Friday 22 February 2013

Friday 22 February 2013

I am pleased to announce that my triplets are thriving and keeping me busy. Life on the farm is a far cry from my work at the council – although each presents some pretty interesting challenges and both keep me really busy!

Early this week we made national headlines as the government agreed a joint bid by us, Swindon Borough Council and the Local Enterprise Partnership which will mean we are able to unlock the economic power of the military in our county. The bid, which is called the Swindon and Wiltshire Deal, will see military leavers’ skills being used by companies who wish to locate and grow in the area. It will also mean surplus MOD land (as well as other government-controlled sites) will be brought forward so they can be considered as areas for potential appropriate development. The bid includes funding for 2,000 university places and higher apprenticeships to support our workforce becoming more skilled. This will mean companies – no matter how specialist – wishing to move or expand here will be able to employ highly skilled local people. Much of the bid is about negotiation and devolving government powers to local authorities and our business partners, and although it’s early days and more details need to be agreed this is really excellent news for Wiltshire.  As you know keeping the local economy buoyant is a key priority for the council and this news is a real boost.

On Tuesday the corporate directors, my cabinet and I briefed the media about next year’s budget. These briefings are very important for all of us and they give the media the opportunity to ask us about anything. BBC Wiltshire, Heart FM and a journalist who covers the Gazette and Herald, Wiltshire Times and Salisbury Journal talked to us about the budget proposals that are set out in the financial plan 2013/14. I’ve always said I want this council to be open, honest and transparent and holding these sessions certainly helps towards this.

The financial plan will be discussed by all members at full council next Tuesday (26 February). The meeting will be held in the Civic Centre in Trowbridge and members will consider our proposals for investment, protecting the most vulnerable and where we will make savings to pay for this. We will propose investment into children’s services and both cllr Laura Mayes and I attended the regular meeting of the Safeguarding Improvement Board on Wednesday. This is where we and our partners including NHS Wiltshire and Wiltshire Police come together to update on the progress that we have made in improving safeguarding. A lot of excellent work is being carried out and it’s clear there is an absolute drive to continue to improve. Getting all the people responsible for delivering safeguarding and adoption services in Wiltshire round one table has proved to be invaluable.

Working with partners was again the focus of last night’s community legacy meeting held in Salisbury. Now, I’m passionate about the legacy steering board and building on the enthusiasm and momentum that last year’s events generated. We need to capture this and deliver tangible outcomes but what’s really key to this is how we continue to work closely with other organisations and communities to do more. We have never worked so closely with Salisbury City Council and this is reaping real rewards for the city’s residents, businesses and for Wiltshire as a whole and last night’s meeting highlighted just how much the local communities want to do more this year and bring people together recognising the benefits that this delivers. Lots of good ideas were shared and there was a tangible energy for taking these forward.

This morning it was an early start for me and Wiltshire’s business leaders as we played host to the Wessex Business Breakfast in the Atrium at County Hall – this is the first of many of these business-focussed events taking place this year and they have the local economy at their heart.  We are showing that the public sector can do business in a modern way and I was so pleased to see so many of the attendees taking tours of County Hall to see just how fantastic the building is and how we work now. Again, this is another example of us building on links forged last year for the benefit of all and long may it continue.

I understand that the shortlist for the corporate staff awards 2012 is being announced today. Can I just take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to all of you who have been shortlisted and to say it is always good to recognise both staff and members who deliver so much and make a real difference in our local communities. I am looking forward to finding out the winners at the awards ceremony on 12 March in County Hall.

I will update you all on the outcome of the budget in next week’s blog.

Jane.

