Going out and about and digital

Hello everybody

From the sofa

When I ended up sharing a sofa with Mark Turner on Monday morning while I awaited a lift to visit a housing scheme, I earnestly hoped that by the end of the week we would have agreed the arrangements for a piece of important work to review the design of Cityclean and Parks and the way we ensure our street scene is clean, green and safe. Sadly, yesterday morning, I heard that the discussions between ourselves and the trade union broke down. I fear that we will have continued working to rule and some further strike action and I am truly disappointed and sorry about that. I very much hope that the conversations can continue and that we can get our shared redesigned plans back on track.

During the same period on the sofa in the reception area of Kings House, not only did I greet numbers of our staff as they came into work but I took the time to thank Martin Hedgecock and his team for the work that they do behind the scenes to ensure that our accommodation is well supported. Martin and his team tend only to get profile when something goes wrong such as the floods and lightning strike a few months ago. Day in and day out they play an important role in helping the council to function, as do so many other colleagues in IT services, finance, commissioning, procurement, HR and communications, to name but a few.

Martin 'I don't need to show the values on the lanyard because I live them' Hedgecock,
Facilities & Building Services Manager

Walking in residents shoes

What I was waiting for on Monday was a visit to a Sheltered Housing Development where, under Angela Smithers’ leadership (Angela is interim head of housing) we have redesigned some very out-dated studio flats that do not have internal bathing facilities into very desirable one bedroom apartments with integral showers. Angela told me by walking a mile in residents’ shoes, we have come up with a design that uses the same space but so much better. We hope that some council residents will be interested in giving up bigger properties to move into these flats, or that current tenants will appreciate no longer having to share communal showering facilities, which surely is something that should be unnecessary in 2014.

Sean Grier, Mears site manager with Peter Huntbach, operational housing manager

Management development

On Tuesday morning, I opened cohort 10 of the management development programme, part of our living our values every day change programme, which his being rolled out to managers across the council. I will personally be the sponsor of this cohort and hope to meet with its participants from time to time during the programme. This programme is absolutely vital to us. It will enable managers to have the capacity and capability to manage the inordinate challenge of change that we are facing at the moment and which you will have heard about or be hearing about in roadshows. I am really encouraged by the response to the programme and the extent to which there is real commitment to living our values every day. 

Our corporate values

Sunsets

After many meetings over the last few days with members and managers preparing for forthcoming Policy and Resources and Health & Wellbeing boards, it was a delight to walk to a meeting on Tuesday evening along Brighton seafront as the sun went down. It is amazing what pictures an iPhone will capture and perhaps you would like to see one or two of these.

From West Hove to Brighton

Digital councils

Yesterday I was at the Digital Conference that the South East 7 group of authorities is hosting at the Amex Stadium. The day kicked off with stimulating presentations from the leaders of East Sussex and Brighton &Hove, input from Becky Shaw, chief executive of East Sussex County Council and a presentation from PWC. The conference challenged us to embrace digital technology and recognise that councils operate in a digital era and need to be fit for the digital world, rather than just developing a digital strategy and I couldn’t agree more. 

Cllr Jason Kitcat, leader BHCC

Cllr Jason Kitcat, leader BHCC

Nick Hibberd, BHCC Head of City Regeneration

Becky Shaw (CEO ESCC), Cllr Jason Kitcat (leader BHCC) , Cllr Keith Glazier (leader ESCC), Tony Singleton (Director Gov Digital Service

Becky Shaw, chief executive, East Sussex CC

In and out of Brighton station

It was a joy to grab a tasty small batch coffee in the CyclistBrighton café on my way from the Amex to St Albans for a meeting today with permanent secretaries (the civil servant heads of government departments). The CyclistBrighton is becoming a go to eatery and meetery and I hear tell it has a beer festival coming soon (soft drinks too I'm sure)! 

CyclistBrighton cafe in Brighton Station

Beautiful detail at the CyclistBrighton cafe

At today’s meeting, I hope that this will be an opportunity to extend the communication between central and local government. I also hope our meeting reinforces the impact of the financial challenges we are facing, as well as getting us recognition for what is already being delivered and the extent of the change that we are managing in the interests of our citizens.

Have a good weekend 

Penny