Archives for May 2020

We’re now preparing for the gradual easing of lockdown as the contact tracing strategy starts to help us track and monitor the disease.  There’ll be many elements to this including how we, as an organisation, recover and return to our normal business.  This may take some time.

To help make this happen we need more staff to come forward to work in our new contact tracing team as part of the national Test Trace and Protect strategy. This is the latest phase in the fight against Coronavirus and it needs to be a success if we’re to begin returning to some kind of normality. We’ve already had a number of staff come forward which means we can populate the initial few teams to get us up and running, but many more staff are needed, including those who can work at weekends. And I’m asking managers to re-assess their teams and workload and put people forward for this vital work now – it’s really not an option. Anyone who’s interested in being involved should contact Matthew Fisher.

It’s great to see some of our services returning to some kind of normality. This week our recycling centres re-opened and the planning behind this has been excellent. Unlike many other parts of the UK, we avoided the public rush and inevitable queues due to our planning, communication and amazing efforts of staff on-site. This is the latest service to return and in recent weeks the likes of cleansing, fly-tipping, bulky waste collections, wildflowers, grass cutting, hanging basket deliveries, highways maintenance and improvements, public lighting, parking enforcement, traffic management, housing repairs and food inspections have all returned. And burials and street cleansing (partial) have continued throughout the crisis. I’m grateful to everyone involved for their huge effort and commitment.

The economic recovery will be a longer-term challenge.  During the pandemic people have had to change their patterns of behaviour, including the way they shop.  This has accelerated the pace at which the internet competes with the High Street and I suspect many retailers will struggle to recover ground. 

This is particularly true for our larger retailers, even in the out of town shopping centres.  Our priority remains the well-being and prosperity of our city centre and our district centres. The challenges facing stores like Debenhams are well documented nationally as their business model, based on historical trading patterns leaves them with rent and rate levels that are not competitive.  The stores are generally too large and most will need to downsize to adapt to the Brave New World.

Debenhams in Swansea remains one of the most viable stores in the UK so last week we spent some time trying to secure their long-term future in the city.  The real issue for us is that our entire retail offer is anchored by one multiple (Debenhams) and one large variety store (M&S).  Failure of one of these would be catastrophic because Superdry, Schuh, Saltrock et al are only on our High Street because of the presence of Debenhams.  The potential loss of rent and rates income to us would be very damaging, let alone the broader economic impacts of mass job losses and spiralling decline in the city centre. 

The policy in Wales on targeting rate relief to the small businesses is flawed because many of the smaller retailers rely on the presence of anchors to exist on the High Street at all.  I was therefore hugely grateful when our innovative finance team including Ben Smith, Julian Morgans and Martin Webborn, came up with a rates deferral strategy that will ensure the survival of the Swansea store while we work with the company on the future trading footprint.  We are lucky to have such creative colleagues who have developed a plan which has been adopted by other Welsh councils faced with the same challenge.  We now need the Welsh Government to set up a fund to protect town and city centres from progressive collapse.  I’d want local discretion to avoid the bureaucracy and form filling that WG would require if they ran the scheme.

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I’ve previously shared the images of work continuing on the city regeneration which will be more important than ever in ensuring the future of our local economy and the well-being of our citizens.

Thank you all for your continued efforts in strange times, it’s really appreciated. Above all, stay safe and well.

Coronavirus has forced us to live and work in ways we perhaps never imagined just a few months ago.

Those changes are likely to be with us for some time as we adapt to a changing world. Many of these changes have relied on technology and I want to pay tribute not just to our staff who’ve adapted to new ways of working, but our ICT staff who’ve made those changes possible and almost seamless.

Who’d have thought back in February that almost our entire office-based workforce would be working from home? That would have been impossible to achieve without our ICT staff making it happen behind the scenes. It’s not overstating it to say that without their huge efforts we wouldn’t be able to operate.

They’ve not just ensured we can operate almost business as usual from home, they’ve been developing new tools to help us work smarter and in line with the government restrictions on working and distancing.

In one of the most remarkable developments they set up a new emergency call centre to support the most vulnerable people who have to shield.  The 20-seat call centre is remote and staff are working from home. Imagine the work this took to set up and go live within the space of a few weeks.