Friday 15 February 2013

Friday 15 February 2013

This week I had triplets and have been up at 5.30am most mornings tending to their needs before heading into County Hall or to other meetings. It’s almost lambing season and although my triplets were a little early, they remind me that spring is on the way – although at that time in the morning, out in the field, in minus degree temperatures it doesn’t feel very spring like!
On Tuesday I was shadowed by a journalist from Wiltshire Life who is writing an article on my role as leader of the council. He asked some interesting questions including whether I ever get bored? It made me think as I have to admit I have never been bored in this role and I never have the time to be bored. My role is so varied and diverse and it covers such a wide range of matters and issues affecting the lives of so many people in our local communities it never fails to energise and inspire me to do more.
Cabinet met in Salisbury this week to discuss the draft financial plan for 2013/14 and the redevelopment of The Maltings and central car park in Salisbury’s City Centre. We recommended the budget for approval at full council on 26 February. We agreed to keep council tax at 0% rise recognising the impact that the economic climate is having on local residents and we proposed to invest a further £17 million revenue to support key frontline services and £143.6 million to deliver innovative capital schemes. 
I was also pleased to announce that as a result of lobbying central government, we have attracted an additional £362,000 in government grant. This additional grant reflects a new formula that recognises the uniqueness of rural areas and the additional costs that are incurred in supporting rural communities. Our allocation was one of the highest nationally reflecting how rural our county is.
Cabinet proposed that the grant should be allocated providing £162,000 for the area boards to focus on children and young people’s projects, facilities and activities in their local communities; we also stated that we would like young people to be involved in deciding the best use of these funds.
The remaining £200,000 to be allocated to schools to enable the service to deliver its strategy for working with schools and settings in the self-governing system.  This will help to support and challenge schools to raise standards and ensure we meet our statutory responsibilities to drive school improvement as set out in section 13A of the Education Act 1996.
Since we published our four year business plan in 2011, we have invested £85 million in our frontline services, kept council tax at 0% increase each year and managed the 22% decrease in central government funding. By delivering £100 million of savings we have been able to do this.
Cabinet also agreed to progress exciting proposals to regenerate the Maltings and Central Car Park in Salisbury. We will enter into a ‘development agreement’ with developers Stanhope Plc who will carry out more consultation with local people, businesses and organisations before submitting a detailed planning application for this redevelopment.  The development will provide an important economic boost for Salisbury and the surrounding area. The development includes car parking, shops and restaurants, together with enhanced links between the site and the historic city centre.
On Wednesday I had the pleasure of attending this month’s corporate induction training and meeting new staff. These sessions are always uplifting and it’s interesting to see how many staff are joining us from the private sector. It shows how the image and perception of local government is changing and that we are attracting talent and skills from other sectors that will complement what we do.
Next week is busy; I’m holding a press briefing on the budget proposals to talk through the financial plan and the investments we need to make and where we will save money so that we can do this. I am also hosting a legacy community meeting in Salisbury to discuss how we can keep the success of last year alive in the city and surrounding areas. We have already agreed to work with the city council to deliver a number of key events including the Big Business in April and to support an event in the summer at Hudson’s Field; no Torch this time though! It is so positive to be working with the city council and for me building such a strong relationship was one of the many successes of 2012 and I am looking forward to working together this year. Talking of legacy, we will be hosting a business breakfast in the Atrium at County Hall next week for local business leaders. These events provide a good opportunity to network and on this occasion for us to showcase the new building and what it offers.
And, finally I am aware that the corporate awards shortlist will be decided and announced next week. I don’t envy the judging panel as we have so many staff and teams that always do that bit more to deliver an excellent service. I am really looking forward to the awards evening in March and to seeing how the Atrium can be used for this type of event and celebrating the outstanding work that has been delivered by so many of you.
Just off to check my triplets are bedded down for the night!
Jane.

