A time to reflect

So was the outcome of the recent general election a surprise to you? It was to me and I think the whole country is still reflecting on what happened.  

For the first time ever young people turned out in their droves to vote and have their say on the future of the country. Their awareness of the election was raised partly due to the use of social media to target messages directly so that they became engaged and motivated to take part and have their voice heard.

As a council we need to learn and consider how we use social media to communicate more with the young people in our communities.

Democracy is a truly wonderful thing and something we should never take for granted. I was pleased to see such a high turn out across the country and that more than 75% of Wiltshire voted demonstrating how seriously people take their right to vote. 

This country promotes freedom of speech and this freedom is a real strength in Wiltshire where communities and individuals are actively encouraged to have their say on matters that impact on them. This can be anything and recently included where houses will be built in future years, where business growth is needed, and what road improvements need to be prioritised. Young people are invited to say what activities they want and need and how these can be best provided. It’s about taking responsibility and making the place we live – our community - part of us and a place where we invest our time and energy and where we can belong.

I wonder though how often any of us pause to consider this freedom?

The local BBC has been broadcasting stories of the refugees that have resettled in Wiltshire after fleeing war zones, atrocities and horror that many of us would never encounter in our lifetime. These people and families had no freedom, no opportunities, and there only focus was survival.  And, many of them have survived, and are now thriving in local communities across the county. Wiltshire has embraced these people who sought solace and help and we have welcomed them wholeheartedly providing support, advice and the things they need to feel like they belong. Many are now in employment and the children have settled into schools and are growing up with the freedom that they deserve to express themselves. This integration demonstrates the unique qualities that makes Wiltshire one of the best counties in the country. We promote community, and we encourage people to come together and we know that diversity is what makes us stronger, more tolerant and in turn more interesting.

In today’s often unpredictable world we need to remember that everyone has something to offer and that together we can become stronger and more able to help each other.

Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go to the communities affected by the awful tragedies in Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, and also to the regiment that lost two of its Tidworth soldiers during a recent training exercise in Wales.

The Grenfell Tower fire incident is one of the most shocking in recent history and we have to do all that we can to try and prevent anything like this happening again in the future. In Wiltshire we don’t have buildings of that size but we have undertaken checks across the county to make sure buildings are safe.

Last week saw the longest day (21 June) and a peaceful and spirited solstice welcoming of the sunrise at Stonehenge and Avebury. These annual events, which are steeped in history, demonstrate how communities are built over decades of investment from the people who live there and who welcome the new, the different, and the opportunities for the future. This community spirit comes to the fore in the event of a tragedy as we have seen over the past few difficult weeks.

But, it’s also about these communities having the courage to focus on opportunities and changes ahead. We need to look to the future and how we can help to make communities strong so that they are ready and able to cope with whatever may happen. 

Our new plan for the next 10 years sets out how we will do this and I always like to hear what you think and welcome your feedback.

Jane

Looking ahead and thoughts with those affected in London

Hello,

Firstly, I’d like to thank you for helping to make the 29 newly elected members so welcome in their first few weeks in the organisation. I have received lots of positive feedback and in particular my cabinet members and portfolio holders have told me how helpful you’ve been in supporting them in their new roles.

Since the local election we have hit the ground running and the new cabinet has spent time with the corporate directors and wider leadership team focussing on future plans and the direction of the council.

I always prefer to look forward rather than looking back, but sometimes it’s good to remember where you’ve come from in order to keep focused on where you’re heading.

The phrase “we’re on a journey” is often said by businesses and organisations in a period of transition, and whilst I’m not a fan of this phrase, I am a big fan of progress, improvement and moving forward.

To stay still is not an option – and why would we want to?

One of the things that drives me and reminds me of how far we’ve come is our offices – whether at County Hall, Monkton Park or Bourne Hill – we now work in an organisation and environment that is dynamic, progressive and forward-thinking.

We are streets ahead of many other public sector organisations and councils and increasingly I am asked to speak at many events and conferences about the journey we’ve taken and how we have got to where we are.

And what a journey it’s been!

As a trailblazer for local authority reform and progression, it’s sometimes easy to forget how far we’ve come, and that our organisation is only eight years old.

Our working practices – hot desking, mobile and flexible working, in modern open plan offices (or from any number of locations around the county or even further afield) have helped us to deliver millions of pounds of savings while delivering excellent public services.

These working practices are the envy of many - we are still streets ahead of many other authorities who are now coming to us for advice on how to embark upon their own transformation journey.

This week I will be speaking at the Society of Local Council Clerks in Stratford-upon-Avon on devolution from the Wiltshire perspective.

Whilst I’m more than happy to pass on our knowledge and experiences, I’m more interested in where we are heading.

