Working with our partners in the city

Hello everybody

Safeguarding children

For me, this week has been all about partnership and working together. After my regular Monday morning “week ahead” meeting with the Leader of the Council to compare and plan diaries, I had my regular accountability meeting with Graham Bartlett, the Chair of the Local Safeguarding Children Board. He is accountable to me as the chief executive, which is important to ensure that any concerns regarding safeguarding can be raised. I am pleased to say that not only did Graham not have concerns to raise, he also went to some lengths to praise the work of Pinaki and his team. He recognised the leadership that Pinaki demonstrated during the recent Ofsted review period, whose resulting report we will see before the end of the month.

Getting out of the office

Another example of working together came on Wednesday when the Executive Leadership Team and I met for an awayday to plan for the future and ensure that we are sustaining momentum with delivering on our plans, whilst at the same time forging new relationships with the new council. I also noticed that the poppies on the way were glorious, and the seafront at our lunch time break was beautiful. On the way I spotted our seafront lifeguard service, which is so valued by residents and visitors and works tirelessly together to keep us all and our beaches safe.

Poppies on Hove seafront

Paula Murray and Rachel Musson on the beach during our lunch break

Our seafront lifeguards

A landmark day for the i360

Thursday was a landmark day. The barge bringing in the 13 “cans” which will make up the i360 and the jacking tower (which will become the holder to assemble the tower) arrived by barge. It was a privilege to be amongst a number of invited guests who have had involvement with the i360 and to enjoy the glorious sunshine. It was also fascinating to hear the Chairman of the i360 company, David Marks, who is also one half of Marks Barfield, its architects, describe to us how they are building the vertical cable car. The 200 tonne crane known as T-Rex is now busily unloading the cargo. But as well as machinery the i360 project is hugely reliant on collaboration and co-operation and this was something David spoke of in his introduction. Eleanor Harris, Chief Executive of the i360, supported by her small, hard working team outlined some of the benefits that will come from the project; 200 jobs on site and 450 jobs through the supply chain is not to be sniffed at. The impact on the economy of the city will be palpable. The signs are good and the tourist trade is enthusiastically working on schemes to incorporate this new business. Finally, we were treated to a showing of the marketing film from the i360, something that is entirely put together by local volunteers. Why not have a look at the promo video for yourself - it’s fab.

Some of the 'cans' arriving at the i360

Julia Barfield and David Marks, architects of the i360

Finding out more about the i360

Our first new Policy & Resources Committee

This week has seen the first Policy & Resources Committee of the new municipal year. Although not a long agenda, two vital items were discussed. Firstly the draft out-turn report for the budget which I am pleased to say shows a break even position thanks to an enormous amount of hard work from officers across the council. There were challenges in the report, not the least of which are the pressures building in Adult Social Care through volume and cost of placements. The other significant item was the report to give outline agreement to the establishment of a Fairness Commission which will be discussed at the new Neighbourhoods, Communities and Equalities committee in a couple of weeks time and which it is hoped will start its work through the summer. The commission has support from all quarters and is hoped will be another example of partnership and learning, producing something valuable to help with planning fairness improvements for citizens whilst at the same time addressing significant financial challenge.

Our first Policy & Resources Committee at the Brighthelm Centre 

Our partnerships in action

And so partnership and accountability have remained themes right to the end of the week. This morning Paula Murray, Assistant Chief Executive, and I hosted a debriefing and learning session with a wide range of staff who had worked on the election to try and distil learning points for future improvement.

Election debriefing session led by Paula Murray, Assistant Chief Executive

We then went on to the Brighthelm Centre where I hosted a Members partnership induction session so they could understand our partnership arrangements and the value of them. I was deeply grateful to all our busy colleagues from health, police, business, CVS, probation and Brighton Dome and Festival who not only gave up time to contribute to the event but also were happy to spontaneously address the gathering with insights into their work in partnership and also prepared to stay for many enthusiastic and informative informal conversations. The session was an authentic representation of partnership in action.

Partnership induction session for Members

Mark  Streeter, CEO of the Police & Crime Commissioners Office, talking about our Safe in the City Partnership

Let’s hope the sun shines this weekend.

