Celebrating success in the council and the city

Hello everybody

Customer Service week

Last week was Customer Service week and, last Friday I had the honour of handing out Institute of Customer Service award certificates to a number of our staff and managers. This was a really uplifting occasion and the group was addressed by Sally Duff, account director from ICS who opened the proceedings.

Jane Dowdell, housing customer services manager

The enthusiasm and commitment that colleagues have shown in undertaking this work and the support they gained from their coaches was really commendable. Janet Dowdell who is the housing customer services manager talked briefly to us about the difference that ICS had made to her and although she was battling with a cold she made a really impactful presentation. 

Around the housing centre

After the celebration I was able to do a tour of the housing centre and meet all of the teams there. The estates team showed me how they have saved money by washing dusters mop heads in their washing machine, saving four boxes of mops a month (300 mops). Here is a picture of Chris, Naomi, Chloe and Les. 

Chris, Naomi, Chloe and Les

I met the income services manager and heard something of the challenges experienced by many tenants in the light of welfare reform. I also met the resident involvement team. 

The resident involvement team

Whether I was talking about car spaces and garages, lettings or housing office management, sheltered housing or housing inclusion, performance or contract compliance, asset management, repairs and maintenance or mechanical and electrical teams, all of those I met were positive and enthusiastic about their work and it was good to meet and have these brief conversations.

Stop, Start and Change

This week the roadshows have been continuing and our initiative to get staff and residents thinking about what we should Stop, Start and Change in the light of our financial and improvement challenges is well underway. Please look on the Wave at the posts already there and do add to them if you would like to. All the good ideas generated at the roadshows will be assessed and analysed and I am grateful for the contribution that everybody is making. 

Our staff survey 2014

Can I also put in a plug for our annual staff survey and ask that you take the few minutes required to complete it. It really will help us and as you know we are acting on the results of last year’s survey. Just to jog your memory the key themes were management capability, communications and resilience. 

Big Difference Autumn award

While I am plugging things can I ask if you would consider the Big Difference Award nominations. We do the Chief Executive’s Big Difference Award three times a year and we are receiving submissions now. 

Greater Brighton 

This week I have been involved in three significant meetings in public. The first of these was the Greater Brighton Economic Board which took place in Lewes Town Hall on Tuesday. 

Greater Brighton Economic Board with Geoff Raw 

Chris Tomlinson with a colleague

Among the items discussed was the Rampion Wind Farm and we received a really interesting presentation from Chris Tomlinson of Eon who described the history and the scope of the 122 square kilometres wind farm whose planning for construction is well underway. The three year construction programme begins in 2016 and will mean around 300 jobs. It was impressive to see that the organisation is involving local people and businesses as well as local authorities. I was impressed to hear the commitment to local jobs and indeed apprentices. The board also took an update on the projects that are underway as a result of city deal and agreed the branding, see below, for the Greater Brighton Economic Board.

Branding for the Greater Brighton region

Already we have secured £92million of investment funding for the Greater Brighton City region and the progress that is being made is really encouraging.

Health and Wellbeing Board

Late on Tuesday, the Health and Wellbeing Board met and again a diverse agenda was before us.  It included proposals for the re-tender of Substance Misuse Services and the approval of annual reports of the Adult and Children Safeguarding Boards. We also agreed the new pharmaceutical needs assessment and Brighton & Hove dementia plan. 

We discussed cancer screening in Brighton and Hove and agreed that there should be a task and finish group to consider our take up rates and how we could be improve in those parts of the city where they are exceedingly low. This board is made up of members of the Clinical Commissioning Group, five leading councillors and the statutory officers in the local authority for children, adults and public health and me, as the Head of Paid Service. It conducts its business in an open and frank way seeking to achieve consensus and on those items were certainly the case. The re-tendering of the Drugs and Alcohol services was agreed after it went to a vote.

Health and Wellbeing board

Some of our Public Health colleagues

Last night's Policy and Resources committee 

The final significant meeting in public was the Policy and Resources Committee last night which agreed the City Plan. It's an important document, which we hope the planning inspector will approve and provide clarity about where in our area there can be development. 

Again, a packed agenda and a packed Hove Town Hall council chamber heard debates on the future of Drugs and Alcohol services and Integrated Community Equipment store. The latter item had to be adjourned for further work with the Clinical Commissioning Group and will come to a future meeting. 

