Hard work from committed staff

Snow joke – our teams responded brilliantly

For many the sight of snow is greeted with excitement and joy , but for us our immediate thoughts are ‘how will this adverse weather affects our services’? Because of the professional and fantastic work of our committed staff, we’re pleased to say the answer to that particular question is there was very little impact.

It’s fair to say we had more snow than forecast but our emergency and highways team stepped into action, working day and night to keep Wiltshire’s roads as safe as possible. From dealing with snow and then the inevitable ice, the team gritted the roads time and time again. Indeed, officers from so many departments put plans in place to ensure their services weren’t affected– from adult care workers checking on the vulnerable to library assistants determined to get to work so that they could continue to serve the the local community – so many of you went the extra mile and we thank you for your support, it doesn’t go unnoticed and it is really appreciated.

Flag flying high for equality and inclusivity

As a council we were proud to raise the LGBT flag outside of County Hall earlier this week. It’s a symbol that we are an open, welcoming and inclusive organisation. Many staff and members attended  to witness the flag being hoisted and it was a really positive start to the week. It’s LGBT History Month and if you pay a visit to the atrium at County Hall you will see an eye-opening display which just goes to show how far we’ve come as a society over a short period of time. It’s quite shocking to see how much attitudes have changed in the past 20 years. Please do take a look if you can.

Draft budget considered by cabinet

Cabinet took place this week and it was the latest meeting which saw the draft 2019/20 financial plan on its agenda. Rightfully so, the budget goes through a rigorous process before the council’s 98 councillors debate it on 26 February. We are an organisation that spends almost £1bn per year and every penny has to be accounted for. Cabinet endorsed the plan that focuses on delivering savings and managing the growth and services pressures. Each year the budget increases by around £10m from additional council tax, but the demand in some services including adult social care and children and families means there is a need to continue to find savings and efficiencies.

Just the job – achieving excellence

It really has been a week of hearing about the fantastic work that you all do. We were pleased to host  the latest Achieving Excellence Awards and as always it was an  inspiration. The awards highlight the variety of work that we deliver and how our staff often go beyond the call of duty. We heard a number of stories of staff looking out for vulnerable people, dealing with a major incident and a manager going above and beyond to be there for a seriously ill member of staff. The awards presentation is a highlight in our diaries and we hope all the nominees and winners also had a good time. Recognition from your colleagues and an award for a  job well done, really can make a difference and it’s a thank you from us too

Alistair, Carlton and Terence