Bright lights in the city

Hello everybody

A bright end to the festival
Last Sunday saw the end of the Brighton Festival (sob). The finale was a free event on the seafront between the piers entitled 'Fleeting'. With lights and birds and fireworks, a crackling end was brought to the Festival. The Fringe continues this weekend.

Lanterns on the beach as part of 'Fleeting'

Brighton Festival finale fireworks

Thank you to Ali Smith, guest director, and Andrew Comben and the festival team for another fabulous May of culture. However in my view, the Sunday sky was also incredibly beautiful and impactful. You can compare the photos and make up your own mind as to which was the more fitting end.

Sunday's sunset sky

Bank Holiday
Bank Holiday Monday was better than forecast and up on the Downs hang gliders soared like enormous birds against a wonderful bright blue sky and puffy clouds. These machines are really quite magnificent and the take off is terrifyingly awesome.

Hang gliders taking off on the Downs

Hang glinders

Back to our new administration
So the start of the week was delayed by a day and on Tuesday we got down to work with the new administration. Foremost amongst their priority developments is the establishment of a Fairness Commission. Colleagues assisted in producing an early report which will go to Policy & Resources Committee in June to establish the commission and work up both its membership and terms of reference, led by the new Neighbourhood, Communities and Equalities Committee. On Wednesday, at our regular meeting of the Corporate Management Team, we reviewed the progress that our executive directors and assistant directors are making in establishing their working relationships with new chairs and committee members. It was encouraging to hear about the progress being made. The first new policy committee meeting of the new administration will be the Children’s Committee next week. I wish them well. You can have a look at the full list of committees and members on our website.

Stop Start Change
This week saw the publication on our intranet of some feedback for staff coming from their contributions to our 'Stop Start Change' initiative. Here we have asked staff to contribute ideas for activities we could stop, start or change that could have a positive impact on helping us reduce the budget, modernise the council, and deliver our Corporate Plan and the administration’s priorities.

An afternoon at The Grand
On Thursday I was pleased to have a constructive and fascinating meeting with Andrew Mosley, the General Manager at The Grand. The visit was an opportunity to hear the ambitious plans that Andrew and his team have for The Grand. It was also a chance to receive a ringing endorsement for the city’s ambitious economic agenda where priority is being given to ensure that the city remains one that visitors will want to come to in increasing numbers and local residents enjoy living and working in. Andrew is a member of the Economic Partnership within Brighton & Hove Connected and will continue to lend his weight to any initiatives which will help us to develop a sustainable seafront strategy, as well as capitalising on the planned developments of the i360 and the rest of the seafront. The fact that The Grand and other hotels in the city are flourishing and are ambitious to continue to renew themselves has got to be good for our economy and jobs.

With Andrew Mosley, General Manager at The Grand

Shaping our city
When I came into work today I was alerted to a feature in the Brighton & Hove Independent about the top 100 influential people in the city. Given the involvement of council members, local MPs, many of our key partners in all sectors and indeed a good number of my own team and their staff, I thought you might be interested in having a look.

Enjoy a good weekend – I leave you with the peace statue.

Penny

The peace statue

A new council

Hello everybody

If this week’s blog is rather full of flowers, fauna, seascapes and references to the Festival, don’t be under any illusion, I have been at work! However, much of my working time has been taken up in confidential meetings with politicians and senior officers.
There is nothing unusual in this. With a new incoming Administration there is a great deal of handover discussion to take place, and that’s what has been happening. Now that we have had Annual Council and positions have been formally approved I will be able to talk more about business again.

I’d like to start by congratulating Councillor Warren Morgan on being leader of the council. I also want to welcome all of the Chairs and Members of Committees into their roles and reiterate my complete commitment to the provision of good support and advice from officers for all 54 councillors and each of the three Leaders of the political groups on the council.

Flowers and festivals

Sunday seems a long time ago, but it was a lovely day and my partner and I discovered the beautiful gardens of Highdown in Worthing, kept up by Worthing Borough Council. What a delight!

Visiting Highdown gardens before a busy week of meetings 

Beautiful flowers at Highdown - well worth a visit!

