I’ve written often about the importance of the work we do to protect and promote our reputation – and Swansea’s more widely. Major projects like Swansea Arena, the Mumbles sea wall and Castle Square matter to how the council and the city are perceived by outsiders as well as among the residents we serve. So do issues like the events we stage, the libraries, parks and beaches we care for and the scores of services we provide. We want people to see us as a well-run council which cares about our communities, operating in a city where they feel safe and are proud to call home. As such it’s important to try and understand residents’ views, and you may therefore have seen that Swansea is currently participating in a national survey across councils in Wales which you can join via the link. Once completed we will review if the all-Wales survey approach provides us with the level of detail needed or if we are better reverting to the previous local survey as part of our public engagement strategy.
While I was on leave last week the latest GCSE results came in and, once again, Swansea students consistently out-performed their peers elsewhere in Wales. My congratulations to them, their teachers, schools and parents. The results reinforce our reputation for good quality education services that the survey shows residents appreciate.
If you’re on the Senior Management Group, make sure its next meeting on September 3 is in your diary. We have asked that if anyone isn’t able to attend, they arrange for a team member to attend in their place. This will ensure all parts of the Council are represented at this crucial forum. Doors open at Brangwyn Hall at 8.45am and, following feedback, it’ll be a half-day event finishing by 1pm. Also, managers need to complete their mandatory Management of Absence training and workshop as soon as possible. Many of you have, but all managers need to do it. Find out more here.
This week there’s been another phishing attack on our systems from people targeting us via emails claiming to be from our IT service centre. You can read more about it here. Thankfully, no harm has been reported, but it demonstrates how we all need to be vigilant when it comes to cyber security.
As you know, supporting the Welsh Blood Service is an issue that’s important to me on a personal level. So if you can give, please do. Click on the link for information about local donor sessions. I am also due to meet the service shortly to arrange a session in the Guildhall so more details of that in a future blog
Onto long service and Spencer Martin who works in our commissioning team reached the milestone of 40 years’ service this week. He has of course done his best to keep it quiet (not) and pretend he isn’t old enough but as he started out work as a YTS in Building services I have the evidence to prove otherwise. Congratulations Spencer on this great achievement and your continuing contribution. I am sure you have a few more good years in you yet.
It’s also time to say farewell to two long-serving members of our housing team. Doug Vonk is retiring after 43 years with the council, more than half of that time with the neighbourhood support unit. Independent Living Officer Sandra Brown retires after 26 years with the housing team, having started out as a sheltered housing warden. My thanks to both for their service and I’m sure we all wish them well for their next chapters. Finally, as a reminder, I am always happy to reference long service or retirees if managers send me the details.
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