I have always felt privileged to lead such a committed workforce, but during the past couple of weeks I could not be more proud of all our staff.
The Coronavirus crisis has brought new and daunting challenges for all of us, not just in the workplace but at home and with our families and loved ones.
Despite these pressures, our staff have responded in the most fantastic way.
I never thought I’d have to lead us through such as crisis, but having staff at all levels prepared to do whatever it takes to support our communities is inspiring.
The NHS and all of its workers rightly get the credit and thanks they deserve. Last night’s “Clap for our Carers” sums up the public’s warmth and gratitude to those who put their own lives on the line to save ours.
But what doesn’t always come across is the role of local government workers who are helping to save lives and protect the vulnerable during this crisis. It is not just the NHS that should be applauded. The healthcare system would collapse without community support provided by our front line care teams.
I was not over-stating it when I said that the people of Swansea need their council more than ever. But they now need us to provide services in different ways and to provide different services.
We’re now operating on two levels: to ensure we protect lives and to support those vulnerable people who need help with basic daily activities such as getting food and essential supplies.
We’ve prioritised critical services like refuse, social services, home care and emergency home repairs in the face of huge pressures. Our staff are performing heroics making sure these services continue when they are needed most.
We have stopped building council houses and we are now building hospitals.
Many other staff are either working from home or in the office to support these critical services. And hundreds more are switching from their usual roles to provide support to local communities and the vulnerable.
We’ve redeployed and trained staff to manage a new phone line to help the most vulnerable, we’re staffing food banks, arranging food deliveries to the vulnerable at home and getting free school meals across the city when schools are not operating.
We’ve also been gearing up to provide further staffing support to our critical services with managers across the council identifying available staff. The initial priority area is social services due to the inevitable rise in demand, although other areas will come into it as demand and staff absences increase. If your manager hasn’t already spoken to you and you’re available for this kind of redeployment, please speak to them so that HR can compile a full list and then allocate resources where needed.
Also, if you want to volunteer in the community during your spare time, you’re free to do so, but please remember you should balance this with being available for work and possible redeployment during working hours.
We’re facing new and massive challenges and all of our staff have been magnificent. I can’t praise you and thank you enough for the way you’ve responded.
Without your commitment and willingness to do whatever’s needed, I have no doubt that more lives would be lost during this crisis.
The challenges are going to get bigger in the coming weeks, but I couldn’t be prouder to lead such a dedicated workforce who are here for Swansea.
Whenever I have had the opportunity I have always stood up for our staff. Without their dedication & hard work the council, and us councillors, would not be able to function.
In my experience since becoming a councillor, in the vast majority of occasions the help & support I have had from staff has been excellent.
Please feel free to pass this on.
Thanks for the comment Lesley. We are fortunate to have such talented and committed people working for us. It is odd that councils are often the object of public criticism when our whole community well-being depends on them.
Yes, fantastic work from all our council workers ……. Their commitment dedication are all doing over and above…..
Makes me feel so proud to be part of the Swansea Team…
Take good care Phil and Teams
THANK YOU ALL…
I also endorse the comments of Cllr. Lesley Walton re the selfless work of both management and staff. Well done and thank you.
I was interested to read on lastest Coronavirus updates that staff could canel their car parking permits and have a refund which is great as Council staff may also be struggling financially . Bearing in mind they may have partners whose jobs are affected and household income has reduced dramatically.
Dissappointed to see the sting in the tail that you could not guarantee getting a permit again in the future.
It would a fantastic gesture if we didnt have to cancel our permits but whilst we are forced to work from home the dedutions taken from our pay could be suspended until things return to normal
Hi Anne,
We’ve put in place arrangements so that staff can cancel their permit via Oracle ‘self-service’. When the crisis is over, the team will issue refunds backdated to the day the request was received to make sure no-one loses out if they want to cancel. Although anyone who wants to cancel their permit now can re-apply when the crisis is over, there is currently a freeze on applications.
Phil
As a council worker who had been self isolated for two week but continued to work from home then after schools closing continued to work from home, I felt disappointed on Friday by the carparks update. I had not even thought about the fact that I am paying for parking but not using it since 13th March, I m just glad that I am able to support the community and continue to work being classed as a key worker for the council. As one of my team members joked “its Clap the NHS and Clamp the Council workers.”
Staff car parking permit holders can, if they wish, cancel their permit via Oracle ‘self-service’. These will be processed when staff are available and refunds issued, backdated to the date the request is received. Staff who choose to cancel their permit will need to hand it in to parking services after the pandemic is over and they are working normally. For anyone who cancels there will be no guarantee of a new permit can be reissued in the future as there is a current freeze on all new applications.
Why not just put a hold on payments or refund at a later date when this pandemic is over and so staff do not have to worry if they will be able to park in the future!
Hi Adele,
We’ve put in place arrangements so that staff can cancel their permit via Oracle ‘self-service’. When the crisis is over, the team will issue refunds backdated to the day the request was received to make sure no-one loses out if they want to cancel. Although anyone who wants to cancel their permit now can re-apply when the crisis is over, there is currently a freeze on applications.
Phil
https://www.swansea.gov.uk/coronavirusadvice
Considering we’re so appreciated, would it kill the Council to just cease parking permit charges whilst the lockdown is in operation? I’ve got a letter stating I have to self isolate for 12 weeks and it’s all good and well cancelling my permit but the likelihood is I won’t be able to get one when I eventually return to the office, and I need to park close to the office at the moment due to health issues, thereby meaning I can’t cancel my permit (for fear of not having it renewed)
Hi Helen,
We’ve put in place arrangements so that staff can cancel their permit via Oracle ‘self-service’. When the crisis is over, the team will issue refunds backdated to the day the request was received to make sure no-one loses out if they want to cancel. Although anyone who wants to cancel their permit now can re-apply when the crisis is over, there is currently a freeze on applications.
Phil