Agile working
We’re setting out on our agile working project and we’re creating a pilot office in the Civic Centre with a variety of new-look desks to suit different working needs, more open-plan and better natural lighting.
The first staff to try it out will be our Estates and Facilities team followed by roll-out to others in the coming months and years. Staff due to go agile will be invited to visit the pilot office before they receive laptops and other new technology which will give them the flexibility to work away from their main office.
As part of our new ways of working, software improvements will allow all our IT users to access their council work anywhere on any digital device.
Skype for Business, for instance, will mean that staff can connect internally with each other over the IT network without the need for an external phone line; its instant messaging will reduce the reliance on email. It allows video conferencing with colleagues at any time from any digital device. We’ll roll-out digital devices to staff over the next two years.
I know some staff have concerns about the move to agile working but I’m confident you’ll find the new approach, with its new look and IT solutions, really refreshing, professional and welcoming. Prior to any staff moving to agile, there’ll be drop-in sessions with project staff and training is being provided for the new technology.
Incidentally, to help plan our new workspaces small sensors will be fitted to some desks in the Civic for a short time. They’ll help us understand how frequently space is used and will not gather data on individual personnel or on teams.
There’s lots more information on our Agile FAQs page.
Bed (un)blocking
Many of us will be familiar with the term “bed blocking” which can be caused due to patients waiting for home care support or their homes being adapted before they are discharged from hospital.
But for the past three months there has not been a single case of bed blocking at Morriston Hospital due to social services-related issues.
This is a fantastic achievement for those working both in our hospital social work team and our integrated health and social care community teams who go above and beyond to ensure that delays are minimised.
Milestone
An outline planning application for the redevelopment of Swansea Central has been submitted with proposals for the north site (St David’s Shopping Centre, Oldway House and St David’s Car Park) for new retail, commercial, residential, leisure, non-residential institution and a multi-storey car park. On the south site (LC car park) there are proposals for a new arena, hotel/residential building, food and drink, car park and potential energy centre. It includes new public open space and the two sites would be connected by a wide pedestrian bridge across Oystermouth Road.
During the consultation there was overwhelming support for the proposals.
The full application will be considered by Planning with the aim of reaching a decision in June. It can be viewed here. If planning is granted work could start on the arena early next year.
I’m grateful to the large number of colleagues from various teams who’ve contributed significantly to the project.
Commissioning
On Monday I met Councillor Clive Lloyd and officers involved in the development of the next round of commissioning reviews. The cross-cutting reviews will be complex and we will need to progress them rapidly so that they can feed into budget considerations for 2018/19. I‘ll be saying more about the review programme over the coming weeks.
Apprenticeships
This week we received 450 applications for our 12 recently-advertised apprentice positions. We have also recently advertised for two apprentices in adult social care and we hope that other work areas will shortly follow suit, including ICT, waste management, highways, economic regeneration and parks. I’m grateful for the enthusiastic response from staff to this important initiative.
Great job
Congratulations to Peter Williams, one of our gardeners based at Cwmdonkin Park, for all the work he did with Joshua Dimaline, a young man with learning disabilities.
Joshua was so pleased with his work placement that he wrote a letter thanking Peter and staff who showed him the ropes. Joshua’s placement is one of many we organise for people with learning disabilities alongside Gower College Swansea.
Farewells
Today will be the last working day for a number of long-standing colleagues. Leanne Cutts is joining the DVLA and I’m indebted to her for driving the great work done by the Innovation Community. It’s been a real pleasure working with Leanne whose constant enthusiasm has motivated everyone involved and helped us to change the culture of the organisation and in my view has helped to make working for the council a better and happier experience. Leanne will be almost impossible to replace but we are in the process of recruiting to fill her post.
Richard Porch, Regeneration Projects Officer, is retiring after 31 years. Richard is a talented author and led the way on the SA1 art projects, but more recently he has been working on the Hafod Copperworks project and he was instrumental in establishing Swansea’s fantastic Blue Plaque scheme.
I’ve enjoyed working with Richard on these projects and will miss his enthusiasm, extensive knowledge of our city’s history and his dry wit.
Wendy Parkin, our senior lawyer, was appointed as temporary conveyancer with West Glamorgan County Council in 1995. She was appointed to her current post in 2011. Wendy has helped me personally on a large number of very complex commercial projects and I really appreciate her patience and professionalism whenever I’ve given her impossible tasks to do.
Thank you also to Joe Kiley, fitter’s mate at the Central Transport Unit who is retiring in next month after 38 years’ service with us.
Last, but by no means least, Lynda Moulson, word processor operator and clerical assistant in the Council Tax team joined the council in April 1986 as a part-time cleaner. She later became a typist. I’ll miss Lynda’s lovely nature, bubbly personality and tendency to cuddle me whenever I bump into her.
I wish them all the best for the future and thank them for their contributions.
Also thank you to 80-year-old Kingsley McCarthy who’s saying goodbye to being a volunteer with our Road Safety team. He’s been helping teach young children how to cross roads safely for the last 15 years and I wish him a well-earned rest!
Red Nose Day
I met Trallwn School council last Friday. It was Red Nose day so Batgirl, SWAT police and various other costumed children were on the panel interviewing me. It was a challenging session and I was relieved when they voted I’d acquitted myself respectably in answering questions. They were also celebrating their Eco Schools Award having secured it for the third time. Congratulations to the school.
Our HR operations team held a bake-off last Friday to raise money for Red Nose Day. Congratulations to Alison Summers whose cake was voted the winner.
Congratulations to Helen Carter from Pensions who won the Marks & Spencer’s Hamper in the Guess the Buttons competition. Thanks to all who contributed.
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