I touched on our new draft business plan in my last blog, and my cabinet and I have done a lot of work to develop this with the leadership team.

Our vision and priorities remain a constant and key to everything we do. The new plan will focus on delivery of these priorities and the next stage of transformation for the organisation. We want to be more business-like and to digitise and commercialise where it’s possible and appropriate, so that we are more efficient, able to provide better services and can meet customer’s expectations. 

The plan will be a blueprint for not just the next four years, but for the next decade.

We need to get it right so that we can be an even stronger organisation able to deliver what the people of Wiltshire need – and deserve. The plan will be shared with you to invite comments and ideas and it will go to cabinet this month for further discussion and to agree the way forward.

The next few years will be both challenging and exciting and I’m looking forward to working with all of you. As a team, working together, we can grasp every opportunity, make decisions and deliver actions that will help to make Wiltshire an even better place. 

*Since writing my blog, the awful events have occurred in London and our heartfelt thoughts are with all those affected.

Jane

I'm delighted to be re-elected as Leader

Hello,

I was delighted to be re-elected as Leader of Wiltshire Council at Full Council earlier today.

I am extremely proud to continue in this role and it is such a privilege to work with all of you to deliver our vision and priorities for the residents of Wiltshire; particularly those who are most vulnerable.

I announced my new cabinet at the council meeting today, along with their areas of responsibility. 

I selected my cabinet based on ensuring continuity of both knowledge and experience and new members with new skills. The new cabinet meets formally for the first time next week. 

There are twenty nine new members on the council and I’m sure you will join me in extending a warm welcome to all of them, as well as to those returning. 

One of the first tasks of the new administration will be to agree a new business plan. This isn’t just a document which sits on a shelf – it’s the council’s blueprint for what we will do over the next four years. The aim is for the plan to be discussed and hopefully approved by Full Council before the summer so we are all clear on the direction of travel and what needs to be done.

We all know the next four years will be challenging; particularly as we will have to find £45m during this time to meet the gap in funding and the rising demand for key services. The reality is that we will need to make some difficult decisions.

Our overall vision to deliver stronger and more resilient communities will remain as a firm commitment, but there will be changes in how we do business – there has to be. We need to continue to innovate and adapt, but we also need to make a shift towards being more commercial and business like. 

Our track record of adopting an innovative approach sets us apart from other councils and is probably our unique selling point.

During the next four years two words will feature in how we do things; digitisation and commercialisation.

We know residents expect a level of service at a time that suits them, so we will need to implement new, dynamic digital technology that will meet customer expectation and make us even more efficient.

Commercialism is perhaps a word less associated with the public sector – but that has to change. We have made huge strides to be more business-like, but in my view we now have to take things to another level and become more commercial, looking at how we generate income and maximise our assets.

Key areas of focus going forward will continue to be the integration of health and social care to tackle increasing demand and we will need to focus on early prevention as a way to reduce demand and resources.

This will need team work – both with our partners and our communities.

The next four years certainly won’t be dull!

It will be a mix of challenge, change and new opportunities. Inevitably there will be some ups and downs along the way, but I’m sure that these will help to make us an even stronger organisation – and one that I am extremely proud to lead and be a part of, as I’m sure you are too.

I am delighted to announce the full list of cabinet members as follows: 

• Baroness Scott of Bybrook OBE – Leader
•       John Thomson – Deputy Leader – Communications, communities, leisure and libraries 
•       Laura Mayes – Children, education and skills
•       Jerry Wickham – Adult social care, public health and public protection
•       Toby Sturgis – Planning and property
•       Philip Whitehead – Finance, procurement and transformation
•       Bridget Wayman – Highways, transport and waste (new cabinet member)
•       Richard Clewer – Corporate services, heritage, arts and tourism (new cabinet member)
•       Chuck Berry – Economic development and housing (new cabinet member)

A pledge and commitment to support the Armed Forces

Hello,

Last week I had one of those days when I felt a real milestone had been achieved.

I joined key military and civilian leaders at the newly remodelled MOD Lyneham to represent the council in signing the refreshed Wiltshire Armed Forces Covenant. It was a thought provoking occasion and was far more than the signing of a really important document. It was about the pledge and commitment from the county’s key organisations, including ours, to work together to do all that we can to support the Armed Forces.

We are proud of our long association with the military, and rightly so, and I often tell people that Wiltshire’s unique selling point is its relationship with the military. It’s what makes us unique – we are a military county.

The covenant itself is a commitment that we as the local authority, together with businesses, the public and voluntary sectors will work with the military to bring our collective knowledge, experience and expertise to provide help and advice to members of the Armed Forces and to benefit our county both economically and in local communities.

In turn, the covenant encourages the Armed Forces to support their community and promote activity which encourages integration with civilian life.

