Robs Weekly Round Up

19 January 2024

Dear colleagues,

This week started with an announcement that we have been expecting for some time; that over the next two months our youth and education services will undergo a formal inspection by Estyn, the inspectorate of education and training in Wales.

This is far from an everyday occurrence – the Council was last inspected in 2013 – but inspections like this are routine and a number of our colleagues have spent recent months preparing for the announcement.

Ahead of the inspections, Estyn is surveying local staff, learners, young people, parents and other local residents with an interest in the youth service and education services. Some staff may also be asked to meet with or provide information to the inspectors. This could include colleagues from other parts of the organisation as well as Learning and Skills. Two senior officers in our Learning and Skills team, Trevor Baker and Martin Dacey, will be acting as the link between the Council and Estyn. They will be coordinating our work with the inspectors and I know all of those staff who are called upon will give all the help and support they can to help Martin and Trevor demonstrate the quality of our work. I’d like to thank everyone in advance for their efforts.

Our Learning and Skills teams do great work. These weekly messages often share stories of the impact their work has on children and young people. We now have the opportunity to demonstrate this to Estyn. I am looking forward to working with the inspectors to find more ways in which we can support children and young people and seeing the excellent work of our teams being recognised in their findings. Sticking with that theme I’d like to congratulate Palmerston Primary School who are the first school to complete the first round of projects funded with money generated by Big Fresh Catering Limited - a fantastic outdoor seating area for the pupils to enjoy alfresco dining and outdoor lessons.

The outdoor area has been named ‘Smart Space’ in honour Kitchen Manager and cook Tracey Smart, who alongside her team provide nutritionally balanced meals for all pupils whatever their likes and dislikes may be. 

Donations from the local community, businesses, and parents all helped make this possible. The Smart Space will make school more enjoyable for pupils to attend and a nicer place for our colleagues to work.

In a school where I know the whole team work to support each other to make school life a pleasure for the pupils this is a great example of how working differently will benefit everyone. Headteacher Sarah Cason is absolutely delighted with outcome and so am I. Fantastic work all and I am going to add to my list of New Year’s resolutions to take my lunch break in the Smart Space some time soon.

If you are also looking for new ways to make a positive impact this year then you might want to pop into the volunteering fair taking place at the Memo next Wednesday (24 January).

Local community organisations and charities will be joining Glamorgan Voluntary Services (GVS) to offer volunteering opportunities for the year ahead. The event takes place between 10am and 2pm at the Memo Arts Centre in Barry.

Over 40 organisations will be available at the volunteering event for an informal chat and don’t forget that the Council’s new volunteering policy allows all staff to spend a day supporting a community initiative.

I’d also like to draw colleagues’ attention to the consultation that launched yesterday on next year’s budget proposals. Colleagues should now hopefully be familiar with our budget strategy for next year but as well as giving residents (including staff) and other interested parties the chance to have their say, the consultation hub gives a really neat explanation of the Council’s position and how we are seeking to address it.

Finding more ways for people to participate in policy and decision making is one of the ways we will bring the Council closer to the communities we serve in the coming years and I’d like to thank the planning policy team who have been hosting drop-in sessions on the draft strategy for our replacement local development plan (RLDP) over the last two weeks. When you read this the team will be at St Paul’s Community Centre in Penarth for their final session.

As a planner I know only too well and can testify that the RLDP is an issue that can incite strong feelings in many residents. The drop-ins have been very well attended and I know the conversations that have taken place have been at times very supportive, at times quite challenging, and at times everything else in between.

I’d like to say a big thank you to Andy, Chloe, John, Marcus, Victoria, and Zoe for taking the time to take their work into the community and give so many people the opportunity to have their say. The RLDP will be very significant in shaping the development of the Vale over its lifetime and the consultation will continue online until 14 February.

I’d also like to thank all those staff who have been working outside in very low temperatures this week to ensure the cold snap doesn’t mean any disruption to our services. It has been below freezing most mornings this week and while many of us will have had the central heating turned up to cope with this we also have hundreds of colleagues out in our communities every day without that luxury. Diolch yn fawr pawb.

Finally, I’d like to share some feedback I had this week about our colleagues at Belle Vue park pavilion. “The staff were first class” was the simple compliment passed on to me and its one that I feel applies to so many of Team Vale. Da iawn to the team at belle Vue Pavilion !

As always thank you all for your efforts this week. Diolch yn fawr pawb.

Rob.