Members did not agree on a proposal for a temporary travellers site next year, when the permanent and temporary sites at Horsdean are being developed.

The Queen's Award for Enterprise

Finally, it was gratifying on Thursday to be present at the presentation of the Queen's Award for Enterprise to the growing company in Portslade D3O Lab. 

Mostyn Thomas, D3O, Stewart Sawyer, D3O, Lord Lieutenant Peter Field and Deputy Lieutenant Hugh Burnett

 This growing business produces an amazing substance which hardens on impact and is playing an increasing role in sports and safety equipment. I even discovered that my own phone cover is made with it. It was a pleasure to meet the chair, chief executive and staff and to see the difference it has made to them by winning this prestigious award.

A demonstration about the product

Mayoress Nora Fitch testing out the product

So, another week of working in collaboration comes to a close. I'm hoping that the meetings with the Heritage Lottery Fundthis week and that the time the Executive Leadership Team spent taking stock on the budget and modernisation and improvement will all bear fruit.

Have a good weekend.

Penny

A week of walking and talking

Hello everybody


From a stunning sunset on Monday evening to a boiling sea on Thursday morning, this week the weather is already playing a significant part in the life of our city by the sea.

Walkabout with the transport team

So I was relieved on Tuesday morning that my long planned transport walkabout was not too badly affected by the weather and it allowed me to see a number of service and projects all the way around the city that are led by our transport colleagues. 

My tour was guided by Mark Prior, head of Transport and along the way we met a series of colleagues starting firstly with Christina Liassides and Jody Easkiovitch in the Pavilion Gardens where we looked at the refurbishment of the lighting there. We are developing a proposition to improve the effectiveness and responsiveness of our lights throughout the city, but for the time being it was good to see the impact of this project. 

Jody Easkiovitch, Christina Liassides and Mark Prior 

From there we learned about the proposals for the Valley Gardens which will see, over the coming four years, a simplification of the road ways and the enhancement to the quality to the public spaces.  This will restore Valley Gardens as the lungs of the city, accompanying its beating heart in the Pavilion Gardens. Jim Mayor and Andy Renaut outlined the proposals and I am following up with Jim to hear more details shortly. 

Jim Mayor and Andrew Renaut

From Valley Gardens, it was a short walk to Edward Street to see the improvements that are taking place for walkers and cyclists and the provision of crossing facilities at junctions. It is intended that travelling by bus will become quicker as a result of the changes. It was good to meet Martin Baldwin, managing director of Edburton, the company undertaking the work. I learnt that not only do they recycle and reuse 100% of materials, they also source all their labour within 10 miles of the city. 

Martin Baldwin, Edburton with David Parker, transport planning

Leaving Martin and Dave, our senior managers for the project, we headed straight down to the coach park at Pool Valley.  There we saw the good work that we have undertaken to improve the area. However, there remains no proper shelter or facilities for the million coach passengers and we are following up with the coach company to see if they will resurrect their dropped plans of a few years ago.

Tom Campbell, project manager

Up at East Street, I heard about the potential walking network and met members of the highways enforcement and maintenance teams, David Fisher and Chris Simmons. I was shown examples of their work and was assured that all streets across the city are inspected at least six monthly to ensure hazards are identified and dealt with.

David Fisher, Chris Simmons, Christina Liassides and me

Looking back up East Street

At the Lanes car park, I was shown around by Austen Hunter and Tracey Wardle. I heard more about the transformation that took place between 2009 and 2011 leading to the award of 'Car Park refurbishment of the Year' in 2011.

Austen Hunter and Tracey Wardle with me in the car park

Then we headed to the seafront, meeting Mike Wright one of our engineers, who is overseeing the sewer mending. 

Mike Wright, engineer

We were joined by Leon Bellis, project manager, who is responsible for the propping for the shelter under the A259 and is looking at the long term plans to secure the seafront arches. Leon has already successfully managed the first phase of arches restoration which has been such a triumph. 

Leon Bellis, project manager

The morning illustrated very well the breadth of work undertaken by our transport colleagues and the strategic and operational importance of these various projects. I was struck by the preparation and enthusiasm of all of whom I met.

