I was asked
by the media, as I have been many times, if I will continue as council leader
now that I need to attend meetings in London.
My answer is
a resounding yes.
I have no
intention of stepping down as leader and my priority remains the council and
the people of Wiltshire. I intend to manage both roles and I can do this
because I have an amazing team supporting me – not just my cabinet colleagues
and corporate directors, but all of you that do such a great job to make
Wiltshire a success.
My new role
in the House of Lords is an opportunity for me to be a strong voice for both
local government and Wiltshire at a national level, particularly on legislative
changes that will impact on our services and residents. I see this as my
personal challenge and one which I really look forward to.
Recently, the
corporate directors and I have been talking to staff and the public about the
challenges the council is facing. One of the great responsibilities that falls to
local authorities is being able to identify both challenges and opportunities.
Very often understanding the latter can go a long way to addressing the former.
As I have said many times previously, these are tough times for the
public sector. We are living through significant austerity and we are seeing a
massive rise in the demand for some services. These are challenges we face with our local communities.
That’s why our emphasis is to continue to focus on empowering communities to
help them become stronger and able to cope.
Wiltshire residents were recently invited to hear about and discuss the
challenges facing the county in 2016. These meetings are a great opportunity
for us to speak face to face to residents about our future plans and to hear
their views on what we could do differently. These are dynamic meetings, with
great questions and some good debate. I was very pleased to see so many people attending.
Yesterday (5 Nov) the first of our annual staff forums took place. These forums are always
incredibly useful for me and the corporate directors – not only to recognise
the excellent work we have delivered, but to also talk to everyone about what
we face in the coming year, and, most importantly to have feedback on how you
think we are doing.
I look forward to balancing my
commitments in London and Wiltshire, and while our county may be defined by its
rural geography, it is also defined by its diverse and vibrant communities. It
is these communities that make us strong and able to manage the challenges
ahead - together. Like other years we will manage the challenges and seize the
opportunities. That’s what makes Wiltshire so special and the place that I am
so proud to represent.
Jane.
