Creating and taking opportunities

What a wonderful week of glorious weather! I will start at the end of my week with the powerful and beautiful poppies on Hove Lawns which I was able to enjoy as I travelled to the Chamber of Commerce breakfast this morning.

poppies on Hove lawns

I had been invited as the guest speaker and the challenging topic was my career and journey to the role of chief executive of Brighton & Hove City Council. It was a pleasure to meet so many people from businesses in the city. I hope people took away the themes of partnership, creating and taking opportunities, and the importance of authentic relationships in work as well as life.

Chamber of Commerce breakfast

Working to achieve the city’s potential
The work of Nick Hibberd and his team in supporting the development our economy and providing city council leadership is vital, and it’s worth noting that the team have been involved in the allocation of £83.4 million worth of projects within the Greater Brighton area. 
 

Head of City Regeneration, Nick Hibberd

There are also lots of positives for Brighton & Hove in terms of the economy, we are the second fastest for growth in the private sector and third highest level of business start-ups. Our employment rate is improving and currently stands at 71.9%. We have the lowest job seekers allowance claimants rates since 2006 standing now 4.407. All this said there is absolutely no room for complacency and working with businesses of every size will become increasingly important as we work to sustain and achieve the city’s potential and to be able to have local government public services that are increasingly self-sustaining.

Next corporate plan and budget
Today’s event follows two days of intensive working together by the Executive Leadership Team on options and proposals for the next corporate plan 2015 – 19 and the budget for next year. As we all know our challenge is a significant one and this week we have put out briefing information for staff giving more details of that. Our away day however, was not down beat but rather we are determined to come up with options that respond to the world in 2014. We want to make the most of digital and media opportunities and have a profound commitment to work with public service organisations, business, community and voluntary sector.

Executive Leadership Team at Plumpton College

Truthfully the world is not going to stay as it is and the shape and world of local government is not going to remain static, however we are determined to put outcomes for citizens at the front of our proposals and opportunities for staff are at the heart of our thinking. That well may mean opportunities to work in different ways and possibly different organisations in the future.

Our room at Plumpton College

Our away day was at Plumpton College, and Principal Des Lambert and his staff certainly know a thing or two about customer service. They provided a bright and airy room for our work with good value catering and Des even took us on a tour of the farmland around Plumpton College up on the Downs. This college has been in existence since 1919 when it was developed to support self-sufficiency in agriculture. It now takes 4500 students from all over the country and provides practical training in all sorts of farming and land based skills including viticulture and blacksmithing. Its land oriented education is very affecting and it was good to be working surrounded by horses, fields and cattle for a change.

The surrounding fields

 Discussions with the trade unions and with senior councillors will be taking place over the coming days and weeks and I continue to appreciate the emails from individuals about how we can do things better, differently and more economically. Please keep your suggestions coming.

A proud moment

My daughter's graduation

My third event this week came on Tuesday when I took a day’s leave to celebrate and witness my daughter’s graduation. Not only was it a proud moment for her and all her family but also for hundreds of other families at Kings College, London who were also heading out into the wild world of work, and the challenges of finding a worthwhile way to make a living and contribution to society. Her hard work and determination to make the best of her abilities have borne fruit. I am determined that this should be the case for all our young people in education, whether at school or university and this will continue to be a key priority for the council.

Kings College, London

So enjoy the fantastic weather and thank you to those who will be working in clammy conditions over the weekend.