking into account historical trends in terms of income and the ability to manage costs.

The paper will be discussed wider in the Finance and Resources Committee in February.  A final budget will be presented to the Board in March when the Strategic Plan has been approved, and the spending priorities of the Operational Plan are in place.

4.1.5 Corporate Risk Register

A copy of the register was shared for information.  The Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee will discuss the register in more detail.

5. Any other matters

Gronw Percy thanked Mererid and the team at the Library for the work on the accounts and the budget.

Michael Gibbon thanked all for the welcome to his first meeting, noting that he was visiting the Library on 17 January 2025.

The next meeting will be held in Wrexham on the afternoon of March 6th and the morning of March 7th.  More details will be shared with the Trustees once the arrangements are in place.

 

ACTION POINTS/MATTERS NEEDING FURTHER ATTENTION