Staffnet+ >
Message from the Managing Director

09 July, 2021
Dear colleagues,
I hope this message finds you well. Whilst our attention remains on managing the on-going pandemic and impact on our communities and residents, there have been a couple of items agreed by Cabinet this week, which are important for colleagues to be aware of.
Firstly, Cabinet was considered the Council’s response to the Welsh Government's consultation on their draft Race Equality Action Plan for an anti-racist Wales. In the Plan, the Welsh Government states its aims to make Wales an anti-racist nation and make the Welsh Government and all public bodies become anti-racist organisations by 2030.
The Cabinet report states that ‘The local government sector is committed to anti-racism and has been responsive to the issues arising from COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement. Along with all other local authorities, this Council signed the #ZeroRacismWales pledge in 2020. Work has also commenced to review street names, statues and monuments in the Vale of Glamorgan. The Council is supporting the development of an Ethnic Minorities Network for staff. The Welsh Government’s Plan will, however, require an even more concerted effort to become anti-racist in a relatively short timescale.’
This Council is proudly and fervently anti-racist. At SLT this week, we had an update from Martine Coles, the Chair of the Ethnic Minority Staff Network. As an SLT we have committed to providing our support to the Network and if this is an area of work that you would like to support, then I would strongly recommend that you read the report to Cabinet for further information and consider joining our Ethnic Minority Staff Network. Please contact ethicminoritynetwork@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk to find out more.
Cabinet also agreed our Climate Change Challenge Plan, which is part of the wider Project Zero. This will now be referred to full Council for consideration later this month. I would like to thank all the staff who have contributed so far to project zero, either during the consultation period or following that in delivering workshops with school pupils and young people. There will be a huge amount to do if we are to become carbon neutral by 2030 and to encourage others to reduce their carbon emissions. However, I am encouraged by the scale of the plan’s ambition and pleased to see progress in lots of areas. As with the Race Equality Action Plan, however, there is more to do.
Both plans are hugely important in shaping the future for this organisation and our wider contribution to society.
Something else that shapes us as an organisation is our staff and it’s that time of year again when the #itsaboutme and #itsaboutus process has started. This year, it has purposely aligned with the process for finalising team plans, so managers can plan the next 12 months with their teams and set goals in mind. The #itsaboutme and #itsaboutus process is an important one because we know that when staff are recognised and appreciated for their contribution and are clear about the expectations on them, they are more engaged and in turn more productive.
Regular performance conversations throughout the year, combined with #itsaboutme, provide an ongoing review and support mechanism that should drive the success of every team member. This has become even more important over the last 12 – 18 months, with home working, isolation, burnout and mental health all being issues that have affected staff. Providing clarity, support and direction to our team members is essential and #itsaboutme is a way to do that.
This week, the Leader and I attended a meeting with Welsh Government Ministers, to talk about the next step in easing restrictions in Wales. Whilst no decisions have yet been made, the easing of restrictions may well continue, despite the increasing numbers of positive cases of Coronavirus, because the data shows that although numbers are increasing, the number of people needing treatment in hospital remains low. This is down to the number of people that have received both doses of the vaccine in Wales. Whilst the vaccine will not stop you from getting coronavirus, it decreases the likelihood of you becoming seriously unwell. For those of us with older and more vulnerable family members, this should be seen as positive news.
I would encourage you to get vaccinated if you have not done so already. The mass vaccination centre in Barry is now offering walk-in appointments for those who have yet to receive their first dose of the vaccine.
Finally, I would like to say well done to the Electoral Registration team. It was reported this week that over 3,000 young people, aged 14 – 17 have joined the electoral register in the Vale. Almost 2,000 of them are aged 16 and 17, meaning that they were eligible to vote in the Senedd elections, held in May, and the Local Government elections, will which take place in May next year. The team took part in a national campaign to encourage young people to register to vote and have recently awarded five young people with iPads, which were offered as an incentive to register. Da iawn i chi gyd! It is so important for young people to have the opportunity to vote and influence decisions which will affect them in the coming years.
I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend. Take care and stay safe.
Diolch yn fawr,
Rob.