Many of us now meet on Microsoft Teams. It’s been invaluable for me and many others as we plan and make decisions daily, whilst keeping in contact and “seeing” colleagues at a time when we are forced apart. They’ve developed the Swansea Account enabling people to access our services and vital information. This week Dave Topliss also showed us the work done rapidly to administer the new BACS system for free school meals.  The specification was only given to the team a couple of weeks ago for this critical service and the speed and quality of its development is staggering.

The ICT team have created almost 100 new web pages which are updated daily. Their work is so diverse from new online forms and payments for hard-pressed businesses to online bookings for hanging baskets which has been appreciated by many of our customers hoping to brighten up their days during lockdown.

I could go on all day about the other work they’ve done, but suffice to say that without our ICT colleagues not only would we be unable to operate, many people would have lost their lives because we simply wouldn’t have been able to support them.

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I’ve rightly praised over many weeks our social care staff, those who’ve built the field hospital, our refuse workers, those working in communities and many, many more. But without our ICT staff I dread to think where we would be right now. So a massive thank you to all of you for all your outstanding efforts.

The fight against Coronavirus is reaching a new phase for us and we need to adapt again as a matter of urgency. We’re setting up a new team from existing staff to work in a new test, trace and protect contact centre. This work is vital and will be needed for many months.  We’ve already had a number of volunteers, but we now need more staff as a matter of urgency because this contact centre will be operating from June 1. This really is a priority and I need managers to redistribute work among their teams in order to free-up staff to form this new test, trace and protect team. Once managers have identified staff that can be redeployed they need to inform Matt Fisher in HR.  From a national perspective the release from lockdown is dependent upon this strategy working effectively because without it we can’t monitor how the disease is spreading and take the necessary actions to quarantine.  We all want to recover some sort of normality as soon as possible so all those involved in this will be working on a key priority for the recovery of the economy and for well-being of society.

Despite lockdown many organisations are still running awards and it’s great to see that the South and West Wales Safety Group has rated our safety performance for 2019 as outstanding, recognising our excellent accident statistics and community support excellence. And Kevin Webb in our Facilities and Buildings team was commended in the Health and Safety Employee of the Year category. This is a great effort and congratulations to everyone involved.

Congratulations to Amy Hawkins who was appointed as (Interim) Head of Adult Services this week.  Amy has taken up the role at what can best be described as an interesting time and I know she’ll make a valuable contribution to the care and well-being of vulnerable adults and our older citizens.

A big thank-you the Swansea Together initiative based at Matthew’s House on High Street for their on-going work supporting the most vulnerable in our communities, cooking and delivering hundreds of meals a week across the city. They’re organising a ‘Home Run’ fundraising event on June 6. Find out more here.

Finally, a Syrian refugee, who arrived here about a year ago, and was a tailor and dress designer in his homeland has been busy voluntarily making scrubs for NHS and care staff from his home. 

Stay safe and stay well.

Bore da. I hope you’re all safe and well as we end the seventh week of effective lockdown.  For those of you working virtually it’s been an interesting experience in managing technology.  It’s also interesting to see how dependent we all are in normal times on hairdressers.

This week we’ve been preparing to enter the next phase in the strategy to tackle the coronavirus; Test Trace Protect. As restrictions are relaxed, we must find a way for people in Wales to live and work alongside the virus, whilst containing its spread. As lockdown restrictions are gradually eased, each and every one of us will need to take steps to protect ourselves, our families and our communities if we’re to successfully limit the spread of the disease.

This effectively means that any person self-reporting or diagnosed with Covid-19 will need to identify their significant contacts who, in turn, will self-isolate for 14 days.  This will not be a short term initiative.

Led by health colleagues, this national strategy will be based on health board footprints and build on our excellent regional collaboration with the Swansea Bay University Health Board and Neath and Port Talbot Council.

Technically the project will be headed by our Environmental Health Team and clinical leads from the NHS.  The work will involve our public health officers in the identification and notification of the disease and then a huge administrative effort to monitor the close contacts each individual has had via a digital system to record and manage the information.  We will then need to advise those identified to stay at home for the required period.  Councils have been asked to undertake these functions in partnership with the health board and Public Health Wales.

