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

Meetings of minds

It’s a  pleasure and a privilege to walk to work along the seafront. I think January is as fine a month as any. 

Sunrise on my way to work

And now I am writing this with the winter sun warming my back.

A buzzing MASH

I have to go back to last Friday afternoon to start this week’s blog. I spent the afternoon visiting our Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), guided by Clare Poyner the team manager. It was an uplifting afternoon of meeting a motivated multi-disciplinary team busy at their work who are pleased  that they have the systems to do the job. The atmosphere was buzzing, hardworking and purposeful. A number of staff told me how much they love their work and are finding the new MASH arrangements a really effective way of doing their job. Well done to everybody involved.

Clare Poyner, MASH team leader

In the MASH

Working together

Monday started again with a meeting with colleagues from our neighbouring counties of East Sussex and Surrey. We are exploring ways of working together to improve services and to make the most of efficient use of resources. It is early days, but this theme of sharing and working together is certainly upper most in my mind and activity. We are navigating the challenges of managing with a smaller budget, modernising our services; making best use of our digital age; improving our management performance, all with the clear purpose of better outcomes from our citizens. 

We don't want sympathy

On Monday evening I supported Jason Kitcat as he chaired the quarterly Corporate Parenting board. It was a really informative meeting and included a video made  by children in care about some of the activities they really enjoy. Their key message was ‘We don’t want sympathy’. One of our young people read a poem he had written and recorded inspired by the First World War called “Diary entry 21 October 1915”. 

We also scrutinised the report from Mark Storey, head teacher of the Virtual School. Mark’s role is to ensure the best possible deal and outcomes from the education system for our children in care.

Our Independent Visitors' service

Later on we met with the Independent Visitors’ service. Independent visitors are volunteers who are recruited, vetted and supported to develop a confidential long term one to one relationship with a child or young person in care. We have 44 independent visitors matched with children and young people, including eight who are matched with young people aged 18 or over. We are currently recruiting for independent visitors and we heard from two who enthused us about what a fulfilling and rewarding role this is. The benefits for young people were explained through case studies and we had a very uplifting discussion. 

Some of our independent visitors

Our award-winning legal team’s senior lawyer, Natasha Watson gave a briefing on the legal framework on how children and young people come into care.

Natasha Watson

The Senior Managers' Forum

Our Executive Leadership Team (ELT) meet with senior managers in a forum three times a year. Tuesday was the first session this year. I focused on updating senior colleagues on progress with our priorities – the budget, modernisation, improving our performance. We went on to consider, in some detail, the findings of the 2014 Staff Survey and to plan for actions to address those areas where we want to see improvement. 

At the Senior Managers Forum

Geoff Raw and Angela Dymott in discussion

First we noted that we had the highest response rate that we had for a Staff Survey; 55% which is above average for public sector organisations. We also acknowledged that the results showed staff feel we are Living the values every day. We also had high scores on understanding of the needs of our citizens, our own job roles and the work we do. However the most of the discussion focused on our three themes for 2015 which are: Leading, managing and supporting change in an open way; Giving even more attention to staff engagement and involvement and Providing a clearer understanding of the sense of direction in the organisation. We agreed that we will work together to improve our scores for the next survey  and we are under no illusion as to the scale of the challenge given the budget situation and increasing expectations and needs of our citizens.

Me with Richard Butcher Tuset

Joining up

Also on Tuesday we held a very positive and constructive cross party pre meeting for the Health and Wellbeing board and Children’s committees, which will take place together on the 3 February. This ground breaking meeting will receive reviews of services for children with special educational needs and disabilities and adults with learning difficulties.  We hope that there will be agreement to work on programmes that will see fundamental modernisation and improvement. We will build on the fantastic commitment of staff and the evidence of best practice. This work will be combined with a clear understanding of the wishes and feelings of service users.

A visit to Stonewall

On Thursday, Nicky Cambridge, policy officer and I met with Ruth Hunt chief executive of Stonewall. This meeting acknowledged our high rating Stonewall Index (12th for all organisations and 1st for local authorities). However the majority of the meeting was spent looking to the future and how we can improve the lot of Trans citizens and indeed all protected groups, something very close to our hearts. We were able to tell Ruth about the work that has resulted  from the Trans scrutiny two years ago and Nicky gave her a copy of a progress report which is going to the Scrutiny committee next week.

