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

Being prepared

Penny is on leave this week so I'm covering for her. 

Fire on the roof

It's been a week of some drama. The fire on the roof of Hove Town Hall brought home the importance of regularly practicing our evacuation and fire drill procedures. Thankfully no-one was harmed. Our teams, working closely with the emergency services, quickly brought the situation quickly under control. Alongside our Health and Safety teams, they are supporting the investigation into the causes of the fire and debriefing on the lessons to be drawn for the future. 

Hove Town Hall on fire

In the era of smart phone news, the communications team quickly swung into action and Tom Scanlon, director of Public Health, got the message across that the situation was under control and that staff were able to get back to work within a remarkably short period of time. A vote of great thanks to all affected.

Upcoming elections

Talking of votes, the Electoral Services team are well into making their final electoral preparations for national and local elections on 7 May. It’s a major logistical exercise requiring the support of a large number of people, many of whom have volunteered to support the team and the election process. Yesterday evening I attended the training sessions for count supervisors. 
Brighton & Hove always attracts national media interest and we are home to a very vibrant political community, so no pressure on those organising the electoral process! 

The planning going into the election event and count for both our MPs and local ward councillors is extensive and intense. While all the voting for parliamentary and local elections takes place on Thursday 7 May, the count of votes for Parliamentary candidates will start after the polls close and will be declared in the early hours of Friday morning. The count of votes for the local council elections will start early on Saturday 9 May. So not only a major logistical exercise but also something of an endurance experience for all those involved over this period.  Spare a thought for Claire Wardle, Valerie Pearce, Abraham Ghebre-Ghiorghis, their teams and all those who have volunteered.

Reviewing and planning

Last month Full Council signed off the 2015-16 Budget and the Corporate Plan. Since then management teams with support from finance, performance and HR business partners have been compiling the end of year statistics on how we did during the whole of 2014-15. 

This information will help us evaluate what went well and also the lessons from what didn’t go so well. Service and personal performance evaluation is at the heart of the discussion I have been having recently with Penny, as my manager, and my conversations with my managers. It is a conversation that has always helped me focus in what I need to do for the year ahead. 

Yesterday the Environment, Development and Housing directorate management team took time out to review our business plans for the coming year and to think carefully about how we will prepare for the next administration.  We discussed preparations to support the induction of new councillors and how we might quickly form a strong working relationship with whoever is elected to be our political leaders.  

Support for Children's Services

Of course we don’t always get the luxury of time to prepare. As my colleague Pinaki Ghoshal has blogged about already, Children's Services are in the middle of an Ofsted Review. The team know they can be subject to unannounced reviews and inspections at almost any time, so being on top of their work and being able to account for often difficult decisions in demanding circumstances is critical. Many people appreciate the spotlight that has been thrown on social care teams dealing with vulnerable people. In recognition of this, Pinaki received a small token of support for the team from the last authority receiving an Ofsted visit – sweets, headache pills...  

Pinaki with the team's gifts

The team are working their socks off to give a an open and honest account of their work and we all wish them well.  

Like a good many people involved with elections, they will be taking a well-earned rest after 8 May when they receive the results of the inspection.

Geoff
(Executive director Environment, Development and Housing) 

Me - Geoff Raw

What an enthusiastic city!

A marathon effort

Well the marathon was a triumph. In its sixth year it has become the second biggest marathon event in the UK and 1700 people volunteered to make that happen and to create the unique community involvement vibe that we experienced on the day.  It was a particular delight for me to see the women's front runner, Pennina, zip past me. How do they do it? Thanks to everybody who volunteered, I know many of them work for us and their unstinting enthusiasm and preparedness for a long day is truly commendable.

Pennina zipping along

Volunteers on a water station

Young volunteers waiting for the action

Volunteering

Thanks to Carol Grant for the pictures, they are better than mine! 

The magical weekend weather didn’t hold and I took some eerie pictures on Monday as I walked home through a misty Hove. 

An eerie seafront

And later in the week, I managed to get a beautiful picture of the West Pier from the top of the Grand Hotel.