We’ll need to divert staff to undertake these new, critical functions rather than doing their normal work.  We’re currently identifying those work areas where we can release officers.  I can’t stress the importance in us delivering this as part of the national strategy for managing coronavirus and I’m grateful to all those who have worked on this and agreed to take part.

Where we work

Staff who’ve been working from home during the coronavirus pandemic should not be returning to work at their base location without permission from their line managers.  In addition, any reoccupation of our civic buildings would need a revised risk assessment agreed with CMT and the trade unions.

Staff working from home should maintain regular contact with their manager and colleagues, take regular breaks and avoid being ‘always on’ by identifying non-working time.  You should also ensure you’re taking steps to look after your health and wellbeing, including managing your work station and other equipment you use for work. Further useful tips and advice are here.

Regeneration is continuing

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Despite the current challenges, the work to transform the city continues.  During the period of staying at home many of you will not have seen the impact of this.  I thought I’d share with you some images as a reminder that things will return to normality and that the progress we had made is not halted.  It may be slowed but our commitment to improve the city and its infrastructure continues.  Thanks to all who have made this happen.

And finally, it’s great to hear that Our Us Girls programme has just won the UK National Streetgames award in the category “engaging women and girls”. Streetgames has been running their “Virtual” awards ceremony online due to coronavirus.

I hope that you and your loved ones stay safe and well.

A few days ago I wrote a message to our Heads of Service thanking them for their work.  Quite rightly a number of them pointed out that they depend on all the staff in the organisation to step up and deal with the difficulties we all face.  And so I‘m sending the same message to you all.

Five weeks ago the crisis began to hit us.  It seems like five months ago. The upheaval it has caused to our working lives as well as our personal lives has been huge. It has changed what we do and it has changed, probably forever, the way we work.

Many of you have continued to provide your traditional pattern of services whilst others have halted the normal to deal with a different set of demands from citizens.

Every one of you has stepped up to the plate and made your own contribution to help and I am deeply grateful for it, as are the people of Swansea (although they are sometimes slow to show it). 

It will probably be some time before things begin to look anything like they used to but we have reached some important milestones.  Many people feel that the world has ground to a halt but it has not for you.

You have built a hospital in a month.  You have protected our staff through the brilliant and innovative procurement of PPE.  You have established a network to connect and support the vulnerable and provided food and reassurance to the young and to the old.  You have kept our residential homes open in hugely challenging circumstances and you have continued to provide home care to our most vulnerable clients. You have been supported magnificently by our colleagues in ICT who have not only kept ICT services running; they have allowed us to keep all other services running through their preparations for remote working.  You have continued to protect our young people and keep them safe at a time when safeguarding risks are more acute than ever.  You have provided childcare for the parents of key workers, particularly in the NHS and social care. You have continued to teach our school children remotely.  You have kept our staff and citizens informed and communicated at a time they are most concerned about the present and the future.  You have kept the city moving and you have prevented businesses from closing through financial support.  You have kept our roads and our environment safe and you have prevented the spread of disease by continuing to collect our waste.  You have continued to regenerate the city when most others have stopped, as we witness the new arena continuing to spring from the ground.  You have allowed the democratic process to continue unhindered and supported it remotely.  You have continued to make sure that those in poverty receive their benefits and gone further to support those in financial distress.  You have allowed us to stretch the financial and governance rules to respond in a different environment.  You have looked after our tenants and kept their homes safe places.  You have supported the health of our staff through counselling at a time they most need it.  And so much more.

There will be much more to do in the coming weeks and months but reflecting on my weekly Teams meeting with all of the other CEOs and the WLGA I realise once more that we have been better organised, more committed, more proactive and more citizen-focussed than any of the others.

Am I proud of you all given the list of achievements above.  What do you think?

That sums it up perfectly for me.

However, I can’t end the blog without mentioning two issues. Firstly, we handed over the Bay Field Hospital to the NHS yesterday. In little over a month the team on-site has transformed the 1950s factory building into a 21^st century hospital. That turnaround has been nothing short of miraculous. It will initially have 420 beds for those requiring a short stay, and a discharge lounge with 80 seats for people ready to go home, which can expand to respond to growing need. Work continues and it will also have the capacity to provide a further 540 beds if required. Words cannot do justice to what has been achieved, but I will be forever grateful to everyone who had any involvement, however big or small, in this project.