Friday 8 February 2013

Friday 8 February 2013

I never thought that any year could be as busy as last year but seven weeks into 2013 and I’m beginning to think that this one could be just as busy, if not more so! Is it a sign of age when the weeks go by so fast that you lose track of what month it is, or is it the pace of activity that makes time fly?  Perhaps it’s both.
Certainly this week has been an example of both... It started with the health fair in the atrium at County Hall that welcomed lots of visitors to participate in a variety of health checks including blood pressure, cholesterol and to find out more about keeping active, eating healthy foods, alcohol awareness and information and advice regarding mental health and managing stress. It was good to see so many people visiting and to host an interactive fair that helped to raise awareness of public health.
What I became aware of, as I had lunch in the cafe, is just how good the space in the atrium is for these types of events and fairs and how staff and visitors enjoy the interactive stands and exhibitions. I look forward to seeing this community space used for more events of this type throughout the year.
On Monday night I was a judge at the Young Voice of Trowbridge competition. This is a public speaking and debate competition organised by Trowbridge in Bloom, a local community organisation. Local schools had teams from years 8, 10 and 13 who had been successful in public speaking heats last year. The teams were extremely articulate and the topics included the importance of the new cinema in Trowbridge and the voice and influence of young people in their local communities. St. Augustine’s won the overall prize and John of Gaunt won two categories but I was really impressed with the competition and how it helps to build young people’s confidence in public speaking, which is such an important skill to have for life. I would like us to look at the possibility of a county-wide inter-schools public speaking competition as it highlighted to me the value of these skills.
On Tuesday I attended my first Local Safeguarding Children’s Board meeting which was extremely interesting and it was good to discuss with all the key agencies how we continue to deliver improvements to safeguard and support children and young people.
On Wednesday I met Police Crime Commissioner, Angus Macpherson and the Chief Constable, Patrick Geenty to discuss plans for sharing services and buildings in the future. Monkton Park is a prime example of where sharing office space and front of house with the police is working well. With the reduction in funding affecting all public sector organisations, sharing resources is a sensible and pragmatic solution that will help us all to avoid cuts to key front line services in the future.
Yesterday the first meeting to consider the budget proposals for 2013/14 took place. Overview and Scrutiny invited all council members to attend a meeting to review the draft Financial Plan which will also be discussed at next week’s cabinet meeting (12 February) and at full council on 26 February, when the final budget will be agreed and the Council Tax will be set. The plan sets out the council’s priorities; to protect vital frontline services, particularly those affecting the most vulnerable and to invest in key services. Despite the funding from central government being reduced by a further £9.8 million next year, we are planning to save
£27.656 million by continuing to deliver services more efficiently, renegotiate contracts and make better use of our assets. The proposal is to invest
£17.804 million into key front line services. This includes £5.7 million to support vulnerable adults; almost £3 million to support the increase in the number of children coming into care and ongoing demand for these services; almost £3 million into roads maintenance and more than half a million for car parks to support local towns and parishes with free parking days; and we will invest £2.4 million to support waste services to reduce the amount that we send to landfill. The Plan also focuses on a programme to invest to save that includes the campuses, which will deliver local services, in fit for purpose buildings, where local communities want them. Whilst other authorities are making significant cuts, we are better placed as a result of the efficiencies that we are delivering and as a result of doing things differently. We are protecting our vital services. Next week my cabinet will consider the plan and will agree the budget that it will propose to full council. The draft Financial Plan is available to view.
A key part of setting the budget is considering public feedback and views on what we should prioritise. The last two budget road shows were held this week in Salisbury and Marlborough. The roadshows have provided valuable feedback which we are collating and assessing and will use to inform the final budget setting. People were asked to say what we could improve and where they would spend more money and where they would save money. More than 600 feedback forms were completed and many more people attended the roadshows.
Last night the second of four community legacy meetings was held in Chippenham and I was really encouraged by the number of attendees representing communities, businesses, the churches and sport. There were lots of good ideas for keeping the momentum of last year going and I had three volunteers asking to join the Legacy Steering Board. A key factor is how we can keep local communities informed, updated and involved as there is a lot happening. We have two more events planned and following these the Steering Board will review the feedback and ideas and agree how to take this forward. The best thing is the palpable enthusiasm for this work and I have a feeling 2013 will be just as vibrant as 2012.

Next week, the latest copy of Your Wiltshire magazine will be delivered to households across the county. This edition reflects on what we’ve delivered in the past four years and what’s planned in local communities this year. I thought you may like to read this edition as it highlights some of the great work that you have delivered and the difference this is making to local people in Wiltshire. I would just like to express my thanks as when you look back at our first four years it is impressive just how much has been achieved, particularly in such tough financial times. It highlights how innovative we are and how the huge programme of transformation will deliver fit for purpose buildings and services that deliver what local communities want and need.
I mentioned last week that I would update on the appointment of the new chair of Healthwatch Wiltshire following the interviews that had taken place. I am pleased to update that Christine Graves has been appointed as the first chairman this new body that will become fully functional on 1 April 2013.  Healthwatch will help to improve health and social care services, being a voice for service users and it will provide information and signposting for services and support people to make informed choices in their lives. We know Christine is looking forward to serving the community in this new role and wish her every success. Her first task will to be to appoint four executive board members to support her as chair.
And, finally I am in County Hall today trying to deliver the clear desk policy as my desk is totally covered in files and papers – I’m hoping I will get home for the weekend!
Jane.

