Education

It’s goodbye from me….

May 31, 2019 by Jack Leave a Comment

Goodbye really does mean goodbye this time, after this blog I hand back the reins to Phil Roberts who is returning to work on a phased basis from next week. I am delighted that he is ready to return as I am sure you all will be.

The last few weeks have been dominated by the EU elections. Our team did a fantastic job and all went smoothly. I must say a special thanks to Alison O’Hara who led the efforts in the final days and did a superb job. I have always enjoyed working with the team, it is a classic example of the strength of teamwork with all prepared to do whatever is needed, including providing massive quantities of sausage rolls and pasties to keep us going! (Thanks Sian).

Last week I was delighted to see the annual launch of the High 5 Awards take place at St Helen’s Primary school. The awards are in their eighth year and again are a testament to teamwork. Siany from Mumbles Pier was joined by our new ambassador James King from Ospreys, Cyril The Swan again created mayhem. These awards have recognised some incredible young people over the years and you can help by nominating, please visit this link. The awards are not just about recognition, important though that is, they have also helped to inspire other young people to push on with their personal goals.

Continuing with young people I am delighted to see that Clase Primary has been ranked Good and Excellent in an inspection published today. Congratulations to the staff and pupils. Colgate are running a competition where schools can win a playground made of recycled materials. Two of our schools, St David’s and Waunarlwydd are in the running. You can vote for them by going to this link.

In the distant past I was responsible for producing the Authority’s annual accounts and would struggle to get them completed by September. Ben Smith and the Finance team have worked with staff across the Council and completed the task by the end of May! This has been achieved with fewer resources and more complexity, well done to all. The accounts may be a mystery to most but they are an important aspect of corporate performance and a feature of financial control which is vital in delivering all of our services.

This week I attended my first (and last) meeting of the City Deal Joint Committee that brings together Leaders from the four local authorities and partners. There has been much controversy as a result of issues at Swansea University and in relation to a life sciences project in Llanelli, widely covered in the press. This meeting was to get matters back on track and to this end agreement was reached on new governance arrangements that will see each Authority contributing to the task rather than the (criticised) concentration of activity in Carmarthenshire. A crucial next step is Government approval (and money) for the early projects including Swansea City Centre. This is currently expected in the next two weeks. I hope so.

An element of this meeting was consideration of the revised proposal for the Tidal Lagoon. This has caused much hilarity in some quarters as the press focussed on the prospect of a floating village etc. The reality is that the project will only proceed if the basic technology of the lagoon can be afforded and funded and if public sector bodies agree to purchase the electricity. If that works then what floats where is an entirely different matter! The next phase is to seek to procure a partner with the skills and resources to deliver, funded by Welsh Government.

Finally a few words regarding my experience on returning. I have enjoyed it, and largely been made very welcome. Things have changed over the three years I was away. The challenges are much the same, though the scale and intensity have increased markedly.

It has been a pleasure to be reminded how many of you, provide excellent service whatever the circumstances and I wish you all well.

All change for Lord Mayor

May 17, 2019 by Jack Leave a Comment

The Lord Mayor of Swansea is appointed at a Ceremonial Council annually and the changeover occurred this week. Tradition has it that the longest serving Member who has not already held the office is appointed. Councillor David Phillips has done an excellent job this year and will be succeeded by Councillor Peter Black and I wish him well in what will be a very busy year.

Whenever I mention money in this blog it seems to have negative connotations as we continually strive to meet ever more challenging savings targets. So it’s great this week to have some positive financial outcomes! Cabinet approved the award of two key contracts – one for local bus services and one for park and ride buses. In both cases not only were services maintained or improved but significant savings were achieved. It was great to hear Cabinet Members praise the officers involved not only in terms of the outcome but also the hard work that goes into such tasks.

Personally, I was also pleased to see Cabinet adopt a policy on “Pupil Development Grant”, formerly known as “Pupil Deprivation Grant”. This money is allocated to schools on the basis of the number of pupils in receipt of free school meals (FSM). Whilst we can be rightly proud of our schools relative performance it remains the case that FSM pupils do not perform as well as others in general, the position being worse for boys. This Policy requires us to monitor the effectiveness of the use of the grant, learn from best practice and undertake research to drive up achievement. A continued focus on FSM pupil attainment is a key priority for us.

