Pwyllgor Cymunedau, Cydraddoldeb a Llywodraeth Leol Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee

Bae Caerdydd / Cardiff Bay

 Caerdydd / Cardiff

CF99 1NA

5 March 2012

Dear Colleague

The National Assembly for Wales’ Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee is to undertake an inquiry into the Welsh Premier League.  To assist with its inquiry, the Committee would welcome your views on this subject

The terms of reference for the inquiry are:

To look at issues around the Welsh Premier League (WPL) including:

¡ The extent to which the standards of football in the WPL have developed during the past 20 years;

¡ The competition format, looking at possible alternative models such as a move to a summer season;

¡ The development and progression of players, coaches and managers from the WPL to other levels of the game;

¡ How the WPL contributes towards player development and participation at lower levels, including issues of equality of opportunity;

¡ The WPL’s standing within the Welsh sporting landscape and its visibility in Welsh media outlets;

¡ The member clubs, their infrastructure and resources;

¡ How the FAW’s recent Strategic Plan 2012 will contribute towards strengthening the WPL, and how the WPL will contribute towards the Strategic Plan’s aims.

Invitation to contribute to the inquiry

The Committee welcomes responses from both individuals and organisations.  If you are responding on behalf of an organisation, please provide a brief description of the role of your organisation.

The Committee welcomes contributions in English or Welsh and will consider responses to the inquiry and hold oral evidence sessions in due course.

If you wish to submit evidence, please send an electronic copy of your submission to celg.committee@wales.gov.uk

Alternatively, you can write to:

Committee Clerk

Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee

National Assembly for Wales

Cardiff Bay, CF99 1NA.

Submissions should arrive by Friday 13 April 2012.  It may not be possible to take into account responses received after this date.

The Committee would be grateful if you could forward a copy of this letter to any individuals or organisations that might like to contribute to the review.  A copy of this letter will be placed on the National Assembly’s website with an open invitation to submit views.

Disclosure of Information

It is normal practice for the National Assembly to publish evidence provided to a Committee.  Consequently your response may appear in a report or in supplementary evidence to a report.  The National Assembly will not publish information which it considers to be personal data.

In the event of a request for information submitted under UK legislation, it may be necessary to disclose the information that you provide.  This may include information which has previously been removed by the National Assembly for publication purposes.

If you are providing any information, other than personal data, which you feel is not suitable for public disclosure, it is up to you to stipulate which parts should not be published and to provide a reasoned argument to support this.  The National Assembly will take this into account when publishing information or responding to requests for information.

Yours faithfully

Ann Jones AC / AM

Cadeirydd / Chair