Professor Laura McAllister has taken over as chair of the Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) Advisory Group while Dr June Milligan becomes vice-chair.
A Professor of Public Policy and the Governance of Wales at Cardiff University, Laura has been a member of WCPP’s Advisory Group since 2017. Alongside her academic career, she has performed numerous public roles, most recently co-chairing the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales. She is a prominent commentator on Welsh devolution, governance, public policy and football. A former Wales captain, Laura was recently appointed as a UEFA vice-president and is also an ambassador for gender representation and equality issues.
Dr June Milligan has worked in public service roles throughout her career including as Welsh Government Director General of Local Government and Communities, Commissioner and Chair of the Wales Committee of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, a ministerial policy adviser and trustee of the Young Foundation.
Acting WCPP Director Professor James Downe said, “Professor McAllister knows the Centre well given her involvement over many years. She was the perfect candidate to take on this role given her in-depth knowledge and experience of policy making in Wales. She will be supported by Dr June Milligan as vice-chair who has an outstanding record of public service in Wales and beyond.”
Prof. McAllister chaired her first WCPP Advisory Group meeting earlier this month and said, “The Wales Centre for Public Policy is held in high regard by local and national government and policy makers in Wales for the independent evidence and expert advice it provides to inform policy making. I look forward to continuing to work with new and existing members of the Advisory Group in my new role as chair, to provide advice and constructive challenge on the Centre’s strategic direction as well as contributing to its various activities such as connecting with key stakeholders and sharing its work”.
The Advisory Group is made up of leading academics and practitioners who inform and enhance the Centre’s work to provide Welsh policy makers with high quality, independent evidence and insight.
Following WCPP’s decision to focus on three priorities which align with some of the most pressing policy challenges facing Wales’ local and national policy makers – Environment & Net Zero, Community Wellbeing and Tackling Inequalities, the Centre has invited seven new members to join its Advisory Group who bring specific experience in some of these areas and/or in providing evidence to improve policy making. The members are:
New members:
- Naomi Alleyne, Deputy Chief Executive, Welsh Local Government Association
- Alisha Davies, Head of Research and Evaluation, Public Health Wales
- Sara Jones, Director Welsh Retail Consortium
- Paul Matthews, Chief Executive, Monmouthshire Council
- Stephen Meek, Director of the Institute for Policy and Engagement, University of Nottingham
- Huw Morris Honorary Professor, University College London.
- Lynda Sagona, Chair of the Board, Newport City Homes
Existing WCPP Advisory Board members:
- Stephen Aldridge – Head of Data, Analysis & Statistics, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
- Annette Boaz – Professor of Health and Social Care, Kings College, London
- Abdool Kara – Executive Director, National Audit Office
- Laura McAllister – Professor of Public Policy and the Governance, Cardiff University
- June Milligan – Former Director General, Welsh Government
- Nick Pearce – Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Institute for Policy Research (IPR), University of Bath
- Jane Roberts – Member of the Independent Remuneration Board and Visiting Fellow, The Open University Business School