Ruth Hunt with me and Nicky

One Voice

At the Policy & Resources committee, Jason Kitcat commended the work that is being undertaken by the One Voice group. This is an organically developed meeting of multi faith representatives seeking to prevent the radicalisation of our young people. I raise this here to recognise the courage and commitment of members of our faith communities who want to work together on our shared One Voice agenda. I also mention it as the national threat level has been raised this week in respect of both the police and the Jewish community. 

I want to end by reminding us to take care, be vigilant and to be the eyes and ears of the city. Our One Voice approach is peaceful, tolerant, kind  and these are the characteristics that we value for our city and its citizens. 

And finally, here's a beautiful picture of the seafront at sunset featuring Ross Empson one of our seafront officers last weekend.

I hope you enjoy a crisp winter’s weekend.
All the best
Penny

A week of reflection

This week’s blog starts with a bang! On Saturday night I enjoyed the fantastic fireworks supported by booming music up at the Nevill Road playing fields to celebrate bonfire night. Well supported by the community and enjoyed by all despite damp conditions, this display has become an annual treat and I am rather proud of the pictures taken on my phone. 

Fireworks at Nevill Road

Fireworks at Nevill Road

Remembrance Sunday

Sunday saw the annual remembrance events around the city and for me the ceremony at the Old Steine was properly poignant, on this centenary anniversary of the start of the First World War. Particularly striking was the number of young people in the parade; the solemnity, and appreciation for the sacrifice of our forefathers and mothers, was moving.

Rememberance Sunday at the Steine. ©Tony Mould: My Brighton and Hove

Rememberance Sunday at the Steine. ©Tony Mould: My Brighton and Hove

Q and A with apprentices 

Monday morning started with an uplifting interview session with two of our council apprentices who are working in HR. They wanted to interview me about the role of coaching in management and leadership as part of a project they are doing for their college work. Their incisive questions and appreciation of the opportunities afforded them by their apprenticeship were really impressive. As you know, I do think coaching has an enormous part to play in delivering an effective learning organisation, which lives its values every day and achieves its purpose on behalf of citizens, business and visitors. I wish Kelly and Lucy really well in their careers as public servants.

Kelly Butler and Lucy Strutt with me

Kelly and Lucy 

One Voice

On Tuesday evening I chaired one the most moving and difficult meetings. This was our One Voice meeting with leading individuals from our Black and Minority Ethnic communities across the city. It was the third meeting of its kind and we came together to discuss how we can work to prevent young people going to Syria and meeting the same fate as three young men from Brighton & Hove have already done. 

There were senior colleagues from the council and our local police chiefs at the meeting, which was cordial, respectful and sad. The key point I took away was the extent of dislocation that some of our local people from BME communities feel as they grow up in the city. There are too many incidents of racism and bullying. We learnt that one of the drivers for radicalisation was the search for meaning and self-worth. 

The feedback from the meeting was positive. People were able to share their concerns and we agreed to move forward with some very practical actions supported by a colleague from a national organisation called Faith Matters. 

I must pay tribute to our community safety, the police and our children services, who have been working well together.  They have been identifing young people at risk and to support individuals and their families to prevent further harm. And also to learn from those instances where young people have gone abroad to Syria. Our One Voice meetings will continue. 

Participants in our One Voice meeting

Proud of our regeneration work

On Thursday, Sir Bob Kerslake, the Permanent Secretary for Department of Communities and Local Government came to visit the city. He came to see first hand some of the regeneration work that is underway and the plans that we have for the future. The well organised tour took in work around the Brighton Station gateway, plans for Circus Street and Preston Barracks, the i360 and the seafront. It was encouraging to be supported by colleagues from the universities, Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership and local businesses and we received some useful live feedback on our plans. 

Sir Bob Kerslake with Phil Jones from Wired Sussex

Julian Crampton, Nick Hibberd, Sir Bob Kerslake and Phil Jones 

Planning for our future

What these highlights from the week don’t include are the many management meetings and conversations that have taken place. We've been focussed on developing and delivering our challenging budget and our corporate plan for the coming years, and discussions with members about the least worst options for balancing our books. These will continue and you can still contribute to the #BHBudget Stop, Start, Change conversation online or in your team meetings.

From a roadshow

I have heard that one of the questions asked at a roadshow last month was: ‘What is the point of Penny’s blog?’ For me, the point is this.  As the chief executive of an organisation of almost 5000 people delivering over 800 services across the city, I can’t possibly connect with everybody on a face to face basis. So through the blog I share some highlights of my week and spotlight some of our work with our important partners. I try give just a flavour of local government and public service. I hope you find it interesting, I'm always keen to hear from colleagues, either through the Wave blog comments or by email.

Have a good and perhaps a drier weekend.

Penny