In the evening I had the pleasure of attending a Festival event at All Saints, Hove where we heard the “BBC’s Ten Pieces” played by Brighton & Hackney youth orchestras.  What a glorious event that was. 

The glorious Brighton & Hackney youth orchestras

After that and in some contrast we were able to hear a Brighton Fringe event which was the wonderful Edana Minghella, a Brighton resident and jazz singer, giving us her rendition of many Billie Holliday songs and telling the story of Billie Holiday, that fantastic American jazz singer. 

The wonderful Edana Mingella

Appreciating our seafront

Many of my meetings this week have been in Kings House and have concentrated on the establishment of the new administration. We won’t be based here forever. The refurbishment of Hove Town Hall will allow us to downsize council offices, sell Kings House and reduce running costs.

Kings House

So those of us who work at Kings House must continue to appreciate the seafront location while we have it. After long and concentrated discussions it was a delight on Wednesday evening to enjoy a walk at low tide and to even see sand!

An evening stroll on the seafront after work

One voice

Just before Annual Council I was proud to attend the One Voice event down at the Open Market. One Voice is a group of citizens of all faiths united in their determination to prevent radicalisation taking a hold, particularly of their young people and I was proud that as a council we have played our part in facilitating the development of this communities group.

With Asmat Roe at the One Voice event

One Voice promoting the work of an orphanage in Sierra Leone

Speakers at One Voice alongside Dr Tom Scanlon

As Asmat, from the Brighton & Hove Womens Muslim Forum said “One Voice is everybody feeling happy and valued; we are all humans; we must value everyone in the community; and the most important thing is love for everyone”. The event was addressed by leaders of all three political groups on the council who fully endorsed the aspirations of One Voice.

Annual Council

From One Voice in the Open Market, I dashed to Annual Council where, by acclamation, the new Civic Mayor, Lynda Hyde was sworn in.

Lynda Hyde sworn in as Mayor

Pinaki, Paula, Geoff, Denise and Rachel from ELT at the Annual Council 

The outgoing Mayor, Brian Fitch was thanked for his service over the year and for almost 40 years in the council. There was an air of civic pride and celebration to the proceedings in the chamber and the reception at the Royal Pavilion afterwards.

Procession of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor

Katherine’s positive personal impact

On my walk into work this morning I was caught up and stopped by Katherine Eastland who works in our schools data team. She ensures that our information on children and their performance is accurate and complete. She is part of Hilary Ferris’s performance unit and a proud and committed member of Children’s Services.

Her enthusiasm, knowledge and positive personal impact glowed as she told me about her work, her colleagues and their passion for what they do. This is public service at its best; often unseen and undervalued. Thank you Katherine and all those others I don’t see on the way into work!

Katherine Eastland from Children's Services

A fantastic place to live, work and visit

So let me end by saying that now we have a new council for four years with a very challenging set of circumstances in which to play out their ambitious agenda. The administration’s aim is to tackle inequality and unfairness, grow the economy and make real our core purpose of improving wellbeing and aspiration. This will ensure that Brighton & Hove remains a fantastic place to live, work and visit.

As ever we will all continue to work hard, living our values every day and working with partners across sectors, to achieve excellent outcomes for everyone.


Thank you and enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend.

Future planning

Thanks again
Just in case the message hasn't got through, I would like to give my profound thanks to everyone who worked on the election. In particular, can I thank, Claire Wardle (Elections Manager) the 'controlling mind'. I'm also grateful to my senior team and the Communications team who gave such energetic and sterling support.

At the local election count on Saturday

Welcoming the new councillors
After a one day weekend on Sunday it was back to work on Monday to meet the newly elected councillors. As you will know, 23 Labour councillors were elected, 20 Conservatives and 11 for the Green party. We held a welcome and induction meeting on Monday morning and by the end of the day I am pleased to say that 53 of the 54 councillors had signed up for their office - the 54th was unavoidably detained by the birth of a healthy and welcome grandson. She signs up today.

Today continues with the induction programme for Members where I, and the Executive Leadership Team, will be running sessions this morning and this afternoon.