Looking out from the Grand Hotel

On air

Happily, by Tuesday and an early stint on BBC Sussex radio first thing in the morning the sun had re-emerged.  I was there to talk about how we ensure that everybody has the opportunity to vote and particularly those with a disability. I was delighted to have the chance to explain all that we are doing to make the election known about to everyone so that they can register their votes and then exercise their democratic right.  In terms of disability all polling stations will have disabled access and there is special provision for those with a visual impairment.  Despite all of the practical arrangements that we have in place, for me the most important safeguard for us is the quality of our staff and the training that they receive, so that the whole of the election team will be committed to ensuring that everyone can exercise their vote.

At the radio studio

Out with the RNLI

A highlight of my week and continuing the theme of volunteering came on Tuesday night when I was taken by Richard Pearce to meet the RNLI Lifeboat crew on their Tuesday training night and to have a go out on the lifeboat.  What I discovered was that we have a squad of volunteers who are available to crew the lifeboat 24/7 and who train twice a week.  These enthusiastic people come from all walks of life and are part of a voluntary organisation which is extremely professional in the way that it goes about its business. I am deeply grateful to Richard, Malcolm and all those whom I met on the night for the work they voluntary do every day and for giving me such an enjoyable evening.  The fact that it was calm and a beautiful sunset in the marina only added to the delights.

Preparing to go out with the crew

A screenshot from a previous search

Back at base with the crew

Me with Mark ( Rusty) Steel at the helm, Roland Farrar, Nick Clamp, Nigel Horn 

Be the Change

Returning to the theme of voluntary work and citizen engagement, I was one of a number of senior managers invited to participate in the Be the Change event held at the Amex Stadium and sponsored by Brighton and Hove Jobs and run by an outfit called Humanutopia. The event was focussed on young people from Year 10, who for one reason or another, maybe disengaged from school or lacking confidence in their own abilities. The purpose of the event was to help these young people discover their unique qualities and to help them see that our personal qualities are very important, alongside and sometimes more important, than qualifications.  There was an impressive turnout of young people and adults and the facilitators certainly created a powerful event.

At the Be the Change event

All of the people from business and public services who attended came because they want to do something positive to ensure the best of opportunities for all our young people. Certainly that was the reason that I came, and with our commitment to providing civic leadership for wellbeing and aspiration this is the sort of event we should support.  

Ofsted inspection

I dashed back from the Amex to meet an inspector from Ofsted and enjoyed our discussion. Ofsted will be inspecting us over the next four weeks, evaluating the way we safeguard and look after young people. I am very grateful to all of the staff and managers from the council and our partner agencies for the extra efforts that they will have to make to ensure that we meet the expectations of the inspection process. I very much hope that our commitment to young people and programme of improvement will be recognised and I am sure that we will learn from valuable feedback.  

The Dance Space

I thought that volunteering and citizen engagement might be the theme of this week’s blog but it is beginning to look as though enthusiasm might be the joining quality of all the events and tasks that I have been involved in this week. Particularly because last night I, my partner and a number of colleagues including Paula Murray, assistant chief executive, and Nick Hibberd, head of city regeneration, were part of an intriguing evening to launch South East Dance Circus Space fundraising push. 

At the launch

Nick Hibberd and other guests at the launch

The launch moved to the Emporium on London Road

Artistic director, Charlotte Vincent

This project has been a very long time in the planning but we are now at the stage where the Circus Street development, involving the university, the council and South East Dance, is taking shape and physical building will start later in the year. The council has been very supportive of the development of a dedicated and unique dance space in Brighton and this was acknowledged yesterday as South East Dance launched the push for their final fundraising. I know Paula Murray, who has been associated with this initiative for more than six years, was particularly moved by the acknowledgement of progress and the reality that we will soon see a dance space in our city.  The work that she and Nick have led has been very much behind the scenes but hugely important and I thank them for it.

A clean and sparkling city

Finally, I was struck by the commitment and enthusiasm this morning of Nick James on Hove seafront.
 

Nick James

Along with his chargehand colleague Max and some passing residents, we discussed how we could try to change the behaviour of people so that less litter is thoughtlessly discarded. We all agreed that we need to do something. I hope that we are all proactive ambassadors for a clean and sparkling Brighton & Hove and that we all model the behaviours that we would like to see from other citizens and visitors alike.  I will be taking my litter picker home with me tonight!

