As this is my last blog of 2024, I first want to say thank you to you all for your support, resilience, and dedication this year. If the events of the last 12 months show anything they demonstrate that our reputation depends on you – and you have gone above and beyond for the people of Swansea. I wanted to close the year with some highlights. I can’t cover all of the good work, so apologies if I have missed something out.
We will soon be seeing the handover of 71/72 Kingsway, one of our landmark city-centre projects. We have seen major progress this year, including the Princess Quarter, Y Storfa, the opening of the Albert Hall and, of course, the Palace Theatre. We’ve also seen progress on keynote programmes like the tidal lagoon project, the Mumbles Sea Wall coastal protection project, and the Urban Splash City on the Beach renewal scheme. We’ve continued to take advantage of the City Deal. We have gained more than £20m of Levelling Up and Shared Prosperity funding to help renew communities with small-scale projects that have made a difference. We have also held two elections – Police and Crime Commissioner in May and the General Election in July.
In challenging times demand for our services has been greater than ever. We’ve responded by being there for the people of Swansea – the #HereForYouThisWinter campaign being the most recent example. These challenges extend to our social care, education services and our schools, who continue to respond brilliantly. Their responses, along with the council’s wider actions, are backed up by positive feedback from our regulatory bodies Audit Wales, Estyn and Care Inspectorate Wales.
We’ve been able to focus on regeneration projects that matter to our economic and social well-being and continue to make progress on climate change and nature recovery, although lack of government funding makes this difficult. But we’ve also not lost sight of our basics, including running cultural venues and libraries, filling potholes, collecting waste and recycling and dealing with the odd storm along the way. We continue to stage first-class events like the Wales Airshow, Ironman 70.3 and another brilliant Christmas parade, alongside seasonal attractions. My thanks this week go to the Brangwyn Hall team for enabling the BBC National Orchestra of Wales’ (NoW) Christmas Carols concert to be such a success.
Our continuing Successful and Sustainable Swansea transformation journey has seen our workforce strategy take important steps in developing our reputation as a learning organisation. This includes areas such as training, manager development and values and behaviours. Thanks to you, we’ve also secured many awards in the last 12 months – each enhancing our reputation.
Outcomes from our staff survey are helping improve communication and chart the next steps in our transformation programme. You are also making your voices heard in the new reward and recognition initiative, spotlighting staff achievements and long service. As part of this, Digital Services has just awarded 25 long service certificates to members of the team.
So, there have been so many stories this year of collective and individual achievement, and they have been among the highlights of this year’s blog. My thanks to everyone involved for your continued efforts.
I’ve drawn attention to many retirements this year and I must mention Caroline Miller from the Cabinet Office, who is retiring early in the New Year after 43 years. I also want to offer condolences and support to former colleagues of Rachel Davies on the sad news of her passing last week. We were all touched by Rachel’s story and staff around the council this week helped raise £2,700 for her family.
I’d like to offer personal thanks to all staff and councillors for your unwavering support for our residents and for demonstrating the continued excellence in service delivery. I remain in awe of the work you all do, day in, day out. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting many teams over the year and hope to continue to do so during 2025.
So I’ll close the year by saying thank you again, and wishing you all a happy Christmas and to those who will be working through the festive period I’d like to express my gratitude for your service and thank your families for their forbearance.
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