Management development

I have spoken before about our culture change and performance management programme Living our values, every day. This week, I had the privilege of giving the short opening address to Cohort 13 of the programme. 

Cohort 13 of the management development programme

Cohort 13 of the programme

Richard Dunstan, programme facilitator

Already I have heard from a couple of managers within that group who are eagerly looking forward to the benefits of this programme, and I can’t emphasis too much the importance of equipping managers to lead of the delivery of change and improve performance. We will make progress, with our values driving their behaviours and their work objectives, demonstrating clearly that they are accountable, delivering, working together and having a positive personal impact. This programme is just one of our actions to address last year’s staff survey whose high level feedback was that management capability, internal communications and personal resilience should all be addressed through the year.

Roadshows

The roadshows that are running across the council are another example of action following feedback. I very much hope that you get the opportunity to attend a roadshow and to contribute to conversations about what we stop, start and change. This is part of our response to the challenging financial situation and the need to adapt to the digital world, as we meet needs and play our leadership role in the city. One of the highlights of the roadshows is the celebration of achievements and it’s been gratifying to hear of the range of examples that have been described. 

Question evening

On Tuesday evening, I chaired a question time session at University of Brighton, hosted by the Royal Society of Arts (RSA). It was a follow up to a session in February I participated in on ‘How women lead’. 

This time the question was: What contribution can men make to enabling more women to be leaders? It is unusual for me to be happy to hear an all-male panel and the reason was that the last time it was an all-female panel (with a male chair). We were very lucky to attract a good range of speakers; Michael Edwards, CEO of Albion in the Community; Richard Upton, CEO Cathedral Group; Giles York, Chief Constable of Sussex; James Rowlands, BHCC Commissioner of Services for Women and Girls affected by Violence; and Simon Fanshaw, broadcaster and trainer. 

The panel

A lively mixed audience threw all sorts of questions to the panel and the events were recorded, for those who are interested (I'll add a link when it's available). Interestingly, a dominant theme emerging from the discussions was the importance of an open organisational culture, driven by behaviours that respect everybody and which value diversity and in which women want to work and progress. That brings me back to Living our values, every day and the importance of us all demonstrating our commitment to collaboration, efficiency, customer focus, creativity, openness and respect.

Award-winning legal services

Our prestigious award

As the week ends, I hope colleagues will be celebrating the prestigious awards won by our legal services this week – congratulations to Natasha Watson and team for Family Law LA Legal Team of the Year,2014 and to Andrew Pack for Family Law Commentator of the Year, for his blog.  

Industrial action 

And while next week’s national strike on the 14th October has been called off, I am very sorry to say that we are in for three more days of strike action from Refuse and Recycling driver chargehands. This is despite a positive proposal for a review and redesign of the service, and us explaining the clear position that we cannot unilaterally increase the pay of one group of workers without a change and increase in role; nor can we afford a re-grade across the organisation. I am truly sorry that residents will suffer further inconvenience and a further loss of confidence in the service and the council. What we want is a reliable, high performing refuse and recycling service which can win more business and advance us as a clean, sustainable city.  

Let’s end with the spirited attitude of one of our street sweepers, Stella, battling the stormy weather this week, sweeping leaf filled drains and cheerfully telling me that nothing is impossible as she got soaked and blown. She was indefatigable.

Stella hard at work

All the best 
Penny

PS I'm just back from the Housing Centre where I presented Institute of Customer Service awards.  Well done to everyone and their coaches.

Well done to everyone

Going out and about and digital

Hello everybody

From the sofa

When I ended up sharing a sofa with Mark Turner on Monday morning while I awaited a lift to visit a housing scheme, I earnestly hoped that by the end of the week we would have agreed the arrangements for a piece of important work to review the design of Cityclean and Parks and the way we ensure our street scene is clean, green and safe. Sadly, yesterday morning, I heard that the discussions between ourselves and the trade union broke down. I fear that we will have continued working to rule and some further strike action and I am truly disappointed and sorry about that. I very much hope that the conversations can continue and that we can get our shared redesigned plans back on track.

