Probably the most important thing we do every year is set our budget. It has implications for services, the public and you – our staff.
The decisions we make now will directly affect you for the next 12 months and beyond. The budget filters down into every team and will determine the budget you have for basic items from pens and uniforms to how often we collect waste or open libraries and how many people we employ.
This time of year is when the hard discussions take place with each Director and Cabinet Member to decide how we allocate the money. We’re now at a point, having met with Cabinet yesterday, that we can take our proposals forward.
This year hasn’t been as tough as some had feared. That’s due to excellent financial management and clawing back money from the Welsh Government for the extra spending during the pandemic.
However, it’s the year after and beyond that’s giving us problems. The Government will not have the funding it has now and we’ll no doubt be hit. So we’re deciding next year’s budget with more than one eye on the following years when some tough decisions will need to be made. That means continuing to tighten our belts so we can build up reserves to help deal with some of the future funding issues.
Just before Christmas we’ll know what we’re actually getting from the Welsh Government, although we have a good idea already, and then we’ll consult in January before going through the political process and agreeing a final budget in March.
Thank you to everyone involved in helping with the budget proposals.
Appeal for staff
We’re appealing for staff from across the council to come forward to help our under-pressure services for the elderly and vulnerable over the Christmas period. We need staff with the appropriate qualifications and skills to cover shifts during December and January in areas including residential care, domestic care and night care. Rates of pay will vary depending on the grade of the role and shifts/times on call, while additional payments will be made for standby allowance, unsociable hours, and night shift allowance. If you’re interested please send an email to carerapplications@swansea.gov.uk Further details are here
Do your bit
The latest Covid infection rates are still causing huge concern so I’m repeating last week’s message encouraging everyone to get vaccinated to help protect your colleagues, family and the public. If you haven’t been vaccinated please call these numbers – 01639 862323 or 01792 200492. And if you’re due to have the Covid booster jab or the flu jab please go along and have it done.
The pressure on staff and services is rising during the winter and this week there’s been a lot of coverage of Cinema & Co. Our enforcement team has worked brilliantly with hundreds of business in the past 20 months to help meet Government restrictions and protect the public. We understand the pressures facing businesses and we’ll continue to work with them to keep people safe. In the meantime, thank you to all our staff for your continued efforts.
Reasons to be cheerful
A huge thank you our officers who’ve helped develop Wales-wide climate change proposals. Martin Nicholls and Tom Evans have been working with Welsh Government to amend the Tan 15 proposals which basically guide councils on how to develop on potentially flood-threatened land. Following discussions, the Welsh Government announced this week a delay to introducing Tan 15 which will affect many of our development sites and I’m sure will be welcomed by every council in Wales.
Our Christmas Parade has been one of our success stories this year. Last weekend’s event saw crowds return to the city centre for the fantastic spectacle. Our staff in Cultural Services and other teams who planned and supported the event deserve huge praise – thank you!
I’m delighted we’ve been awarded the title of Queen’s Green Canopy Champion City. We’re one of 13 cities in the UK chosen to celebrate the Queen’s 70th year on the throne. It will promote our green credentials to make Swansea a ‘green’ city. As part of this Penyrheol primary school held an event and each pupil did a portrait of the Queen.
Our Glynn Vivian Art Gallery has become the first in the UK to be awarded the accolade Art Gallery of Sanctuary. This is a fantastic accolade celebrating the commitment of organisations to ensure a warm welcome and inclusivity for all. Last year we celebrated 10 years as a City of Sanctuary and this award illustrates our ongoing support of refugees and people seeking asylum.
As a new staff member to the LAC team I really enjoy reading these weekly blogs. I couldn’t make the christmas parade so it was wonderful to see the highlights. I’m going to suggest to the LAC team that next year we have a float to promote LAC!
Welcome Natalie and I hope you are enjoying the work in your key role in social care. Thanks for your kind comments. I think the float is an excellent idea.
Phil
hi Phil, I’ve got to the point, like I’m sure thousands of other Swansea residents have, that our ‘Enforcement Team’ are wasting their time and our money. The law in Wales clearly states, we must wear face masks in shops unless you have an underlining reason not too. if anyone believes this is happening, they need their eyes tested. No wonder the amount of cases in Swansea is as high as anywhere else in the UK, is because of lack of enforcing these measures. Every shop i go into, from a local CK’s to The Range, the respect for others has vanished. On occasions mask signs have been removed and staff don’t bother asking customers if they are exempt. i completely agree that Cinema.co should close down in line with the law set out by the Welsh Government, but its not worth the paper it was written on. The owner didn’t even turn up to court and yet they still opened that night. Unless this Authority shows some b%ll5, the situation will get worse and our services, if you think are bad now, just wait. I work in a department of front-line workers transporting Swansea residents to their day services, hospital appointments and children to schools and colleges. Yesterday 12 members of staff, all double jabbed tested positive for covid. Fortunately we are making ends meet, but for how long. Without this service there will be uproar, as it has a knock on effect to parents and carers. More is needed to enforce the law, not only at ASDA!
Hi Robin
I’m sorry to hear of more staff and their families affected by this virus. My best wishes to all those concerned. I’m constantly grateful for the effort of staff on the frontline who are playing their part and doing all they can to help the most vulnerable in our communities. Please stay safe.
While the pandemic continues, we all need to take personal responsibility to follow the rules.
It’s part of our job to protect the public and that’s what the action with Cinema and Co is about, alongside a lot of other work being done by the public health team to support businesses to follow the Welsh Government regulations.
Phil