Budget discussions underway

This week we’ve started work on the 2025/26 budget, including a number of meetings between Cabinet, CMT and heads of service. It’s the start of a process that ends with decisions by Full Council next March. This week featured line-by-line discussions about social services and education, with other service areas following in the coming weeks. The idea is to pull together a range of options for consideration and what happens depends on the impact on us of UK and Welsh Government budget announcements. They will inform further discussions, talks with trade unions, and consultation with you and the public. I’ll keep you updated.

The staff survey said our budget arrangements were among your top areas of interest and this week heads of service have been sent further detailed feedback from you about their areas. The next step is for them to analyse the responses and in the coming weeks come up with action plans to address the points you’ve raised. This is part of our commitment that we will feedback to you on what steps we intend to take so you can see what impact your views have had on the way we work. I will keep you updated on how this is going in future blogs, but if you want to raise issues or make any further points now, please do drop me a line via the blog or by email.

Another thread from the staff survey was about senior managers being visible among their staff and on the front line. So last Friday I was really pleased to meet the team that delivers our Youth Justice Service. They do an incredible job with young people who’ve committed crimes or are at risk of doing so. They engage with young people to jointly come up with constructive, realistic ideas and opportunities to help divert them from criminality and offer a sense of purpose in their lives. This can include training and education in areas as diverse as hairdressing and welding to carpentry and gym activities. My thanks to all involved, your work is highly valued. I want to visit as many areas of the council as I can, so if you want me or a director to come and see you, let me know.

This month is Cyber Awareness Month. Cyber security is fundamental to the effectiveness of the services we provide to residents day in and day out. So please play your part in keeping our services safe in a few simple steps.

My thanks this week go to Kelly Jon Renna from our revenue and benefits team and Celyn Evans, our School Funding and Information Officer, who have gone the extra mile to support our residents. Kelly-Jon’s empathy for a member of the public needing our support was so notable that they wrote to the council afterwards to thank him and confirm that ‘not all heroes wear capes’. While Celyn has been praised for her dedication in ensuring the public consultation on our Specialist Teaching Facilities is going smoothly, not an easy task with such a complicated set of proposals.

Finally, congratulations to three members of staff who have clocked up decades of service. Andrew O’Brien, who works in our audit team, has just completed an astonishing 50 years of service. Leasehold Officer Amanda Richards and Senior Housing Improvement Officer Sue Williams, two members of Housing and Public Health, are each celebrating for 40 years with the council. Remarkably, Amanda and Sue started on the same day – 8^th October 1984. Thank you all very much for your service.