It is also good to see that this week a clear policy promoting the rights of people with learning disabilities and mental health issues to live supported in the community was endorsed. Supported living has been very successful in Swansea for many years, the issue here is that this policy binds officers and councillors together in advocating for this important provision.

At CMT we discussed the staff survey again. Each Head of Service is tasked with addressing issues in their area of responsibility. It is for CMT to drive forward change in a small number of key issues that are identified across the Council, three were selected. Firstly, bullying and harassment. The policies relating to staff are being reviewed and updated assisted by specific feedback from some individuals. The issue that is very worrying is the increasing trend in allegations relating to members of the public.

Secondly, Safeguarding. This has been our number one priority for many years and much positive work has been done. It is very concerning therefore that the survey returns low result on, for example, people’s awareness of the key lead. The third issue related to staff reporting lack of knowledge in terms of their work area and plans for change. This raises yet again challenges in relation to staff engagement.

All three issues have arisen previously so clearly CMT is not only going to have to refresh what has been done previously but also come up with some new approaches to affect these key issues.

Three years after we launched our specialist mental health resource centre Crest in the former Cwmbwrla Day Centre the service is about to take the next exciting step in developing the services we provide.Working with partners it is to become a Recovery College providing formal education programmes as a route to recovery for people with a lived experience of mental distress. Crest will continue to provide the employment and day services it already offers but this addition will enhance the work and educational opportunities available at the centre.

Many of our schools have been working closely with the Show Racism The Red Card for a number of years now and they were very well represented at the charity’s creative competition awards. Winners came from St Helen’s, Cwm Glas and Terrace Road Primaries as well as YGG Llwynderw and Olchfa Comprehensive.

A word of thanks to the Emergency Management Team who were called out late last night to support the fire service to evacuate local residents due to the wildfire on Kilvey Hill. All the residents found temporary accommodation with friends, but this is another example of the great work being done by our teams to support local communities.

A whole blog without mention of Brexit or the EU election? Well, not quite. Staff have been dealing with postal votes this week and making preparations for polling day. Much of my next week will be taken up with the election so the blog would be more boring than usual!

Finally, colleagues may wish to be aware of two forthcoming funerals:

Dave Gill, Monday, 20^th May – 2:30 p.m. Siloam Baptist Chapel, Goetre Fach Road, Killay, Swansea. SA2 7AL and then 4:00 p.m. Llanelli Crematorium.

Jamie Parsons, Thursday 23^rd May – 2:00p.m. at Morriston Crematorium – if you are attending, the family would like you to wear something colourful.

Good news about Phil and Nick

April 26, 2019 by Jack Leave a Comment

I’m delighted to give you some positive news on both Phil Roberts and our Education Director, Nick Williams.

Nick has been on sickness absence for a number of months and he’s now in a position to return to work on a phased basis in early May. I’m grateful to the staff in education who’ve helped cover for Nick during that period, particularly Mark Sheridan who’s been acting Director.

I met Phil earlier this week to check on his progress and recovery. Typically, Phil insisted on getting an update on a range of work issues rather than talk about his own situation. But, again, I’m delighted to say Phil is making good progress and whilst his return is some weeks away, we obviously look forward to him returning as soon as possible.

Our Pupil Referral Unit has had a positive inspection report from Estyn. The report said the PRU is a caring and inclusive community where nearly all young people who attend make good progress and nearly all of them go on to college once they leave. This is an extremely important part of our education provision in an area that requires strong leadership, and this pleasing report is a big step along our improvement journey. Congratulations to headteacher Amanda Taylor and her team for all their efforts.

Pentrehafod Comprehensive, recently refurbished

CMT this week discussed the next phase of school building improvements totalling £150m. There’s a strong link between investment in school buildings and educational outcomes, and some of those schools that have recently benefited from investment have seen better outcomes and behaviours. In the past few years we’ve prioritised investment in additional learning needs (ALN) and education other than at school. The latest Band B proposals include investment in a new special school which continues this commitment. I’ve been impressed by the generally good performance of Swansea schools, but it remains the case that pupils receiving free school meals and those with special education needs and ALN perform less well than others so we need to continue prioritising investment in this way.

CMT also discussed a potential restructure to our ALN service to ensure it’s fit for purpose for the next 3-5 years. The plan is subject to consultation with affected staff but it’s designed to help the service meet the changing needs of young people. I look forward to the consultation having clear outcomes so that we can put the restructure in place.