And finally, we’re all waiting for the Prime Minister to address the nation on Sunday, potentially setting out some changes to the way we live and work. Regardless of this, we’ve already been working with unions to agree some areas that can safely return to work. This week we’ve seen staff in areas such as cleansing and parks return, and other areas in the Place directorate will follow once a risk assessment and guidance has been agreed with unions. Alongside this, it’s important that those of us who’ve been working from home during the pandemic continue to do so. For now, only those working in critical roles where they must attend their base location for meetings are allowed to do so – further details are here.

Once again, thank you for everything you’re doing and, above all, I hope you and your loved ones stay safe.

We’ve started discussions with the trade unions about which of our services can return to work.

Officers and Members will be meeting unions today with a list of potential services where we’ve undertaken a full risk assessment and provided guidelines for a safe return to work, which remain within government guidelines and ensure the safety of our staff and the public.

However, as we try to prepare to return to some normality – whatever that may be – there’s some confusion about easing lockdown because there’s inconsistency between the UK and Welsh Governments. So steering through this isn’t easy.

We’re committed to working closely with the unions and, above all, protecting the health and safety of our staff and the public. The ongoing discussions with unions are vital in agreeing when services return in different phases. I’ll keep you posted on developments and our daily bulletin will provide further details.

Whilst staff have remained at home many of you have raised issues about staff car parking charges. I’m pleased to say we’ve taken on board those concerns and have suspended charges for up to six months, backdated to April 1. The permits are still valid during that period and anyone who surrendered their permit can request to have it returned.

I’ve said it before and I don’t tire of saying it, our staff have performed heroics during this crisis. Some have been praised publicly and it’s lovely to see that the public gave Easter eggs and Lottery tickets to our refuse teams to thank them for their efforts. And, in turn, they passed the chocolate gifts on to staff at Morriston and Singleton Hospitals – a lovely gesture by everyone involved.

But there are so many staff doing so many things to help the people of Swansea. I’ve been amazed and here are just a few more things:

This week we believe we became the first Cabinet to hold a virtual meeting during the crisis – this followed a virtual Scrutiny meeting. Cabinet approved the spending on the new Bay Field Hospital – well done to officers in Democratic Services for making the virtual meeting happen.

Staff in Cultural Services who’ve re-trained and re-deployed into a new call centre have been praised by many of the vulnerable people who they’ve helped. Our ICT staff were brilliant in setting-up this home-based call centre so quickly. Linked to this, our Coronavirus webpage has had more than 500,000 hits, making it quicker and easier for the public to access information.

I’ve waxed lyrical about the effort to build the new field hospital, but we’ve also helped to plan and construct a new testing centre due to open at the Liberty Stadium next week.

Earlier this week we launched a huge logistical operation that saw 6,820 pupils in Swansea who qualify for free school meals receive a weekly food parcel. Previously many schools had been providing daily ‘Grab & Go’ packs but the new weekly parcels ensure a much higher take-up so we know that food is getting to those who need it at this time. It’s taken a huge amount of work to put this place and I’m grateful to education and transport for delivering the scheme.

We know just how stressful the crisis has been for our staff. In response, our stress management team have dealt with 742 referrals and provided 465 employees with support and working closely with the hubs and our care homes to support their staff in very difficult circumstances.  My thanks to our staff, helping hands volunteers and student counsellors who provide this valuable support.

These are just a few examples and there are many, many more that I hope to highlight in future blogs.

And on top of responding to the crisis, we’re also cracking on with business as usual and we’ve just helped secure the long-term future of the Grade 2 listed Albert Hall. Officers have worked closely with the company LoftCo in providing a loan and helping secure a grant. The building will become a music venue with capacity for 900, a rooftop bar, serviced apartments and around 2,000 sq m of office space.

And work continues on the Swansea Central scheme as the arena structure emerges.  We need to remember that when we come out of the current situation we must continue with our essential priorities for the benefit of Swansea and the region.

Once again, thank you for everything you are doing and, above all, I hope you and your loved ones stay safe.