I am pleased to present my first Annual Report for 2016-2017.

A summary document has been created that gives an overview of the work that I have done since taking office as Future Generations Commissioner for Wales.

The summary document is best viewed on the Chrome, Firefox and Safari web browers but can also be viewed as a pdf document. If you are viewing the pdf document don’t forget to go to our YouTube channel to view the testimonials from across Wales.

What we will do in the next 12 months (2017-18)

  1. Highlight the big issues, challenges and opportunities facing future generations

My work has been guided by the views and experiences of people around Wales, resulting in six policy priority areas that I will focus my attention on:

Creating the right infrastructure for future generations

  1. Housing stock
  2. Energy generation and efficiency
  3. Transport planning

Equipping people for the future

4. Skills for the future
5. Adverse Childhood Experiences
6. Alternative models for improving health and well-being

During 2017-18, I will continue to involve people who have lived experiences of some of the issues identified through piloting a people’s placement in my team. If you have knowledge, experience or evidence in any of the above six priority areas please get in touch.

2. Support and challenge public bodies to think about the long-term impact of the things they do

To support public bodies in long-term planning and developing services that are fit for future generations, I have created three key programmes of work:

  • Art of the Possible – a collaboration exploring practical implications for public service in Wales in using the five ways of working to maximise their contribution to the seven well-being goals.
  • Live Labs – a programme drawing on expertise from a range of people to develop and test methods to support public bodies to create a vision for the future, applying the Act’s Five Ways of Working.
  • Cloud of Innovators – a bank of future generations champions and innovators in their field who are able to advise public bodies on using the five ways of working to challenge ‘business as usual.’

I will continue to build on the work started in my first year by:

  • Supporting Transport for Wales on the procurement of the South Wales Metro
  • Reviewing the WelTAG guidance
  • Developing the Future Generations Infrastructure Framework as a practical guide for public bodies and others
  • Considering further interventions on the M4
  • Working with the ACEs Hub to support Public Services Boards and individual public bodies to prevent and reduce adverse childhood experiences

3. Work with others to drive the changes needed 

I will connect public bodies to each other and to experts and academic institutions, and use the priority areas to work with the people and organisations best placed to drive the changes needed.

We will start to build insight into each of these priorities and develop case-studies around how the Well-being of Future Generations Act can be used as a framework for transformational change for individuals, communities and businesses.

I will draw on the skills and connections of my Advisory Panel, work with the Auditor General Wales and the Wales Audit Office as we ensure audit is used to support better outcomes, sharing learning and innovation with the Good Practice Exchange team.

4. Walk the talk: be the change we want to see in others

In April 2017 I reviewed how well my office was also ‘walking the talk’ and embedding the five ways of working into our working practices. Innovative well-being policies are being explored and developed to make a positive contribution to the seven well-being goals within my team.