Dafydd Vaughan
@daivaughan.uk
Geek. Cymru. Digital technology specialist. Consulting Practice CTO at Public Digital. Independent Member for Digital at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. Co-founder of GDS. Views my own.
There's a definite comparison with how Commercial Service is now an executive agency and trading fund and GDS just being PVAd onto the side of a few too many different departments.
When organisations face a major transformation, the default instinct is to plan a massive, multi-year roadmap. But all-or-nothing plans multiply your risk and starve projects of their most critical currency: trust. If you want to succeed, you must break the problem down into small slices.
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Anupama Ranawana@msamrc.bsky.social · 3w agoIncredible statement from the Church in Wales on the ignominious Code of Practice: "The Church in Wales will not use equality law exemptions to exclude trans people from our worship, our sacraments, our pastoral care, or our common life." www.churchinwales.org.uk/en/news-and-...
Busy Saturday. Rabble rousing with our neighbours over a big local planning issue at 9am. Then off to Abergavenny Pride. Walked in the parade, bought some badges, had a drink. Melted.
This past 48 hours has been horrific. Out of nowhere, Dilys’s back went again. This was her 4th or 5th round of IVDD. We’ve lost count by now. But this one was different, no warning. So much pain. And she wouldn’t or couldn’t let us help her. We’ve been at the vets 3 times since Thursday night
Full blown rage before 7.30 trying to report (another) water leak to Dŵr Cymru. That was FAR harder than it needed to be. (We’ve had next to no water for more than 24 hours from another leak. Now there is one at the end of the road that has already been “fixed” 3 times this year)
Learning to pronounce someone's name correctly is a fundamental matter of respect. But the recent reaction to our new First Minister, Rhun ap Iorwerth, shows how quickly that basic boundary breaks down when it comes to Welsh identity and language.
Diolch @daivaughan.uk for writing this. The number of swimming certificates and many other such things that were spelt wrong. “can i call you Helen?” Amazing we now have a Heledd as MS! I may invite her up to “Heledd Fest* on Ynysoedd Heledd (Hebredies) one day *does not really exist (yet…)
Dafydd Vaughan@daivaughan.uk · 3mo agoLearning to pronounce someone's name correctly is a fundamental matter of respect. But the recent reaction to our new First Minister, Rhun ap Iorwerth, shows how quickly that basic boundary breaks down when it comes to Welsh identity and language.
Learning to pronounce someone's name correctly is a fundamental matter of respect. But the recent reaction to our new First Minister, Rhun ap Iorwerth, shows how quickly that basic boundary breaks down when it comes to Welsh identity and language.
Heledd Fychan gets it. Arts, Health, Social Care, the Environment and Business are all intertwined. You cannot cut or invest in the Arts without consequences elsewhere.
Huw Marshall 🏴@huwmarshall.substack.com · 3mo agoHeledd Fychan making a very important point on cross portfolio working and the issue of silos within Welsh Government. Culture covers a range of important industries, joined up thinking has been missing in recent years.
A bit of Saturday morning reading... The new Welsh Gov has a "first 100-day plan", but I've been hearing people say that it's too short a time to delivery any meaningful change. I disagree - 100-days is a perfect opportunity to start building momentum and show a different way of working.
There's lots of important messaging in this new guidance from GDS / DSIT on AI, open code and vulnerability risk. In particular: "Private repositories can create a false sense of security" and "Openness can surface issues earlier" www.gov.uk/guidance/ai-...
AI, open code and vulnerability risk in the public sector
Guidance for safely publishing source code in the open, and reducing the risk of AI-accelerated vulnerability discovery.
gov.uk
As the new First Minister and Cabinet set to work, a timely post from us at @transform.wales today on how 100 days is enough to prove a different way of governing. transform.wales/blog/2026/10...
100 days is enough to prove a different way of governing
Plaid Cymru’s ‘First 100 days’ plan sets out an ambitious vision for Wales. It talks about creating a more open and transparent government, adopting a ’test and learn’ approach to delivery, agreeing m...
transform.wales
Results of the First Minister roll call: Rhun ap Iorwerth 44 Dan Thomas 34 Daran Millar 7 Rhun ap Iorwerth will now be formally nominated for appointment as First Minister. He will be the seventh individual, first Plaid member, and the first North Wales MS, to hold the post #Senedd #Devolution
60% of the new Plaid Cymru Members of the Senedd are women. 🥰
🚨 | First Senedd Results: First 6 seats: 🏴 PC: 2 (+2) ➡️ Reform: 2 (+2) 🌹 Labour: 1 (-2) 🌳 Conservative: 1 (-1)
Democratic duty done ✅. Dilys voted for more treats, belly rubs & naps. #DogsAtPollingStations #Senedd #Cymru
Heddiw, mae Cymru’n pleidleisio. Beth bynnag eich gwleidyddiaeth, ewch allan i bleidleisio yn etholiad y Senedd heddiw. Bydd y penderfyniadau sy’n cael eu gwneud dros y 5 mlynedd nesaf yn siapio ein GIG, ein cynghorau, ein heconomi a’n gwasanaethau cyhoeddus am genhedlaeth.
Today, Wales votes. Whatever your politics, please take the time to vote in the Senedd election. The decisions made over the next 5 years will shape our NHS, councils, economy, infrastructure and public services for a generation.
Today is an important day for public services in Wales. The outcome of today's election will affect how everything from the NHS, to education, from the environment to culture will be delivered for the next 4 years. Make sure you get out to vote before 10pm tonight. #Senedd #Etholiad
Vote.Wales | Home
Vote.wales is the website that explains everything you need to know about the Senedd election
vote.wales
It's election day in Wales. Wales is voting. You decide. 🕙 Polling stations are open until 10pm to cast your vote in the Senedd election.
Please read the Will Hayward newsletter and please watch this video which with chocolate peanuts explains how our votes get seats better than anything else I've seen. www.instagram.com/reel/DX33rwy...
Create an account or log in to Instagram - Share what you're into with the people who get you.
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Claire Vaughan@pixieglas.bsky.social · 3mo agoTomorrow we'll all be voting in the Welsh Senedd elections and the new PR system is confusing people. I'm so grateful for the @willhaycardiff.bsky.social newsletter for making it clear about where we stand with tactical voting. 1/ willhaywardwales.substack.com/p/tactical-v...
Tomorrow we'll all be voting in the Welsh Senedd elections and the new PR system is confusing people. I'm so grateful for the @willhaycardiff.bsky.social newsletter for making it clear about where we stand with tactical voting. 1/ willhaywardwales.substack.com/p/tactical-v...
Tactical voting in the Welsh election
Can you vote to stop another party?
willhaywardwales.substack.com
Notable that much of the variation in Welsh polling has disappeared in the final days of the campaign. The standard deviation in Plaid Cymru estimates across firms fell from 4.3 to 1.8 percentage points since autumn; for Labour, from 5.6 to 2.3 Most convergence happening in last 10 days (1/2)
Dr Adam Evans@a-b-evans.bsky.social · 3mo agoFinal @yougov.co.uk ITV Wales @walesgovernance.bsky.social MRP poll of the Senedd campaign (changes since April) Plaid 33% (+4) Reform 29% (-) Labour 12% (-1) Cons 9% (+1) Greens 8% (-2) Libdems 6% (-) Others 3% (-1) Write up here: www.itv.com/news/wales/2... #senedd26 #senedd #devolution
New polling for Wales puts Plaid ahead of Reform (just). willhaywardwales.substack.com/p/new-poll-p...
New poll puts Plaid Cymru ahead
But it’s very close…
willhaywardwales.substack.com