Awards galore and being taken over

Aren’t I lucky walking to work and seeing scenes like this on Monday?

West Hove beach early Monday morning

Looking towards West Pier and Brighton

Interim executive director of finance and resources appointed

This week we were joined at the Modernisation Board, which I chair, by Rachel Musson who has been appointed Interim executive director of finance & resources to take the reins from Catherine Vaughan when she leaves in mid- December. I am pleased that Rachel was able to join us for a day this week and will be joining us from next Monday to ensure a really thorough handover with Catherine. We wish both of them well with their new futures, and thank Catherine for her significant contribution to Brighton & Hove.

A modern council

At the Modernisation Board, we considered updates on developments in Children’s Services, Adult Services, Refuse & Recycling and City Parks and our Cultural Services to name but four.  We also discussed a scoping exercise currently underway for the future of support services. I think there is an increasing recognition that the scale of the budget savings that we have to find this coming year, and the subsequent four years, really does mean wholesale change for the council and indeed our work with partners and citizens.  I do understand that this is unsettling for many, though stimulating for some. Be assured that, as we work on service redesigns, we are looking at making the most of the powers and opportunities available to local authorities and the models of best practice that exist around the country to enable us to operate as a modern and effective council. To help us in that, a group of CMT members had the benefit of a presentation from Judith Barnes, a senior lawyer and an expert in the field of modern local government operating powers and models, which was an enjoyable and stimulating session.  

An enjoyable session

Judith Barnes with me

Our draft Corporate Plan, budget proposals and options for members will be published next week and considered for consultation following the Policy & Resources committee on 4 December. #BHBudget Stop, Start, Change continues if you have ideas to assist us with our budget challenge. 

Award-winning work

As well as considering opportunities for entrepreneurial public service, there have been a number of awards to report on. Recently, Brighton Housing Trust won a prestigious housing award in the ‘innovation of the year’ category. Dubbed the Housing Oscars, the 24housing 2014 Awards were given BHT for the container homes project at Richardson’s Yard in Brighton which was developed in partnership with developer QED Property Ltd.  

Andy Winter, BHT chief executive said: “Brighton & Hove City Council should share this award because it provided political support and its planners were willing to agree to something so different. We need more imagination and innovation if we are to tackle the housing crisis in Britain, I am delighted that a Brighton scheme has been recognised in this way”. It’s gratifying that one of our community sector partners has been recognised in this way and had the generosity to site the role of the council so positively.

BHT's innovative container homes

At the UK Bus Awards, the Transport team achieved a bronze award for Lewes Road; congratulations to them too!  

Making a Big Difference

On Thursday, I had the pleasure of hosting the Big Difference Awards and, from a shortlist of four, was able to present the team and individual awards. The team award went to the Cityclean Contact Centre and the Corporate Support team who had made it possible for the recent dispute which produced so many calls from residents to be responded to effectively. There had been three separate nominations for this team and they were delighted to be the winners. The Project Team at Mears were runners up and were worthy nominees. 

Team winners: Ethan Mackintosh, Gerry Francis, Sara McMillan, Annie Heath 

The individual award went to Sam Rouse from Environmental Health, now within Public Health, for the work that he did to develop a scheme to retrofit 30 taxis with selective catalytic reduction technology to reduce N02 levels (nitric oxide). Sam’s award was collected by Annie Sparks since he was at a conference talking about this successful initiative which is making a contribution to our emissions reductions. Paul Diplock, who is Clerk of Works was runner up in the individual category for the effective way he dealt with a particular repair for a disabled resident.  

Annie Sparks receiving the individual award on Sam's behalf

Inaugural hotel awards

Also this week, I was a guest of the organisers of the first Brighton & Hove Hotel Awards. At an excellently organised and attended ceremony at the Brighton Metropole, many hotels were awarded prizes for their effectiveness and cleanliness, customer service and innovation. That our hotels work together in an association to focus on quality and to sustain the high standards of this important industry to Brighton & Hove is really commendable. 

Hotel awards

No Bystanders

This week is Anti-Bullying week and I, like many others, have made my pledge to the ‘No Bystanders’ campaign. The importance of not ignoring name calling and unkindness is one that I am constantly aware of, especially when I meet individuals who have indeed suffered from bullying or harassment at some stage in their lives. Which brings me to a reminder that on Sunday we mark Trans Remembrance Day. Unfortunately, I can’t go to the event and am grateful that Richard Tuset will represent me there.

Taking over

Today (Friday) I am participating in Takeover Day. This is an initiative by the Children’s Commissioner office which sees young people from the city taking the opportunity to takeover from someone in the exercise of their role. Erin has been ‘taking over’ as chief executive and Iona ‘taking over’ from Jason Kitcat, the Leader. Other young people are taking over roles of managers across the council. The opportunity for them to experience our working life should be valuable to them as well as providing feedback to us and I hope that they have an interesting and effective time. I will let you know when it is all over! 

Erin from Dorothy Stringer school taking over today

Receiving feedback

Finally, today I also met with a number of managers who have participated in our management development programme, part of our living our values every day culture change programme. My purpose was to receive feedback and to discuss how we continue our programme of culture change and improvement in the performance of self, service and others. It was a valuable and open session. 

 

Managers feedback session 

I think that’s enough for now, enjoy the weekend and the coming week.

Good wishes,

Penny