Friday 1 February 2013

Friday 1 February 2013

I hope you’ve all had a good week. This week I’ve been involved in the children’s safeguarding peer review. This is part of the Safeguarding and Adoption Improvement Board’s drive to improve adoption and looked after children services in Wiltshire. Representatives from organisations outside of the county involved in safeguarding young people were invited to come in and carry out the peer review which involves observing our services and sharing best practice. The review is looking at services provided across the agencies and the board will act upon any findings or recommendations highlighted.
The peer review is part of the board’s improvement plan and any recommendations the reviewers make will be adopted as part of the measures already being taken to improve services in Wiltshire. I am looking forward to hearing their views and recommendations regarding this vital service.
On Tuesday I chaired the first of this year’s Public Services Board at the Police HQ in Devizes. I was delighted to welcome Dr Steve Rowlands, chairman of Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Angus Macpherson the recently elected Police Crime Commissioner who has now joined the board. It was really useful to update on where all our organisations are and our plans for the future; this included an update from health, police and the army. We also discussed road safety in Wiltshire and the most up to date information on road incidents and the impact of recent campaigns including drink drive, be safe – be seen; the reflective campaign and save drive - stay alive; which included a presentation from two army personnel who had attended a save drive – stay alive road show and said the impact of the road show had made a huge difference in their driving behaviour. The recent information shows the campaigns have helped to improve road safety across the county; the number of killed and seriously injured has decreased this year and we are on target to achieve a 40 per cent reduction in the number of people killed in road collisions and a further target of a 50 per cent reduction in the number of children killed. These figures are across a ten year period. The data also helped to identify specific issues including young drivers and why accidents occur and their approach to driving. The board agreed to look at what may be needed to address this and to reduce the numbers of incidents further. This is a great example of public services working together to improve the quality of life for people in our county.
 By the end of today eight out of ten county wide budget roadshows have been held. The remaining two that were postponed because of the snow last week, will take place in Salisbury next Tuesday and Marlborough on Wednesday. Staff and councillors have talked to more than 300 members of the community so far and their feedback will be really helpful influencing next year’s budget and our future plans.
On Wednesday night I was really pleased to be invited to speak at City Hall in Salisbury at the launch of their 50th birthday celebrations. This year marks 50 years of the building being a publicly owned venue and there will be events throughout the year to mark this anniversary. The Legacy Board is planning a weekend of events in November that will build on last year’s wonderful celebrations. We want to showcase local youth talent and working with the Royal British Legion we plan to hold a special wartime themed event on Remembrance Sunday including a 1940s tea dance and swing band. I’ll keep you updated as plans are firmed up. If you’ve never been to City Hall, then its well worth a visit as it hosts some top local and well known national performers.
Yesterday, I was part of a panel carrying out interviews for the post of chairman for the new Healthwatch board. The board will be the watchdog for health services and is part of changes in the health service which will see the integration of public health into the council. We saw a number of candidates and we were looking for someone with energy, enthusiasm and the ability to speak on behalf of users and to help shape future services. I will announce the outcome of our interviews next week. Their first job will be to recruit four board members.
In the evening we held the first of four community evenings in Trowbridge to discuss how we create a legacy for Wiltshire following the extraordinary events last year. The attendees had some great ideas and all agreed that we should work together to keep the great community spirit of 2012 going. They also agreed that we should focus on keeping the economy buoyant, marketing and showcasing Wiltshire and lots of thoughts about keeping people active, involved and healthy. The feedback was really encouraging and I am looking forward to the other evenings in Chippenham, Devizes and Salisbury in the next few weeks.
Talking of keeping healthy, today sees the launch of a health fair and a week of events in the Atrium at County Hall which starts this morning with a visit from Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive of the new national organisation Public Health England. Everyone is welcome to come along and take part in a range of interactive stands including lung, cholesterol checks and BMI checks, stop smoking advice, physical activity and a whole host of other opportunities to learn about living a healthy lifestyle.
Look forward to seeing you at the health fair...
 Jane