In contrast to last week’s blog, where every day I updated on one or more events and activities that we were involved in across the county, this week I have spent most of the week in London, due to personal reasons. I am writing this blog from a hotel room before I visit my husband, Ron who underwent a major operation yesterday. I am pleased to say that the op went well and I hope that we will both be back in Wiltshire soon.
I have been keeping in touch and was delighted to hear that cabinet approved the funding for four more campuses in Calne, Cricklade, Pewsey and Tisbury. This innovative way of delivering local services, led by communities, providing the services they need is getting a lot of interest from central government. Next week Baroness Hanham, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government is visiting Wiltshire to have a look at the Corsham campus and the multi-use facility at the Olympiad leisure centre in Chippenham. She wants to find out more about our approach and delivery of this major programme and is also interested in seeing how we are transforming our buildings to provide better facilities and a more modern fit for purpose approach to how we work.
During her visit, the Baroness will join me and some of the Wiltshire Olympic and Paralymics medallists to officially open the refurbished County Hall. The opening, which will take place in the atrium, will be a big event celebrating both our programme of transformation and the events of this year. Over 300 people have been invited, including all the Wiltshire Torchbearers and Games Makers and many community representatives who helped to make 2012 such a success for our county. Local gymnasts and dancers will be performing and Salisbury City Council has kindly agreed to lend us their Olympic Torch as the centre piece for our first public exhibition – the gallery of Wiltshire Torchbearers – which will also be officially opened next Thursday (1 November).
I hope the focus on Olympic and Paralympic success will inspire our communities to keep active as there has more people are now participating in sport and activities and we need to keep this going.
The integration of public health into the council is a real opportunity to combine the impact of this year with the great work that this team does to keep people healthy and well. Cabinet discussed the Wiltshire Annual Public Health report last week as this will now be our responsibility. I’m looking forward to discussing plans for how we can continue to improve health and well being in Wiltshire.
On a separate note, I am really sorry that we had to postpone the staff forums due to take place in Chippenham this week. I understand that these are being rescheduled and I look forward to seeing all of you who were due to attend soon.
And, I look forward to seeing many of you at next week’s opening event.
Jane
No comments:
Post a Comment