Geoff Raw and Rachel Musson with some of the new councillors

Pinaki Ghoshal meeting our new councillors

Happily the sun is shining this morning and this is welcome after a rather tumultuous week of weather.

Sunny Hove

King's Esplanade

Much of the week has been taken up with the necessary discussions with Group Leaders to agree the formation of the Administration of the council, and arrangements for places and chairs of committees which will be confirmed at Annual Council on Thursday 21 May. The transitional period that we’re in now is one that we have planned for and is an important time, particularly for a council with no overall control, which is something that we have good experience of.

An ambassador for social work
I have found time this week to do some other things though and one of those was meeting with Kate Metcalf on Tuesday. Kate is a senior social worker with adults, who recently completed a secondment with the College of Social Work. While there Kate was working on the development of a curriculum guide for working with people with autism, and practice guides for social workers working with people with autism and dementia and their carers. Kate’s enthusiasm for undertaking work with academics and practitioners across the country to improve the quality of learning and practice for people with autism and dementia is fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed our time together and was struck by Kate’s appreciation of the opportunity she has been given. Her determination to bring back valuable experience and practical guidance for Brighton & Hove is great. I am always heartened to meet our practitioners and managers and to hear about their 'lived' experience in work. And Kate is both a fantastic ambassador for social work, for Brighton & Hove and, indeed now, for the College of Social Work.

Senior Social Worker Kate Metcalf

International Hummus Day
To lighten the week with its important discussions I learnt on Wednesday that it was “International Hummus Day”. Yes, I am sure you think I’m making it up, but just look it up on the web if you don’t believe me! As some of you know I tend to have hummus for my lunch anyway, and Wednesday was no exception. A working lunch with Paula Murray, Assistant Chief Executive, on International Hummus Day was captured for posterity.

Paula Murray and I on International Hummus Day

Doctors in the house
In a week focused on future planning, it was encouraging and a real pleasure to meet our two new doctors in the house. They are Doctor Katie Cuming and Doctor Emma Robinson. They are sharing the consultant in Public Health role with a particular emphasis on health improvement, health protection and managing public health services commissioned by the Clinical Commissioning Group. They join a strong and enthusiastic team led by Doctor Tom Scanlon, our Director of Public Health. They are already meeting colleagues and looking to develop their contribution to delivering our plans for this council to provide great civic leadership for wellbeing and aspiration in the city, and to build on the positive public health work already under way.



Dr Katie Cuming and Dr Emma Robinson

Communications changes
As well as welcoming new councillors and new senior staff I have also had the job of making a leaving speech this week for Corinna Allen who has left the authority as Head of Communications. Corinna has moved on to a fantastic new role in Southern Water as Head of Communications and Engagement and we wish her all the best for a glittering future. Corinna has made a real difference to the work and reputation of the council and I am really grateful for that. I am delighted to welcome Ali Rigby into the position of Acting Head of Communications, and know that we will build on our excellent working relationship and that she will continue the active leadership that Corinna has given.

In the festival spirit
Finally, just a reminder to everybody that the Brighton Festival is in full swing, as is the Brighton Fringe. There are wonderful productions, readings and events on every day and although I have only been able to attend a few I can thoroughly recommend having a look at the programme and taking advantage of the marvellous cultural events on offer to us all.

All the best
Penny

PS And a final final reminder that the 64 Million Artists initiative to help with everyone's wellbeing at the council. Links with Brighton Festival now kicked in so there are some great offers for staff taking part. Have a look at it on the Wave.

Active citizenship

Active kids

Active citizenship starts young and last Saturday’s Children’s Parade, kicking off the May Brighton Festival, was a fantastic example of this. The wonderful creations that schools, parents and children had made on the theme of 'taking flight' was a real inspiration.  The Festival director, Ali Smith, shared with me her wonder and delight at the spectacle  and the wide engagement that was on display on New Road. How wonderful to see children claiming the streets and Brighton & Hove revealing itself as a child and family friendly place to live, work and visit.  

Hove Museum

The theme of active citizenship continued into election day. After further preparations, training and anticipation, election morning brought me to Hove Museum to cast my vote and to meet the polling staff wearing my Returning Officer hat. 

