It’s that time of year again when we want all our employees to take part in the annual staff survey.
It’s more important than ever that we listen to our employees if we’re going to meet the difficult challenges we face. That’s why I’m encouraging every member of staff to complete it. It’s such an important way of bringing about change in the council. As a result of recent surveys we’ve introduced a new anti-bullying campaign, held staff engagement events, provided stress management training and are developing a new staff suggestion scheme. These are just some the changes we’ve made based on staff feedback. I’m pleased that more than 450 employees have already completed it during the first few days, but please don’t miss out on your chance to have your say and to change things.
Science and Innovation
This week Swansea hosted the fantastic British Science Festival. It’s an opportunity for scientists from all over the country to announce new developments and brings science closer to people. Subjects included whether rugby tackling should be banned in schools, a simple blood test to detect cancer before symptoms start, and the solutions to the global environmental issue of marine litter. There was also an important debate on the future of the steel industry.
It reminded me that many innovations have been developed in the city or by its famous sons and daughters including, amongst many others, the fuel cell, tarmac, early laser and radar technology and, last but not least, instant custard! Swansea has long been a city associated with science and innovation and the festival has been a great opportunity to celebrate it. There are a series of science events programmed in the museums and the city centre which promise to be a lot of fun for children and parents alike. The programme is here.
A big thank you to Swansea University for attracting this major event and to our special events team for providing logistical support.
I’m delighted Swansea is one of 11 cities across Europe picked to take part in an innovative cultural exchange programme. We are the only city in the UK set to participate in a pilot project to explore the role of culture in sustainable cities, that’s been jointly devised by Culture Action Group and the United Cities and Local Government’s Committee on Culture. This programme will improve local and European understanding of the connection between culture and sustainable development. Other cities include Galway, Lisbon and Maastricht.
New citizens
On Tuesday I attended the Citizenship Ceremony at the Registrars offices in the Civic Centre. The Lord Mayor, High Sheriff and Deputy Lord Lieutenant also attended and spoke positively about the contribution to be made by new citizens of the UK and specifically by these new citizens of Swansea. Liz Jarvis, the Superintendent Registrar, then led the proceedings with a perfect balance of gravitas and warmth. The whole event was carried out with the highest professionalism and I ‘m grateful to Peter Richards and all the staff who contributed to making it another special day for our new citizens.
Congratulations
On Wednesday I had the honour of awarding the ILM Level 5 High apprenticeship in Leadership & Management certificates to a number of our staff. The programme, delivered in partnership with Gower College Swansea, is a European-funded qualification. This programme has taken upwards of 12 months and has required a significant contribution of time and effort from the learners. I awarded certificates to Tanya Nash, Rebecca Tribe, Michelle Dene, Gemma Whyley, Lee Wyndham, Chris Lindley, David Price Deer, Craig Gimblett and Louise Evans. It’s essential that our managers have the right skill-sets to lead us through the difficult times ahead and it was really encouraging to see the cohort of talented individuals who had worked hard to achieve their awards. Well done to all.
I’ve really enjoyed being involved in the judging for the High 5 Awards for the first time. Around 350 young people were nominated for awards as individuals or as a member of a group, and the quality of entries was really high. Having completed the shortlisting we’re now looking forward to the awards evening on September 29.
Congratulations to the team in Corporate Building & Property Services for becoming the first service to achieve 100% of staff completing the safeguarding training. This is a real achievement and I hope other services can do likewise.
Well done to one of our apprentices, Josh Wells, whose plastering skills have seen him reach the the Skillbuild National Final. Josh, in his fourth year, will be up against elite plasters from across the country which is a great achievement and I wish him the best of luck.
Finally, Tony Parfitt, one of our Landscape Architects, is retiring on his 65th birthday next week after 38 years’ service. I’ve worked with Tony on many projects and over many years and he’s made a major contribution to the look and feel of the city. I wish him a long and happy retirement.
Leave a Reply