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

Good news during a busy week

I start this blog with some trepidation because last week one of my local twitter followers took me to task for the use of jargon. What I did say in response is that this blog is primarily written for people who work for Brighton & Hove City Council. It's very gratifying that it's of interest to local people and other followers from across the country and even a few abroad. So, I will try to ensure that it’s equally understandable but forgive me if I slip into a little jargon in the pursuit of pithiness and a recognition that colleagues will know what I am talking about!

Top ranked council

In a week of big skies, wet and windy days and nights and distressing international news, it was good to have something to celebrate mid-week. 

Big sky in Hove

On Wednesday we found out that we had come 12th in the Stonewall Employers Index and indeed first amongst local authorities. This is testament to years of commitment and hard work. I am pleased and proud for all our LGB staff, citizens and those colleagues who worked hard to demonstrate to Stonewall how we do things around here. I am doubly pleased that we have achieved this recognition this year after the disappointment and consternation of last year when we didn’t make it into the 100. Next week I am meeting Ruth Hunt (chief executive of Stonewall). I hope the focus of our conversation will be very much on making sure that our Trans colleagues and citizens get a fair deal. I will be re-emphasising the importance for us of equality for all and having a fair and equal approach to all protected groups, age, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality and disability.

Ruth Hunt with Richard Butcher Tuset

Management development

I began Tuesday by meeting the 10th cohort of our management development programme. Our development programme focuses on how managers address the performance of themselves, others and their service. It was interesting, as it always is, to hear from colleagues about the benefits of the programme.  I was pleased to learn how our managers have been challenging one another in the interest of improving services to our citizens.

Cohort 10 of the management training

Audit and Standards committee

I explained the importance of management and leadership development later this week, when I was reporting to our Audit and Standards committee on our modernisation programme. This is our agenda for improving the Value for Money of our services, changing how we do things and reducing costs, while improving what we do for citizens. Change is scary. It can be difficult for some and exciting and stimulating for others. As I have often said, change is not optional when we are facing rising demand together with reducing resources. And we need to make the most of key opportunities that are provided by the digital age in which we live.

South East 7

Also, on Tuesday I also attended the meeting of the SE7 (South East 7) chief executives and leaders. One agreed outcome was that we would write a joint letter to the Secretary of State and Local Government Association and others. We will try to re-address some of the misinformation in the press about the ‘crisis’ in A & E and where responsibility and solutions lie. We want to explain that the whole system of Health and Social care (from GPs to A & E) is having to manage increasing expectations, and increasing frailty of our ageing population. We are responding by working hard together in a joined up, planned and committed way, and blaming parts of the system doesn't help.

Wednesday leadership meeting

On Wednesday, the focus of my meetings were the budget and forthcoming agenda for the Health & Wellbeing board. In the afternoon, it was the weekly meeting of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT). We agreed reports for Policy & Resources next month and reviewed progress. After a heavy day of meetings it was a joy to go and relax and listen to some jazz at Smalls Jazz club. It takes place underneath the Caxton Arms and Scott Hamilton and the Smalls House band were playing.

Scott Hamilton at the Caxton Arms

A heady mix

Thursday’s activities ranged from meeting with trade unions, The Arts Council, a former colleague who specialises in digital and democracy and a Health and Wellbeing meeting and ending with preparation for the Staff Consultation Forum next week.

Today began with our regular council and health chief executive’s meeting, followed by the first monthly meeting of this year with the three political leaders of the council. Now I'm off to visit our Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) where the council and the police work together to manage our child protection concerns and seek to keep our most vulnerable children safe from harm.

That’s it for a snapshot of the life of a local authority chief executive this week. As you see I move from the big strategic issues like planning the future purpose and functions of the organisation to important individual issues such as complaints that come into my office.

Once again, well done to everyone who worked on our Stonewall submission and have a good weekend.

All the best
Penny