Given our special relationship with the military, Wiltshire should be leading the way with the covenant and we were one of the first counties to sign up, so I was really pleased at the strength of support for the refreshed covenant, which encourages businesses to sign up too. Businesses have a huge role in this as they can offer employment to skilled Armed Forces leavers and their spouses, as well as supporting reservists with the time they need.

Our relationship with the military will only get stronger, as we welcome 4,000 service personnel, along with 3,200 family members, over the next few years as part of the Army Basing Programme. We’ve worked hard to develop this special partnership, and we will continue to do so, because it is so important to Wiltshire.

This week we’ll be celebrating a different kind of partnership – the partnership we have with businesses, and how we can work together to help the next generation of elite athletes.

Since 2012 we have worked to connect businesses with our rising sports stars and provide a foundation fund that enables grants to be allocated to help them on their journey to stardom.

Our fourth annual Wiltshire Business and Sports Gala Dinner takes place in the Atrium on Thursday.

All of the money raised from the businesses that support the event goes into the Funding Future Olympians and Paralympians foundation fund, which helps local sports stars either with an elite grant or a scholarship grant – allocated to our younger sports people aged 8 to 16.

Our Wiltshire athletes have had amazing success so far and many are now well known household names and they have instilled a huge sense of pride in our county as they represent us on the worldwide stage.

We know there are many more stars out there – who may just need a little bit of financial support to help them get where they’re going. That’s what we’ll be doing on Thursday, when we present 11 more grants that

I know will make a real difference to these athletes – and, I’m sure, that we’ll be joining them in celebrating the achievement of their own milestones very soon.

Jane

Celebrating the positive difference we make to our communities

Hello,

I’m often asked what keeps me motivated and energised – and it’s one of the easier questions to answer.

What really keeps me focused is seeing all of our hard work come to fruition and the positive difference this has on our communities.

Just recently I saw this first-hand in Salisbury when we officially opened Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre. This is an incredible facility which is proving to be hugely popular.

In Melksham we handed over Oakfields – a conference standard sports facility to the town’s football and rugby clubs. This fantastic facility will benefit not just the clubs, but also the hundreds of young people involved in playing football and rugby at all ages and levels.

In Corsham yesterday, one of the recipients of grants from our Funding Future Olympians and Paralympians Foundation, Stephanie Millward MBE, was the special guest for the official opening of Springfield Community Campus. The swimming pool was renamed after Steph, who has achieved so much winning ten Paralympic medals.

This morning in Malmesbury we handed over the keys to the Riverside Community Centre to the volunteers from the Friends of the Riverside who have worked so hard to deliver this new hub and I have every confidence that they will make the facility a huge success.

These facilities are all unique to their community and have been based on local needs and have come to fruition as a result of the positive working partnerships with the community and partners.

I have always been proud about what we’ve been able to achieve as a council. It’s easy to forget that we’ve only existed as an organisation for eight years, so as far as I’m concerned, the progress we have made has been staggering – particularly as for much of this time we have been in a period of austerity. This challenged us to think differently about the way we do things and it has paid dividends.

We don’t believe in simply ‘spending’ money, we think it’s important to ‘invest’ it. These investments must deliver a return and we need to be clear about what you get for your money. This is slightly trickier in terms of the impact on communities but we are already seeing the benefits of these investments. 

Attendance at the new centres and community hubs has exceeded expectation and communities are embracing the new way in which we are providing services. We have created a warm, welcoming environment to encourage people to use the facilities on offer whether that’s the library, café, the gym, or to access advice about a council service. We want to bring people closer together, provide new opportunities and activities in their local area and help them to be healthier and happier as a result. 

It was good to celebrate a different kind of partnership this week when I was invited to visit Good Energy and meet their team. The company is based on the top floor of Monkton Park, following their move last year, and they have settled in really well to this new environment. Their staff were so positive and I was really pleased to see that our efforts to help support an innovative, forward-thinking business to relocate and remain in Chippenham have been so successful.

As it was Valentines’ Day, Good Energy made a cake which had written on it ‘Good Energy loves Wiltshire Council’ – a different kind of thank you, but very welcome – 

And, thinking about it – maybe its cake that helps with my motivation!

Jane

2017 is shaping up to be a busy and exciting year

Hello and welcome to my first blog of 2017. 

Well it’s another year and is it just me or does this time of the year make you more aware that we are all another year older? Maybe it’s the short days and the lack of sunshine and cold, rainy and often grey skies that somehow affect your inner energy and get up and go.

According to the media and psychologists we now have Blue Monday and Divorce days and they are all in January reminding us that the festivities are over and we are once again at the start of a new year combating over indulgence, the lurgies and bugs that seem to grab us when we are at a low ebb and not forgetting the need to tighten our purse strings after the Christmas spend.