Given our budget pressures the council has been trying to maximise its return from land it owns or holds. We’ve adopted various approaches and a recent report to Cabinet identified a number of sites where we can go to the market to test whether developers are interested. It has to be a balance between getting the right development and getting the best possible financial deal, and it’ll be interesting to see if our approach can achieve this. Of these sites, Home Farm has attracted greatest attention in the media and on social media. It’s a council depot adjacent to Singleton Park, and although it’s caused a public reaction they’ll have an opportunity to give views if a developer comes forward with a planning application. The proposal does not encroach on the parkland which is a very important point.

Another issue making headlines is High Street which the Daily Mail so generously labelled the worst in the UK! This kind of story affects the community, business and the reputation of our city – so thanks a lot Daily Mail. That isn’t to say the area doesn’t have problems, of course it does. Our Deputy Leader, Clive Lloyd, will be leading work across the council and partners to see how we can work together to improve the street environment and make sure vulnerable people and their needs are taken into account.

Thank you again to all those staff who worked over the untypically glorious bank holiday. Many of our vulnerable citizens would not be able to cope without your support and I really appreciate your hard work.

Finally, continuing the theme of Brexit and parallel universes, I was astounded this week that 21 of the 22 chief executives in Wales spent time discussing whether to fly the EU flag on Europe Day on May 9. The worry is that by flying the flag during the current European election period it could be seen as seeking to influence the outcome of the vote. I expect the regional returning officers will determine it won’t be flown on this occasion. But it’s not something I can get too excited about. I feel I’m in a Monty Python sketch at times!

Brexit’s parallel universe

April 18, 2019 by Jack 2 Comments

Mysteriously, I find myself transferred back into the weird parallel universe known commonly as Brexit. Despite uncertainty surrounding the European elections, large quantities of public cash (not this council’s!) are being committed to preparing for this potential event, which could technically be cancelled anytime up to midnight on the night before. Should the election go ahead we will need a variety of staff in place and our electoral services team are currently seeking to fill a number of positions, if interested please apply here.

It is also worth noting that we are now in the pre-election period (from 15^th April 2019) for this as of yet unconfirmed election! We need to be careful, as do all public bodies, not to make announcements etc. that may influence the election outcome. If in doubt, seek the advice of your manager or the legal services section.

Back in the real world I was pleased to see that sentencing took place this week in relation to the call centre scam known as ‘Wolves of Wind Street’ which I covered here previously, a prosecution brought following an investigation by the Trading Standards team.

Many teams in Swansea operate under severe pressure and that is certainly true in relation to our food hygiene service. So again, I am pleased to hear of their successful prosecutions recently achieved. Well done to all those involved in this vital work in an area of public protection that does not always get the recognition it deserves.

School budgets are under pressure along with all other areas of public service. Since returning to the Council I have been pleased to see that school performance has improved or been maintained across the patch over the last few years. This week the latest inspection results for Townhill Primary were released and confirmed good performance across all criteria. Well done to all staff and pupils, it was particularly pleasing to note that children are in an environment where they feel both safe and valued.

When times are tough (when were they not?) it is vital that there is a clear understanding of what management is doing, whether it be the Corporate Management Team (CMT), the leadership team or individual departmental management teams. CMT this week agreed a revised template setting out the various responsibilities so that we can be clear who is accountable for what. Anyone interested can access this ‘corporate grip’ report here.

Whilst I am sure budgets and money are not the most inspiring or uplifting subject for many staff, it is vital that the Council both sets and delivers financial targets. To this end CMT this week compiled and reviewed early options and proposals leading to the next budget round. These will be refined and discussed with cabinet over the next few weeks. The financial outlook remains challenging. Any view that the much-hyped end of austerity could transform the position seems to me to be misplaced. If more money feeds through to local Government it is likely to come with strings attached and will not therefore alter the overall position.

Another week, another threat from Neath Port Talbot to withdraw from a regional arrangement, this time the City Deal. It is of course for them to manage their own business. All of us working in regional arrangements will be well aware of the conflicts, the contradictions and the sheer hard work that they entail. So why don’t we just declare the independent state of Swansea and withdraw from them all?

There are many reasons, the first is philosophical, a belief that we can achieve more by our collective effort. The second is practical, Welsh Government policy is to push harder on regional working and there will shortly be legislation in place to push the agenda further and faster. Our task is to find ways to make regional arrangements work to the benefit of our customers, clients and citizens. We can influence the policy in positive ways but we cannot be seen to undermine it!