During the same period on the sofa in the reception area of Kings House, not only did I greet numbers of our staff as they came into work but I took the time to thank Martin Hedgecock and his team for the work that they do behind the scenes to ensure that our accommodation is well supported. Martin and his team tend only to get profile when something goes wrong such as the floods and lightning strike a few months ago. Day in and day out they play an important role in helping the council to function, as do so many other colleagues in IT services, finance, commissioning, procurement, HR and communications, to name but a few.

Martin 'I don't need to show the values on the lanyard because I live them' Hedgecock,
Facilities & Building Services Manager

Walking in residents shoes

What I was waiting for on Monday was a visit to a Sheltered Housing Development where, under Angela Smithers’ leadership (Angela is interim head of housing) we have redesigned some very out-dated studio flats that do not have internal bathing facilities into very desirable one bedroom apartments with integral showers. Angela told me by walking a mile in residents’ shoes, we have come up with a design that uses the same space but so much better. We hope that some council residents will be interested in giving up bigger properties to move into these flats, or that current tenants will appreciate no longer having to share communal showering facilities, which surely is something that should be unnecessary in 2014.

Sean Grier, Mears site manager with Peter Huntbach, operational housing manager

Management development

On Tuesday morning, I opened cohort 10 of the management development programme, part of our living our values every day change programme, which his being rolled out to managers across the council. I will personally be the sponsor of this cohort and hope to meet with its participants from time to time during the programme. This programme is absolutely vital to us. It will enable managers to have the capacity and capability to manage the inordinate challenge of change that we are facing at the moment and which you will have heard about or be hearing about in roadshows. I am really encouraged by the response to the programme and the extent to which there is real commitment to living our values every day. 

Our corporate values

Sunsets

After many meetings over the last few days with members and managers preparing for forthcoming Policy and Resources and Health & Wellbeing boards, it was a delight to walk to a meeting on Tuesday evening along Brighton seafront as the sun went down. It is amazing what pictures an iPhone will capture and perhaps you would like to see one or two of these.

From West Hove to Brighton

Digital councils

Yesterday I was at the Digital Conference that the South East 7 group of authorities is hosting at the Amex Stadium. The day kicked off with stimulating presentations from the leaders of East Sussex and Brighton &Hove, input from Becky Shaw, chief executive of East Sussex County Council and a presentation from PWC. The conference challenged us to embrace digital technology and recognise that councils operate in a digital era and need to be fit for the digital world, rather than just developing a digital strategy and I couldn’t agree more. 

Cllr Jason Kitcat, leader BHCC

Cllr Jason Kitcat, leader BHCC

Nick Hibberd, BHCC Head of City Regeneration

Becky Shaw (CEO ESCC), Cllr Jason Kitcat (leader BHCC) , Cllr Keith Glazier (leader ESCC), Tony Singleton (Director Gov Digital Service

Becky Shaw, chief executive, East Sussex CC

In and out of Brighton station

It was a joy to grab a tasty small batch coffee in the CyclistBrighton café on my way from the Amex to St Albans for a meeting today with permanent secretaries (the civil servant heads of government departments). The CyclistBrighton is becoming a go to eatery and meetery and I hear tell it has a beer festival coming soon (soft drinks too I'm sure)! 

CyclistBrighton cafe in Brighton Station

Beautiful detail at the CyclistBrighton cafe

At today’s meeting, I hope that this will be an opportunity to extend the communication between central and local government. I also hope our meeting reinforces the impact of the financial challenges we are facing, as well as getting us recognition for what is already being delivered and the extent of the change that we are managing in the interests of our citizens.

Have a good weekend 

Penny 

A week of inspiration

Hello everybody

An uplifting start to the day

Celebrating Bi Visibility day

Having raised the flag on Bi-Visibility day on Wednesday, I headed over to Hove Junior School to meet staff and pupils and their energetic, committed and enthusiastic Head, Janis Taylor. Stunned by the artwork and creative writing on last terms theme of World War 1, I was also moved to tears by a Year 5 assembly that we joined. 

One of the pieces of art

Pupils sat cross-legged on the hall floor as they watched a video of Derek Redmond  at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics where he broke down in the 400 metres with a torn hamstring (or was it an Achilles)? But having crumpled to the ground, he pulled himself up and hobbled for the rest of the course, and was joined by another man from the crowd whom we later found out was his father. He offered a shoulder to support Derek on the agonising second half of his journey.  Janis and I were both quite as moved and inspired as the children, who saw a fantastic example of perseverance and of human support in the face of adversity. They learnt that the story ended with Derek Redmond being cheered by a stadium of 65,000 people, not for his failure but for his bravery and perseverance.  