Best wishes
Penny

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

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.

Preparation, review and laughter

Listening to our residents

Licensing, noise, planning, refuse & recycling, party houses, and the future of the seafront were all issues raised in the Q&A following my talk about my work as CEO to the Kingscliffe Society AGM last Saturday morning. We had a good exchange of information and views and the residents there gave warm feedback on the openness of our session.

At the Kingscliffe Society AGM

Planning for the election

Monday morning started with me recording a short film to introduce training for presiding officers in the election. We will have 128 presiding officers running our polling stations right across Brighton & Hove and their role is absolutely vital. They will be responsible for opening up and running the polling stations, ensuring that everybody registered to vote in the city has the opportunity to participate in a free and fair election. And they are just one group of staff who will be supporting me as Returning Officer in running these elections - Poll Clerks, Count Assistants, Election Team staff, Count Supervisors and my Deputy Returning Officers will make up the team of several hundred.

Make sure you register to vote by 20 April

Later in the day I met with my Head of Elections and the Head of Comms to review our plans. Many people have very little idea about what it takes to run an election and I am hoping that they will be interested to see the short film that we’re going to make about the process to shine a light on what it entails and to make good our commitment to absolute openness and transparency.

Tuesday began with me undertaking the e-training for Presiding officers. This informative training which takes an hour and a half and ends with a test was extremely well put together by the Electoral Commission and it will certainly be a vital part of the training for our staff.

Talking through our actions

But this week has not been only about election planning. I have had the usual round of 121s including with Nev Kemp, our Chief Superintendent from the police, with whom we share so many issues that we are addressing together. Tuesday was also Trans Visibility Day and I was grateful for the update I received from our Policy Team briefing me on the actions we have progressed since the Trans Scrutiny last year.

With Policy Development Officer, David Humphreys

The Trans flag

On one of the brighter days in the week my walk home into the setting sun was a particular delight.

My walk home

Understandably quite a number of people are taking leave this week and so the regular Executive Leadership Team meeting on Wednesday morning had a number of substitutes who came together to share developments and work on a number of the issues including; staff parking, the business development for our Cityclean services and planning the implementation of our directorate plans to support the Corporate Plan.

Our ELT meeting with a few added guests

The Care Act

A high point of the meeting was our celebration that the Care Act came into force on Wednesday and the 491 must dos were almost completed - making us 96.7% “compliant” with over 400 requirements of this act. It’s the biggest change in social care legislation for probably six decades, and marks the moment when the duty of wellbeing becomes enshrined in law. It makes the Adult Safeguarding Board a statutory requirement and gives everybody access to social care assessment and provision. It’s good legislation, yet it will bring a financial challenge as we begin to assess those who are funding their own care, in preparation for taking over that funding when they reach the government ceiling on what they can be expected to pay.

Denise with Dr Glen Mason, Director of People Communities and Local Government, visiting to see how we are leading Health & Social Care change and delivery

Our new “My Life” web pages will support the introduction of the Care Act and allow people to enquire about services and make self-assessments digitally in the future. I must thank Denise D’Souza and her whole team for the fantastic work that they have done to ensure that we can meet the requirements of the act. The amount of work involved cannot be underestimated and has come at a time when other responsibilities and challenges have been piling up as well. Denise would be the first to acknowledge the support from colleagues right across the council and especially ICT, Finance and Communications.

My Life pages on our website

Our Clermont Family Assessment team

Today I have been to visit the Clermont Family Assessment centre team. This multi-disciplinary team of social work practitioners, child therapists, clinical psychologists, family therapist and adult psychiatrist undertake independent assessments and reports for the local authority and the courts and offer a range of individual and group work treatment and therapeutic services to help families experiencing problems. We are extremely fortunate to have this service and I spent a stimulating and encouraging hour talking about the role of the service in the new and changing landscape of childrens’ services. We all agreed that the renewed focus on the value of professional social work and the reinvigorated focus on the family in our work is absolutely the right way to go. I was able to share with them the importance of this service in the wider arrangements for the health and wellbeing of children and families.

l-r: Liz Henstridge, Alyn Pope, Penny Coombs, Binan Taylor, Tony Flynn, Barbara Cohen, Dr Tim Ojo, Michelle Race, Richard Price, Lianne Smith and Nicola Boyle

A little light relief

As a complete contrast, thank you to the communications team for brightening up my day with yesterday’s April Fool.

