Robs Weekly Round Up

01 March 2024

Prynhawn da pawb,

Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus i bawb. Happy St. David’s Day to you all.

There have been celebrations across the Vale today and I’d like to start by thanking everyone in our schools and other services who’ve helped us mark our national day. I’ve really enjoyed seeing pictures our schools and other venues being shared on social media. Diolch y fawr iawn i chi i gyd.

Two weeks ago I shared the news that our Director of Learning and Skills, Paula Ham was retiring. Today, I can share the news of another departure from our Senior Leadership Team. After 33 years with the authority Debbie Marles, our Head of Legal and Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer will be leaving the Vale later this year to take up a role with Cardiff Council.

Debbie has been a fantastic servant to the Vale and has built a great career in public service with the Council. After beginning her career in the private sector Debbie joined the Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council as a newly qualified solicitor in October 1990. She quickly progressed through the department, through the roles of Senior Assistant Solicitor, Senior Solicitor, Principal Solicitor and Assistant Head of Legal before becoming Head of Legal Services in June 2000. In 2015 Debbie took full responsibility for the service as Monitoring Officer and Head of Legal and Democratic Services.

She has provided me and many others with invaluable advice on legal and governance matters over the years. In taking responsibility for many statutory functions such as Monitoring Officer, Chief Legal Officer, and Proper Officer she has ensured our organisation never falls short of its legal duties.

It was Debbie’s work that enabled the council to achieve Law Society Quality Assurance accreditation (Lexcel) back in 2005 and she has been a central figure in keeping us accredited to the gold standard for legal services ever since.

She was also the Vale’s Returning Officer for over 7 years and in 2021 was requested by the Welsh Minister for Local Government and officials to take on the Regional Returning Officer roles for the Senedd and PCC Elections.

As a member of SLT Debbie’s work stretches beyond Legal and Democratic Services and she has played a big role in taking forward many of the large projects that have made such a difference to residents’ lives, including our housebuilding, regeneration and 21^st Century Schools programmes.

Debbie will be a very tough act to follow and will be sorely missed. I wish her all the best in the next chapter of her career with Cardiff Council.

For now, however, Debbie is still very much a member of Team Vale and in her role as Monitoring Officer will next week be providing legal and governance advice to the meeting of Full Council on Wednesday night where the final budget proposals for 2024/25 will be debated and voted on by councillors. The proposals were agreed by Cabinet yesterday.

The Leader and I are planning a joint message to all staff for next week once a budget has been formally agreed. In the meantime, I would just like to thank once more all of those colleagues who have played a part in putting together what is by some way the most challenging budget I have overseen in my tenure as Chief Execcutive. Diolch.

Looking ahead to 2024/25 with a slightly different focus, I’d like to draw colleagues attention to the annual leave purchase scheme which closes for applications on Monday. The scheme is your chance to purchase either one or two additional weeks of annual leave. It is one of the flexible working benefits that have been designed to make it easier for colleagues to find that all important work life balance.

Another date in the diary for next week is Thursday 07 March when the Council’s Families First team will be hosting a networking event at Barry Memo from 10am – 2pm. The event is aimed at both colleagues and partners working with families, young people, and children, Professionals from our Social Services and Learning and Skills teams will be in attendance along with a number of third sector organisations.

Understanding more about the services that the Council and our partners provide can help us all be more effective in our roles and the event should be an opportunity for anyone to learn about the support available to families in the Vale and how to signpost residents towards it.

On a more sombre note, earlier this week I was privileged to be able to join colleagues from our Place Directorate in planting a tree at Porthkerry County Park in memory of Dave Williams, whose passing I mentioned last month. It was a poignant moment for many of Dave’s former colleagues, including myself and it gave all of us who had worked closely with him a chance to reflect. I’d like to pay special tribute to Eleri and Natasha from the Regeneration team who led the proceedings.  Thank you - Diolch to you both.  As someone who has a background in Planning and Regeneration, I know only too well the impact Dave made through his work as part of the Regeneration team.  He was the ultimate professional producing work of an exceptionally high standard and much of his work can be seen in the many regeneration programmes and projects in and around Barry.  In short, he leaves a lasting legacy on the town and those who worked closely with him. 

In a similar spirit, on Sunday we will be lighting the shelter at Barry Island and Hood Road tunnel yellow to mark the national Marie Curie Day of Reflection. This is the fourth Day of Reflection to remember everyone who died during the Covid-19 pandemic. The organisers are encouraging everyone to take part in a minute's silence, share the name of who they are remembering on the day, and plan a reflective event or activity.

The pandemic now feels like a very long time ago but it is a time we will all remember and for me not least because of the phenomenal work that this organisation did to keep people safe and services running.

In 2020 and 2021 we learned so much about what we were collectively capable of. All of our services adjusted in some way or another to the changing needs of our communities and in so many ways this has shaped our transformation as a Council in the years since. I will certainly find time to reflect on this.

Thanks as always for your efforts this week. Diolch yn fawr iawn. 

Rob.