Me at Hove Museum 

As an added bonus I met Sylvia and her dad. Sylvia was also casting her vote and I was delighted that she and her dad agreed to be photographed with her home-made ballot paper in front of one of the wonderful, magical machines currently on display in Hove Museum. 

Sylvia casting her vote

Hove Museum as a polling station must be one of the best polling stations in the UK. In order to cast your vote you had to pass by these wonderful Rowland Emett creations. Emett was the creator famously of the fabulous flying car in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and at the moment you can see other fantastic inventions. Sylvia was delighted to pose infront of her chosen one. It seems to me it can only be a good thing to start to introduce children to the notion of democracy and active citizenship and that’s what Sylvia’s dad was doing. I visited a number of other polling stations through the day and was struck by the enthusiasm of our polling staff and the seriousness with which they had taken up my challenge. It was that we must be the most voter friendly place encouraging everybody to be able to participate fairly and freely in both the national and local elections.

One of Rowland Emett's creations

About Rowland Emett

Another of Rowland Emett's creations

Promoting the Festival at Hove Museum

Parliamentary elections count

After a rehearsal at the Brighton Centre on Thursday afternoon my trustee count supervisory team went off to get a little rest in preparation for a very long night into morning.

Our count supervisory team

Abraham, Paula and me dressed for the evening

At the start of the evening

We assembled at the count mid evening and then began, for me, a whirl of press discussion and oversight of the complicated arrangements that achieve the delivery of a safe, credible election result. This year our Elections and Communications teams prepared a really helpful leaflet on the election process and we held to our value of openness in making sure that everybody at the count was aware of the stages of the process that we were engaged in.  

Busy counting

On stage at the Brighton Centre

Announcing Brighton Kemptown results

Announcing Hove results

Announcing Brighton Pavilion results

Just some of the media pack at the Brighton Centre

In the end, the exercise that involves checking and verifying postal votes and the overall voting numbers was not complete until past 3am.  Some counting of votes had begun by 2am, but the first result I was able to announce was Brighton Kemptown result at 6.50am this morning. This was followed fairly closely by first the Hove constituency and then Brighton Pavilion. As you will know we now have a Conservative, a Labour and a Green MP representing our three constituencies. The average turn out for the election was over 70%. There were no requested recounts and all candidates declared themselves confident in the results and complimented all of our count staff and elections team on the committed and effective work they had done. 

I would like to lend my profound thanks to everybody who worked so tirelessly to bring the Parliamentary Election to a safe conclusion. In particular, I would like a mention for my Executive Leadership Team and colleagues from the Corporate Management Team who became count supervisors and added so much to the effective running of the night and morning. I must also acknowledge the fantastic work of our Communications team who again worked all through the night and ensured that the huge press pack who were with us were properly informed and supported throughout the event.  

Local elections count

It all starts again tomorrow morning with the count for the Local Government elections and I’ll update you when that is done. Clearly I am the most politically restricted person in the city. My first and only focus is on ensuring a free and fair election and the certainty that everyone is able to exercise their right to vote, which was so hard fought for. So back to active citizenship starting young; I hope that Sylvia will be inspired to take an interest in local and national democracy and to properly cast her ballot when the time comes. Until then I know that George, her stuffed rabbit, will have been delighted to have been her chosen vote!  

The end of the Ofsted inspection

Finally for all of those not involved in the elections, thank you for keeping our services going and to all of those in Children’s Services both in the council, and in our partner agencies thank you for keeping going through the gruelling four weeks that Ofsted have been inspecting us.  Today marks the end of that inspection and I very much hope that we’ve done ourselves justice and revealed ourselves to be committed to further learning and improving ensuring a good life for all our children and young people.

Thank you and all the best
Penny

Tuesday 12 May update:

After a long day counting on Saturday we have now announced the results of the local election. Thank you to all the staff who helped again at the Saturday count, may of whom had also worked on Thursday night. I am proud to say that we delivered a safe election for the city.

I will now meet the three group leaders on Wednesday to discuss the new administration. 