Our April Fools' Day news story

So if this week’s blog has had a theme I think it’s one of preparation, review and a little laughter.

Well I would like to say that we can look forward to a bright and sunny Easter weekend but I’m not sure there’s evidence to support that! So I leave you with some lovely Spring flowers if not a promise of sun. Get some relaxation if you have a break over the weekend and to those who are running our 24 hour services, as ever, I thank you.

Good wishes,
Penny

That end of term feeling

This week has had a real end of term air about it.

Working across the region

Last Friday Becky Shaw, chief executive of East Sussex County Council and I followed Giles York, the chief constable, in addressing the annual Lieutenancy Conference.  Here, Lord Lieutenant Peter Field and his deputy lieutenants meet together to review the year and hear from leading partners. The Lieutenancy takes as its themes; helping individuals, helping communities, and helping industry. So Becky and I took these themes and updated the conference on the work that we are doing in the county, in the city and together on these topics. It ranges from work with establishing the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub to the progress with Greater Brighton and driving jobs and our economies. We all agreed that our challenges are shared ones and include helping people to help themselves while also managing public expectation; making more of collaboration as we face our shared financial challenges; making best use of the digital age; and responding to the vibrant politics.

Becky Shaw, Peter Field, Giles York amd me

Social work conference

On Tuesday, I had the honour of opening our Children & Young People’s Social Work conference. As someone who spent 12 years in children’s social work before becoming a manager, this conference held a particular importance for me. And I was truly moved to be able to listen to Jenny Molloy, also known as ‘Hackney Child’.

Jenny Molloy (@HackneyChild) 

Jenny Malloy

Jenny and I talking afterwards

Jenny and I follow each other on Twitter and she is someone who has become a passionate advocate of good social work. She gives powerful testimony to the vital role social workers played in her life, helping her to break the cycle that saw her parents in the care system and brought her and her brothers into the care system in turn. Jenny is a true expert by experience and she had the whole huge Amex Stadium conference room paying keen attention as she spoke of her life experiences. It was quite clear that her story was both inspiring and valuing of those in the room in equal measure.

Fiyaz Mughal from our One Voice programme also spoke at the conference. He talked about the radicalisation of young people and the importance of relationships in communities and between individuals.

Fiyaz Mughal

The job our social workers do is often poorly understood and I for one applaud them for what they do and am pleased to see their role as key to our whole purpose – providing civic leadership for the wellbeing and aspiration of Brighton & Hove.

Working as one organisation

The end of term theme is an appropriate one for the day we spent as a Corporate Management Team on Wednesday. Our purpose was to review the achievements from the last four years and to share the learning and to consider the staff survey as it relates to CMT in particular. We also considered how we tackle the cross-cutting issues that will face us over the coming years. It was a lively, positive day, where we recognised the value of working corporately as one organisation to tackle our challenges, both financial and strategic.

At the awayday

On the way to the session I marvelled at the beauty of the sculptural pier, its strength and yet its fragility. Perhaps this is a comparison for those of us leading in public service.



The beautiful West Pier



Final meetings

The final momentous end of term experience this week was Full Council last night. With a rich mix of public questions and petitions, approval of key plans and strategies including our Corporate Plan, Medium Term Financial Strategy, Local Transport Plan and Housing Strategy. The 54 councillors were taking some important decisions in preparation for a future, but many of them will not personally be part of. The evening was also marked by some moving and generous tributes paid to those standing down, including very long serving councillors from all parties and of course the leader of the Council, Jason Kitcat.

Full council last night

Earlier this week Councillor Kitcat chaired his final Corporate Parenting Board where we fulfil our obligations to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our children in care. He also chaired his final meeting of the Health & Wellbeing Board where tribute was paid to the vision and courage showed by councillors in moving to a more ambitious role for the board providing system leadership to health, social care and wellbeing in the city.