I never thought I would see the day when we built Council homes again. So the start of work at Parc-y-Helyg is an important step, creating local jobs and supporting some of our apprentices. Well done to all involved in this initiative.

On a similarly positive note, the sun is due to shine over the Easter break, but I offer no guarantees. I hope all staff who have the opportunity of a break enjoy their time off. But we should all thank those many staff who will be working to ensure that services to the community continue over the bank holiday.

Keep your ideas coming

January 25, 2019 by Martin 8 Comments

Thanks to all those staff who attended the recent roadshows. More than 750 staff turned up and the fact so many expressed their views frankly to senior managers is encouraging. What can senior managers learn from the dialogue?

Well, firstly it’s clear many staff have deep concerns about the future of local government in the face of continuing austerity. This isn’t surprising given the continual pressure on services and insufficient funding. It’s clear, however, there are people keen to innovate and generate ideas which will help make us a more sustainable council.

A number of staff approached me after the events with suggestions and I’m conscious some people are not comfortable raising ideas in a large forum. CMT will discuss ideas with individual staff and there’s a staff suggestion scheme online for those with digital access, or you can give ideas to your manager. All suggestions are considered by the relevant Head of Service for implementation.

There’s also an impatience among some as to the pace of cultural change in the organisation and the need for us to focus on productivity and output rather than attendance and bureaucratic processes. CMT will consider the feedback from the roadshows over the coming weeks and I hope we can do justice to the invaluable feedback we’ve had.

Fostering stronger relations

The Leader and I have been discussing our relationship with the Welsh Government to raise Swansea’s profile nationally. In fairness we spend a large amount of time making the case for the city in the corridors on the Senedd and I’m impressing on the management team the need to have constructive dialogue with senior civil servants. There’s a danger policy makers at the national level are remote from the realities of working at the coal face and the impacts of their decisions or the missed opportunities for improving services. Unfortunately, demands of the job sometimes mean we struggle to devote enough time to this but I’ll be reinforcing the importance of building stronger relationships and presenting innovative proposals to the Welsh Government and making sure we exploit opportunities to attract more funding to this council and this city.

More Brexit sorry

Next Tuesday sees the next milestone in the runaway train that is Brexit as the debates will rage again in the House of Commons. It remains to be seen whether an unlikely compromise can be reached or whether we face a delay in Brexit or a further referendum. In the meantime, we’re continuing to plan for any eventuality. On Thursday I joined the discussions at the Welsh Government EU preparedness Advisory Panel. A lot of work has been done by the Welsh Government to support the economy, ensure continuity on the provision of health, care and education services and to mitigate the impacts of a no deal Brexit. There’s a website explaining what’s being done.

The Council hosted a roadshow presentation by the Home Office on the EU settlement scheme to inform EU citizens living in Swansea on the application process in relation to obtaining settled status. The roadshow was well supported with over 70 people hearing from the Home Office the steps they need to take and information and contacts they can contact to support them through the process. This also involved a Q&A session to address individual concerns and issues. The information and presentation will be uploaded to the web along with the information from the Q&A session.

Education

Our Director of Education, Nick Williams, has been off work due to ill health. I visited Nick this week and I’m delighted to say he’s doing well and looking forward to returning when he’s fully recovered.

Council last night agreed in Nick’s absence our Head of Vulnerable Learner Service, Mark Sheridan, will be our Statutory Director of Education on an interim basis.

A huge thank you to Mark, Helen Morgan-Rees, Brian Roles and the education team for stepping up to cover this crucially important role. Council also considered the strong progress made in delivering education department priorities last year and noted that the priorities for this academic year:

Improve teaching and learning with a particular focus on reducing inequalities for the most vulnerable
Improve leadership and school governance
Work in partnership to develop a sustainable education system
Embed the new ALN, wellbeing and behaviour strategies
Ensure all learning opportunities take place in safe environments

Fitting tribute

Pupils at Pontarddulais Comprehensive School will today be commemorating Sunday’s Holocaust Memorial Day. Holocaust Memorial Day remembers the liberation of Auschwitz in 1945 and I’m encouraged our younger generations are so involved in today’s important event.

Great effort

Many thanks to staff in our winter maintenance team who worked around the clock making sure our roads were treated with grit during the low temperatures this week. While there were some issues on the roads I’m sure the work of our highways teams helped keep these to a minimum considering the conditions.