In the run up to the elections

After a wonderful restoring break enjoying the bright weather, garden visits and no less than four art exhibitions I returned on Monday to work feeling refreshed. Thanks to the team for covering so effectively, including dealing with the Hove Town Hall fire. 

Interviews

It’s been a busy and varied week. On Monday we undertook interviews to appoint the Acting Head of Communications who will take over when Corinna Allen leaves us to go to Southern Water. Ali Rigby was the successful candidate and we wish her well and are pleased that there will be a good handover with Corinna, whose contribution to the council has been simply terrific. 

Signing ceremony

From there I went up to the University of Sussex where I signed the first agreement of its kind between Heritage England, the university and us to enable the listed buildings on the site to have some required developments without constant reference back to planning. 

Prof Michael Farthing (University of Sussex), me and Dr Andrew Brown (Heritage England)

Me with Dr Andrew Brown and Prof Michael Farthing 

After that, I, and a number of other invited guests, got a sneak preview of the Attenborough Centre which will be a wonderful performance and teaching space in the university bringing an older, much loved building back into use and certainly up to 21st Century standards.  We are very fortunate to have two thriving and prestigious universities in our city and their keenness to work closely with the council, and other partners, and to be part of the life blood of the city’s culture and economy are very precious to us.

 

At the Attenborough Centre with Prof Michael Farthing

Reviewing performance

This week I have undertaken a number of end of year performance reviews with my Executive Leadership Team members and have had my own performance review with Jason Kitcat, leader of the council. I hope you are also benefitting from these important markers in the year, when we are able to review and reflect on how we have achieved against our objectives, and to get some constructive and, I hope, positive feedback on our contribution to the progress of the council. We are now setting our personal objectives in the light of commitments in the Corporate Plan, and again this is going to be a tough year for all of us making savings, while modernising and improving and taking on some new responsibilities, particularly in the areas of Adult Social Care and Children’s Services.

Running up to the elections

The election planning continues at pace and we held our last formal project board this week as well as dealing with a problem arising from printers misprinting the postal vote packs for the town and parish council elections in the east of the city. Happily our recovery plan is in place and I very much hope that there will be no enduring difficulty in residents of Peacehaven and Telscombe electing their town and parish council representatives. 

Planning ahead

Wednesday was a glorious day and I snapped it on the way into work and the way home with contrasting pictures resulting. 

On my way in to work

On my way home

It was a day that Executive Leadership Team had set aside for some substantial consideration and planning of arrangements post election. It is vital that we are prepared for the new members who will be joining the council and for the new administration, whatever or whoever it will be. 

Working with others

Our future planning was also the subject of meetings I was involved in with the Key Cities chief executives followed by South East 7 chief executives in London on Thursday. The Key Cities group is a group of 26 medium sized cities. We have been working together for the last year to bring some influence to bear on the Government from the perspective of cities who, while they might not be the biggest in the country, do between them have a significant influence and role in the economy. Brighton & Hove is one of the highest performing Key Cities; in terms of economy and growth. The opportunity to work together with colleagues across the country and to seek some more freedoms, flexibilities and autonomy to thrive has been embraced by council leaders of all political persuasions.  A report launched today argues the case for the Key Cities.

Waiting in the Cyclist at Brighton Station

Conquering individual challenges

Finally, while reflecting on some of the big issues and opportunities facing us over the coming weeks and months, I want to end by focusing on the individual achievements of one of our key staff. Stella Bowser, who energetically sweeps the streets around Kings House, set herself a personal challenge last July to undertake a whole range of running feats for charity. Rockinghorse and Rise have benefited and Stella has reason to be a little bit proud. She has completed ten 10K runs, a half marathon, a full marathon, three ten mile races and a five mile sprint. As she said to me in her own words she’s all medal and blisters and she also reflected that her legs feel like those of an 18 year old and she has discovered that nothing is impossible is you set your mind to it. Seeing Stella this morning I found really uplifting, and I know that lots and lots of you have also conquered individual challenges and have reason to be a little bit proud. If you want me to know about them I’m all ears.  

Stella the conquerer

So enjoy the Bank Holiday and if, like me, you’ll be working on the election, do get a bit of a break, we’re going to need all our strength and wits about us next week.

All the best
Penny