Preparing for election

So councillors will now be preparing themselves for the election. Our Elections Team are working hard in preparation. I am delighted that this year the whole of the Executive Leadership Team will be supporting me on the day and the night, to make sure we bring the best of our management to ensuring free, fair and transparent elections for both the parliamentary constituencies and the whole council. And it's worth reminding everyone that the Purdah period starts this Monday 30 March.

Personal impact

As well as having an end of term feel this week has made me think a good deal about personal impact. The impact of managers leading, like myself, who need to inspire confidence and promote working together while providing sound advice, challenge and listening. In summary being demonstrably an accountable officer. I have also witnessed the personal impact of Jenny Molloy, whose life experiences, learning and readiness to change have so much to teach us. And then there is the personal impact of our elected members whose public service is given in the interests of improving the lives of all citizens and ensuring the city continues to be a fabulous place in which to live, work and visit. Don’t let us underestimate the importance of personal impact and putting it to positive use in all we do.

Finally, on a personal note can I say thank you and great good fortune to Jenny Hughes who retires from the council and the role of PA to chief executive after almost 26 years. Thank you Jenny for all you have done and enjoy more time for running, horse-riding and gardening, you’ve earned it!

Goodbye to Jenny

Best wishes
Penny

Pride in our public service

Hello everyone

As an alternative to today's rainy sky, this was last Friday's walk to work

Care from our public services
I have to start this week with the sad Valentine’s day I spent with my father, dealing with the death of my dear stepmother Helen, from Alzheimer's. The relationship of this event to work is that for the short term at least, I have become the carer of a carer. After two years of devoted caring for my declining stepmother, my father is exhausted and sad. His achievement of care at home and a peaceful death in her own bed for the woman he loved for more than 40 years was enormously aided by a whole range of public servants. And as we left the registrars on Tuesday, he commented that every single public servant from the assistant registrar to the carers who recently started helping him with her personal care, to the GP and myriad of others, have all been quite fantastic. This is an accolade for services in East Sussex but it is also an accolade for public services more generally. It goes to the heart of why I am a dedicated public servant and proud of what we achieve every day. The services that our staff and partners give, are critical to sustaining a civilised society. And let's not forget the volunteers (of whom Helen was one) whose contribution is often unsung yet so key to making the challenges in the cycle of life manageable.

When I went into public service I remember one of my university tutors writing and congratulating me. I hope that university tutors would still do that nowadays, but I rather wonder. As a local authority we ensure and assure a wide range of services and functions. Whether it's seafront services ensuring the safety of those caught unaware by the ferocity of the sea; social care staff enabling a dying citizen to achieve their wish to die at home; or council tax staff who ensure we receive the necessary payments to contribute to supporting the £2.1 million we spend each day on the 800 or so services we provide.

Seafront services on Hove promenade

Our customer service centre at Bartholomew House

A speedy response
Another key area of public service that I want to raise this week is that of refuse and recycling. I am delighted by the speedy clear up following on from last week’s industrial action. It’s not just me that has noticed, so thank you. I have also received a number of supportive messages on twitter following the super quick removal of some graffiti that I had drawn to my attention at the end of last week. Again this public service is noticed and makes a big difference.

The graffiti before it was removed 

A festival to celebrate
Finally I wanted to end on an optimistic and on celebratory note. On Wednesday night the programme for 2015 Brighton Festival was launched. This year the guest director is novelist Ali Smith. As ever, the programme, including the Children’s festival, looks eclectic and exciting. And culture is vital to wellbeing and happiness, so I for one am going to start planning some cultural events for May and I encourage you to do the same.

The 2015 Brighton Festival brochure - get your copy around the city

Keeping our city running, together
So coming back to my theme of public service, I would like to thank everybody who works for and with local authorities, whether in health, the police or the private and community and voluntary sectors. It’s our shared effort that keeps our city running with vital services for citizens and support to the vibrant economy of the city. We must work together, and in tough financial times prioritise, find new ways of doing things, and be prepared to be open and share our resources and responsibilities with citizens and communities.

Best wishes
Penny