I’m just pleased that there is so much to focus on, which is a great motivator on days when let’s be honest you just long to resort to what’s widely known as a Duvet or Pyjama day. 

At this time of year our focus is on setting next year’s budget, which in my view is one of the toughest since we became Wiltshire Council back seven years ago. The opportunities to deliver efficiencies and savings each year is becoming really challenging. Although we have delivered more than £125m of savings since we became a unitary, trying to find the savings needed to balance the books next year is proving to be a tough challenge and unfortunately there is no easy solution and there are few efficiency options left.

Being in the House of Lords has its advantages – last week I was able to meet with the secretary of state for communities and local government, Sajid Javid. The meeting focused on the recent announcement that local authorities can increase the social care levy by 6% over the next two years to help support the service pressures resulting from our growing ageing population. 

Whilst the levy will no doubt help, the pressures on social care services and the NHS are huge and right now across the country hospitals are in crisis trying to cope with the impact of the annual flu bugs and falls and the impact this has on the elderly.

I have always advocated the integration of health and social care to maximise resources and to offer the best possible service for those who are most vulnerable. We need to look at what can be done to make sure that as we all live longer and healthier lives and therefore are able to remain independent to enjoy quality twilight years.

I don’t underestimate the value of having a voice for Wiltshire on the national stage and that it is advantageous to be able to access ministers to convey the impact of Government policy and decisions on our service delivery and budgets. I will continue to use these opportunities, when I need to, to the benefit of our county and its residents.

You can find out more about the issues I raise in the House of Lords on the parliament website.

I have resolved this year to stay positive, relish my independence and health, and keep focused on how we can help others less fortunate and more vulnerable in our local communities.

It’s a new year – I have new resolve and new pyjamas just in case I need one of those Duvet days! 

Jane

Just where has this year gone?

The past twelve months have raced by and I don’t know about you but I can’t quite believe that Christmas is upon us and it’s almost the end of another year.

I think this year has been both tough and challenging – in many ways. For me personally it’s been a year of change and some new opportunities. I became a Granny again following the birth of Harry so I am now proud Granny to William and Harry! And, I mustn’t forget my gorgeous granddaughter Flory... I also became a widow, losing my husband Ron the week after Harry was born. I think this is known as the circle of life…

This year, I also learnt lots regarding how the House of Lords works and how resilient I need to be to balance my role as leader of the council with my role as Baroness of Bybrook - not always easy – but, I’ve proved it can be done and I am pleased that I am now accessing ministers and decision makers and, as a result, delivering better outcomes for Wiltshire.

What I also had is that I work with some great people in Wiltshire and I am so appreciative and thankful for the support and good wishes that I have received. 

The year has been challenging for the council too. The demand for services; particularly those that help to protect the most vulnerable have increased, placing pressures on the budget, and this is set to continue. 

This issue isn’t one that just affects Wiltshire - it’s an issue that’s affecting the whole country. Yesterday, you may have heard, the government announcement that local authorities can set social care levy increases of up to 6% over the next two years to help fund this increased demand.

Let’s not lose sight of the fact that it’s really positive that we are all living longer – and, that whilst we definitely can and do benefit from the wealth of experience and capacity that our aging population offers, there is also the real pressure to provide the funding and support required for social care services for older people. 

At this time of the year our focus is on the budget; both balancing this year’s and focusing on setting next year’s. The pressures and opportunities we face need to be weighed up. The announcement from the secretary of state for communities and local government, Sajid Javid on the social care levy to help meet social care costs needs careful consideration to make sure we do what’s right for Wiltshire, and this will be debated over the next few weeks.

Looking back - 2016 has been a year of delivery. One thing Wiltshire Council is good at is delivering - and this year has been no exception. Due to my personal situation, for the first time, I was unable to attend the recent staff forums. But, I have seen the short film that captured some of our successes and highlights from the past 12 months. It is testament to the hard work and dedication of the staff and members, and for those of you that didn’t get the opportunity to see the film here it is – and, it’s well worth watching.

Next year we will continue to focus on our key priorities; protecting the vulnerable, boosting the economy, and building stronger communities and I am in no doubt that we will make Wiltshire an even better place to live, work and visit in 2017 and beyond.

On behalf of my cabinet colleagues and myself, I would like to say a very big thank you for all your hard work and commitment throughout this past year. We are extremely grateful for everything you do to make such a positive difference to the people of Wiltshire.

Finally, I’d like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy 2017. However you are spending this special time, please do enjoy yourselves and have a well-earned break. A special thank you to those of you who will be working, or on call, over the festive period to ensure our services can continue – it is very much appreciated.

I look forward to working with you all in 2017 and fingers crossed that it brings us more opportunity than challenge!

Yours 

Jane