The Christmas season gets underway

Well winter is truly upon us and I don’t think you have to be religious to appreciate the advent beach huts. 

Hove seafront

Last Sunday night, our dog Merry and I took a look at the display for the 7th and found the Holly and the Ivy. 

Beach Huts advent calendar

Primary school Christmas concert

Staying on the Christmas theme, I along with a number of colleagues, many councillors and a Brighton Centre full of parents and children, enjoyed the annual primary school Christmas concert. Yet again, Peter Chivers and his team pulled off a stunning show where literally hundreds of young people from all of our primary schools across the city came together as one city children’s choir.

Primary school concert at the Brighton Centre

They entertained us with songs that we knew and songs that were being played in public for the first time. We heard two original singing compositions and one original percussion piece. As ever, the children were enthusiastic and singing heartily while behaving impeccably. A wonderful night was had by all.

Another beautiful sky

Walking to an early meeting

The next day the morning sky, as I walked to an early meeting in Brighton, was fantastic. Not for the first time I reflected  on how lucky I am to live in this beautiful city and enjoy  the visions of the sea and the sky as the sun came up. 

The West Pier

City Management Board

The City Management Board I was chairing that day is attended by the most senior managers at both universities, the police, hospital, CCG, probation and the fire service. We had a valuable meeting reflecting on the performance of the city and the ways in which we can work together better to improve the lives and wellbeing of our citizens. The board’s annual report will be shared with Brighton & Hove Connected next week. 

Health and Wellbeing Board

At the Health & Wellbeing Board on Tuesday, we agreed with health partners on the commissioning intensions of the Clinical Commissioning Group; our crisis care concordat, outlining an effective response to those with a mental health crisis; and we discussed the important issue of access to GPs and the role of primary care. 

Health and Wellbeing Board

Our commitment to personalisation and prevention is written through our Better Care Fund plan which was reported as approved by the Department of Health. 

Health and Wellbeing board

Goodbye to Catherine

Straight after the meeting we hot footed it to Catherine Vaughan’s leaving do where her 13 years’ service to the council and the city was celebrated and recognised in good style. We wish her every bit of luck and success for the future.

Catherine saying goodbye

Catherine's leaving do

Discussed by ELT

On Wednesday, at our weekly ELT (Executive Leadership Team) meeting, I was pleased to have an extensive discussion about Our Business Strategy for a Digital Age. I hope that we will soon be making very explicit some of the developments underway to improve access to services for our citizens and their ability to do much of their business with us online, if that suits them. I very much hope we will be able to pull together our contact centre arrangements and I look forward to all of us who live in the city being able to have a ‘My Account’ making dealing with the council easier. Also, at ELT, we discussed the results of the staff survey. We are working hard both to make sense of the key messages and more importantly to firm up on actions that need to be prioritised and communicated clearly, just as we did last year.

Christmas Trees

Finally for those in Kings House, you may have seen the rather strange construction that is our Christmas tree, made from rubbish found on the beach. It rather took me by surprise as I thought we were doing a Christmas tree based on a theme of moving away from paper files as part of our Workstyles initiative. Indeed I gather such a construction will be at Barts House on Monday. It’s always the little things that attract attention and become talking points. Let’s try to focus on recycling, anti-littering and working smartly in a digital age.

Kings House christmas tree

Beach rubbish being reused

 

Sharing learning

This morning I am speaking at Brighton & Hove’s Policing Leadership Forum sharing some of my learning and my approach to managerial leadership. This afternoon, Jason Kitcat the leader, and I will be in public scrutiny on the council’s budget proposals. 



Penny with colleagues from the police

Keep warm and keep well over these chilly days.

Best wishes
Penny

Edited 12 December at 1.15pm to add picture from Policing Leadership Forum