Hello,
If you’ve had the chance to get away over the summer, I hope you enjoyed the break and welcome back!
There used to be a time when the council seemed to noticeably slow down in the summer months, but I don’t think that is quite the case anymore. Whilst there were less meetings, there was still lots going on.
I’m really pleased that we interviewed and appointed the new senior leadership team; Alistair, Carlton, Carolyn (until she retires) and Terence. The corporate director role for health and social care is being progressed. I think it’s great that we had had the talent and skills within the organisation and that we are now in a strong position to deliver the business plans and the big programmes that will make a real difference to the people of Wiltshire. The new areas of digitisation and commercialism will be a key focus and drivers for change in how we do business over the next few years and save the money we need and protect our front line services.
This week saw the first of our public meetings, in Salisbury, to raise awareness of the challenges we face; including the need to find £45m over the next three years and how we are going to do this.
Along with the need to save money, we also face other challenges: the impact of an ageing population, the need to safeguard the most vulnerable, how we drive forward economic growth, providing enough quality housing, and maintaining our vast network of roads – to name just a few!
It is important to spend time in the local communities engaging with residents to raise awareness of the position we are in, but more importantly, to explore how we continue to work together to manage these challenges.
Working with communities has always been key to what we do here in Wiltshire, and the importance of that work, and the huge amount we’ve achieved as a result, has really been brought home to me this summer when I started work on the Grenfell Tower independent taskforce, set up to support the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council to develop a long-term recovery plan. That work continues and I will continue to keep you updated.
Jane
