Rob’s Weekly Round-up

06 May 2022

Dear colleagues,

I hope this message finds you well and that those of you who have had a shorter week due the bank holiday were able to make the most of the long weekend.

You will all by now have hopefully seen the great news about the final totals of our Miles for Ukraine campaign. 4,297.64 miles travelled and £13,923 for the Disasters Emergency Committee are two incredible totals. It has been amazing to see staff come together in support of the campaign.

While this may have provided a focus for many people’s efforts, I am mindful that lots of our colleagues have also given their support in other ways, either through individual donations, taking part in other fundraising initiatives or in some cases providing direct support. I was contacted only this week by a member of staff who has provided support in this way and it was great to be able to have a conversation about the other ways our colleagues have responded to the crisis in Ukraine. Any support for such a worthy cause is of course something to celebrate and be proud of, so however you may have chosen to get involved, I am proud of everyone’s contributions – well done all.

I’d like this week to give an individual shout out to Martine Coles, our Vulnerable Groups Manager in Learning and Skills. Martine provides fantastic support to young people and schools across the Vale and one of our headteachers, Janet Haywood, got in touch this week to say:

"Big thanks to Martine Coles for the support she provides, always at the end of the phone with a cheery "can do" approach. Martine always has the interests of individual children and families at heart and is often prepared to go the extra mile in some difficult situations. Diolch Martine, your work is much appreciated!"

It is great to hear colleagues speak about each other in such glowing terms.

I’d also like to thank colleagues in our Financial Services team who have worked at great pace over the last two weeks to get the first round of cost-of-living support payments out to residents in the Vale. A single £150 payment is available to all households who live in properties in Council Tax bands A-D, and all those currently in receipt of support via the Council Tax Reduction Scheme. Issuing tens of thousands of such payments is no easy task but the team have had their focus on the big difference this money will make to those that need it and have this week paid out £2.555 million to 17,034 citizens in the Vale. A phenomenal effort that will have a very immediate impact. A huge thanks to all of those that have made it possible.

Finally, as many of you read this on Friday afternoon dozens of staff, myself included, will be at the local election count in Barry, while many more will be recovering from a very long day staffing polling stations and supporting election day in other ways. The election process is obviously central to how we work as an organisation. It is also an important way which enables residents of the Vale of Glamorgan to have their say in how the Council is run and in directing how we will all work to make the Vale a place with strong communities with a bright future. It is hugely important and election day (and night, and the day, and often the day after that) is the culmination of months of planning and hard work from our election team, led ably by our colleagues in Electoral Services. This year has been my first as part of the team and it has been fantastic to be surrounded by so many committed colleagues and work in such a can-do environment. Diolch pawb. The results of the elections will be published on our website as they are declared from Friday afternoon until we finish.

Thanks, as always to you all for your efforts this week. Diolch yn fawr pawb.

Rob.