Records of the Welsh Economic Council and Welsh Council

Division within BD

1949-1980

Records of the Welsh Economic Council and Welsh Council relating to economic, social and cultural planning.

The agenda, minutes and papers of the councils are in BD 47, with publications in BD 57. Registered files are in BD 56

For other records containing general material relating to Welsh Council work, see the

Public Record(s)

English

• Welsh Council, 1968-1979
• Welsh Economic Council, 1965-1968

3 series

The Welsh Economic Council (WEC) was created in 1965 and originally chaired by Goronwy Roberts MP, and then later by the Minister of State (Baroness White). With similar regional Economic Planning Councils in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the WEC played a part in the then Labour Government's national planning strategy. The formal terms of reference were: a) to assist in the formulation of a regional plan having regard to the best use of the region's resources;b) to advise on the steps necessary for implementing the plan on the basis of information and assessments provided by the Economic Planning Board, consisting of senior officials of government departments in Wales; andc) to advise on the regional implications of national economic polices.

In 1968 the WEC was reconstituted as the Welsh Council with an independent chairman (Professor Brinley Thomas, 1968 to 1971; Sir Melvyn Rosser, 1971 to 1979) and a broader remit to look at social and cultural affairs as well as economic planning. The objective was to strengthen and improve the machinery for advisory and promotional work. Its terms of reference were: a) to provide a forum for the interchange of views and information on developments in the economic and cultural fields and to advise on the implications for Wales of national policies;b) to assist in the formulation of plans for Wales having regard to the best use of its resources and to advise the Secretary of State for Wales on major land use and economic planning matters, including transport and communications;c) to help to promote the work of the Development Corporation, the Wales Tourist Board, the Arts Council and of similar public bodies functioning in Wales as a whole or in a significant area of the Principality; andd) to encourage co-operation between the local authorities through schemes approved by the appropriate Ministers.

The Welsh Council had a membership of about forty nominated by the Secretary of State and drawn from various sectors including industry, local government, and higher education. The main work of the Council was undertaken by Panels and their committees and was supported by a Welsh Office secretariat which was responsible for providing most of the information and assisting in the production of its reports.

The Council debated major events on an ad hoc basis. The Council was also advised by the Welsh Planning Board, a group consisting of senior officials of government departments in Wales under the chairmanship of the Assistant Under Secretary of State for Wales, who was responsible for economic affairs.

In its later years the Welsh Council appeared to have a diminishing impact on public affairs and debate in Wales. In 1979 the Secretary of State (Mr Nicholas Edward) decided to abolish it. This decision was taken in the context of the abolition of the Economic Planning Council structure elsewhere in the UK.