All the best
Penny

PS 

I'm just back from an inspiring visit to Stanmer Park to see some of the work that we will be doing funded by our Heritage Lottery Bid. I had the pleasure of meeting John Gapper, gardener, who was one of the first two Cityparks apprentices and has worked for the council for 56 years. He is also one of our most enthusiastic volunteers. We have John to thank for the growing and promotion of wild flower planting across the city.

John and me at Stanmer

Planning for elections and a marathon weekend

I hope you enjoyed the beautiful Easter weekend. I have to say the sun caught us unawares on Bank Holiday Monday. We enjoyed a wonderful time on Brighton & Hove’s seafront but paid the price with  a need for aftersun cream! Only in Brighton would you find a harpist and a double base along the seafront and I’ve seen both this week.

Hove seafront

Only in Brighton (& Hove)

Planning for the elections

After fresh air and exercise and frolicking with family over the weekend it was back to work on Tuesday, again with a focus on elections preparation.  

Before meeting with my deputy returning officers for an Elections Planning meeting I went to visit the elections team. Here colleagues are working hard to ensure that everybody is able to register under the new individual electoral registration scheme. 

Adam Fishwick and Will Skyrme from the elections team 

Dave Jones and Alessandra Scheiber from the elections team

Fiona Mason and David James from the elections team

Alessandra Scheiber and Tracey Barsley from the elections team 

At the same time they’re processing requests for postal votes, Claire Wardle, elections manager, was working with Mark Wall, head of democratic services, to register nominations for both parliamentary and local election candidates by the deadline of 5pm on Wednesday 8 April.

Mark Wall and Claire Wardle registering nominations 

We published our list of candidates and they can be found on our website.  All of this work is painstaking, involves an awful lot of paper despite the use of new technology where possible, and all of it is absolutely critical for ensuring that we achieve the open and fair elections expected of a mature democracy such as ours. I am grateful for the hard work of the elections team whose labours often go unsung and on whom we very much depend. The pressure is on for them at the moment and they were quick to express appreciation for the support of the contact centre at Hollingdean depot who are fielding phone queries on the election and playing a very important role.

Tony Mernagh's retirement

This week the Mayor and  Mayoress held a reception for Tony Mernagh who as director of the Enterprise Partnership and chair of Brighton & Hove Connected, our strategic partnership, is taking retirement this week. A good gathering of colleagues, including the police, councillors and business representatives came together in the Mayor’s parlour to recognise the huge commitment and talent that Tony has brought to his several roles in the city over many years. Simon Fanshawe gave an entertaining address on everyone’s behalf and it was a fitting send off for someone whom I am sure will continue to play a sparkling role in the city in a voluntary capacity; I hope so anyway. Our warm thanks and appreciation go with Tony into the new chapter of his life. 

Tony Mernagh

Tony with Simon Fanshawe

Modernising our council

If the election has been taking up a good part of my week this week another key focus has been our modernisation agenda. On Wednesday the council’s corporate modernisation delivery board met to review progress and forward plan the way that we will look to make savings, find opportunities to work together with partners and optimise technology. The session was creative and productive and underlined what we all know already; that we have a huge challenge before us. That said, our corporate plan, our sustainable community strategy and the undoubted talent and commitment of managers and staff in the council and across our partners will ensure that we turn our challenge into an opportunity. 

Part of the key to the future lies with our working across both the city region and the wider Coast 2 Capital region overseen by the local economic partnership. Today we are reviewing their business plan for 2015. 

Looking after our children

Finally, my formal week ends with a meeting with Graham Bartlett, the chair of the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB). This is a regular opportunity to assure myself that we are doing everything that we can and should be, to ensure that children and young people in the city are safeguarded.

Inevitably there will be some discussion about sexual exploitation and radicalisation of young people as well as the more familiar topics of neglect, physical and sexual abuse and how we are dealing with and learning from these sad cases.  

Marathon weekend

Finally, while not competing in the Marathon myself, the importance of this big weekend as the culmination of months of dedicated training and a big charity fundraiser has not passed me by. I won't be running; I will support from the sidelines. Good luck to all runners, and to the organisers and volunteers who make it happen. I will leave you my tip for health and stamina - useful for a CEO and marathon runners alike....it's hummus and vegetables. Here is my daily lunch!

As ever, thank you for all you are doing.

All the best,
Penny