I’m sure in previous years December was always a quiet month, but this year it has been anything but, and it is only now that I am feeling it’s time to wind down a little and focus on Christmas and family.
This week started with our council carol service at St. Mary the Virgin Church in Marlborough on Monday evening. It was a lovely service and the children from St. Peter’s Junior School made the evening so enjoyable with their wonderful singing and belleplate ringing. Many of our partners attended and it was good to welcome the lord lieutenant, Sarah Troughton and the new police commissioner, Angus Macpherson. My grateful thanks to Jean Potter for organising the service and the refreshments that followed. It was a very Chrsitmassy evening.
On Tuesday the appointments committee met to discuss the integration of public health and the decision taken by cabinet on 6 November to integrate the roles of the corporate director with statutory responsibility for adult social services and the joint director of public health, to create one corporate director post with joint statutory responsibility for adult social services and public health. The committee agreed to appoint Maggie Rae in the new corporate director post. I would like to extend my personal congratulations to Maggie and it will be good to see her former role as joint director for public health integrated with adult social care services. The staff employment subcommittee also met on Tuesday and agreed to accept Sue Redmond’s application for voluntary redundancy. I am sure I speak on behalf of the organisation in wishing Sue well for the future and thanking her for all her hard work throughout the six years she spent at the council and for her commitment in delivering the innovative help to live at home project that allows older people to stay in their own homes for longer.
Cabinet also met this week and agreed to reduce the number of streets lights at certain times in appropriate locations across the county. The reduction follows a successful trial and will save us around £380,000 each year. Cabinet also approved the new contractor for highways and streetscene; Balfour Beatty Living Places has been awarded one contract to deal with winter weather, drainage and bridges (currently provided by four different organisations). This is a huge contract (worth around £150m) to provide these key front line services for the next five years.
On the same day as this contract was awarded the government announced Wiltshire would receive £3.6m of additional funding for highways maintenance split over the next two years as part of a drive to improve transport infrastructure across England. This is a very welcome Christmas bonus.
And talking of Christmas, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very good break and a happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year. Those of you who are having some time off please enjoy a well earned break and to those of you who are keeping the critical front line services running through the holiday period, thank you very much. Your work is really appreciated.
This has been an incredible year which couldn’t have been achieved without your hard work and commitment. I’m almost a little sad to leave 2012 behind, but I’m also excited to move forward into 2013 and to tackle the challenges that the New Year will bring. I’m looking forward to creating a lasting legacy and working with communities to keep the unique energy and drive of this year alive. In January, I will be out in our local market towns talking to people about the council and what they feel we do well but, more importantly, where we can do better and I am looking forward to hearing their views on where we should be spending more money and where we should spend less.
Stay safe, be happy and look forward to seeing you all after the Christmas break.
Jane.
Ps my next blog will be published on 11 January 2013.
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