Janis Taylor, head at Hove Junior school

My visit also took me into classrooms where this term’s schools topic, crime and punishment, was highly visible.This theme is taking the children into all sorts of research and creative learning. The children chose this topic themselves and I wonder if the opening of a number of classes on the Holland Road site in the old Hove Police Station played a part in their choice!  

Safe in the City

I chair the Safe in the City Partnership, which brings together all the organisations in the city who have a role in ensuring the community’s safety.  At our meeting this week we discussed action to prevent and disrupt Child Sexual Exploitation. We also learnt about an operation to tackle a group of young people who are having a criminal impact on the city centre; the results of which was one serious stabbing in the Pavilion Gardens over the weekend.  And at this meeting we also heard of the work going on to prevent young people being drawn into extremism. We hadn’t yet learnt of the sad death of one Brighton young person in Syria which was announced later in the week. The importance of our work with all communities, and particularly Muslim communities, to prevent young people being radicalised and taking themselves off to the immensely dangerous Syria, cannot be underestimated. Our hearts go out to the families of those affected and all those that are trying to prevent this happening.

Strike suspended

I am pleased to say that after much discussion an agreement has been forged with GMB which will see strike action suspended and a service review planned for our street scene services. The opportunity to look afresh at what we need to keep our city safe, green and clean in 2014 is one that I am very enthusiastic about. I hope that we will be able to involve staff, residents, members and learning from other places to inform this important piece of work. I also hope that our serious commitment to this will also lead to an ending of the work to rule which is affecting many of us. It’s highly likely that the review will lead to some changes and improvements. 

Your roadshow

And change and challenge will be one of the themes of the staff roadshows which are starting now and will be going on throughout October and across the whole council. There will be an opportunity for staff to meet their director, to celebrate achievements, to discuss the challenges of our financial situation and to participate in creative conversation about how we must change in the way that works with our partners and indeed our citizens. I encourage everybody to attend the roadshows and to take part in these important conversations. 

Shooting a video for the roadshows

Little Green Pig Writing project

On Thursday evening, at Jubilee Library myself, Pinaki Ghoshal, executive director of Children’s Services, and Denise D’Souza, executive director of Adult Services, were just three members of a good size crowd who joined together to hear about the exciting Little Green Pig Writing project. Inspired by an idea in America, and mentored by a similar project in Hackney entitled the Ministry of Stories, this project aims to provide creative writing opportunities for children age seven to 18. Shop premises on London Road will be opened before long and local author, Damian Barr, is patron of the project. 

Ben Payne and Damian Barr

Damian Barr, Ben Payne and Julie Watson

We heard from Damian and from Ben Payne of the Ministry of Stories as well as Julie Watson one of the co-directors of The Little Green Pig Writing project. But a highlight of the evening was an interview between Pete Lawson who writes for EastEnders and Eddie Chapple (age 10). They discussed one part of the project which has seen a group of children writing and filming a Brighton based soap opera.  This can be found on the website. Eddie’s enthusiasm and calm interview technique was truly impressive and the whole project is really inspiring. I would encourage you to find out more about it to think about ways that you might support it. Watch out for this becoming another fascinating facet of Brighton & Hove life.   

Pete Lawson and Eddie Chapple

Living Wall and a sunset

I haven’t time to talk about the Living Wall I spotted as I walked with Jason Kitcat to a meeting in London of South East Strategic Leaders to hear about innovation and Public Health.  

The Living Wall

And there is barely time to reflect again on a week of fantastic sunsets.

Another fantastic sunset

I will just end by saying that, while change and challenge are certainly the order of the day, my week has really been dominated by the inspiration of young people whom I have seen in a number of settings and who give me incredible heart for the future.

And finally, hot off the press, I am delighted to announce that Helen Gulvin has been appointed to the permanent post of assistant director in Children's Services. Thanks to everyone who took part in the two day process which culminated in formal interviews this morning and congratulations to Helen.

Have a good weekend.

Penny