Page 3 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • May 2003 3
Leading the council to improvement Six ways to cast one vote
Swindon is again leading the way
With voters going to the polls in early May, newly appointed Chief Executive Simon Birch sets out his in giving people choice in the way
manifesto for transforming Swindon Council into a dynamic, responsive and effective organisation they cast their vote in the local
elections this year - via the web,
There is a tremendous challenge put in place. The Council has ac- and underpin these three overall or interactive TV, by telephone,
in being Chief Executive of Swin- cepted the need to change, a vital objectives. Improved internal and through one of eight iPlus Ki-
don Borough Council at this time. pre-requisite for going forward, external communications are es- osks in the town, by post, or at a
Over the past eighteen months and has established excellent work- sential and the council needs to cel-
the council has received critical ingrelationships with central Gov- ebrate its many successes as well as polling station.
Remote electronic voting, and
inspection reports on its education ernment departments and with the take the criticism. Policies and strat- by post, takes place from 24 April,
service, on social services, and, various inspectorates. Wearenow egies are urgently needed so that 6am, to 30 April.
most damning of all, on the coun- all working together to secure per- there is clear direction and purpose On 1 May, those who want to
cil as a whole - the Comprehensive manent improvements in the over the next few years as well as vote in the traditional way by
Performance Assessment (CPA). Council. towards the '30 year vision'. putting a cross on a piece of paper
In the Autumn an Evening Ad- The key to improving the bor- can do so at a polling station.
vertiser headline proclaimed, 'It's ough council is positive part- Polling cards providing the de-
official, Swindon has one of the worst nership between councillors and tails of how to vote will be deliv-
council's in the country' follow- officers, between the council and ered to every address.
ing the publication of the Gov- its many partners, and between
ernment's CPA league table. the council and residents and
This table divided councils businesses.
into five categories, from excel- My task is to ensure that we
lent to poor, and it came as no have a shared vision of where (Estoblisled over 10 ears
surprise to find Swindon in the we're heading and that this i
poor category (together with 12 doesn't get lost in the day to day 'WE COME TO YOU
other authorities out of a total of 'busyness' of running a large and AT HOME OR WORK'
150 covered by the CPA). complex organisation. Trans-
I joined the borough council forming such an organisation * FREE
in August 2001 as Director of with 8,000 staff and an annual y° collection & delivery
Environmental Services with a budget of £182m will notbe easy ,t Servicing & repairs
very full and challenging work- but there is a firm purpose and
load - implementation of the resolve within the council and a BIKE WE ALSO SELL
DOCTOR
Northern Development Area tremendous groundswell of * New cycles
(with 10,000 houses one of the goodwill and support within the * Parts & accessories
biggest urban extensions in Eu- borough.
rope), planning for the Southern I look forward to reporting on
Development Area, setting up Building for the future, Simon Birch our progress in the coming
the Urban Regeneration Company A detailed and comprehensive months and years.
in the town centre, introducing Improvement Plan has been pro-
decriminalised parking arrange- duced, containing 76 specific tasks
ments throughout the borough, to be implemented by the end of
negotiating with Westfield for their 2003. New management is being
massive new town centre shop- introduced in education, in social
ping development, plus a wide services and in the corporate core
range of environmental initiatives of the council.
and projects. As part of my appointment proc-
After a year in Premier House I ess I was asked to describe my
was asked to be 'Acting' Chief Ex- vision for where the council is
ecutive as substantial management heading. I believe that Swindon
changes followed the raft of nega- has the potential to be a national
tive inspection reports. This move 'exemplar' of public service. To
opened up a fresh set of opportu- achieve this I identified three key
nities and challenges and in March priorities:
2003 I was appointed to the posi- 1. Meeting councillor expecta-
tion on a permanent basis (follow- tions by making sure that there is
ing a national recruitment cam- scope for them all to be involved -
paign and very rigorous selection in policy making, in scrutiny, in
process). ward issues - and by greatly im-
Why did I want the job? A poor proving our communications.
performing council facing complex
problems and challenges may not 2. Turning the borough council
seem a very inviting prospect. into a top class employer. About
However, I have worked in Swin- 85% of the council's expenditure is
don long enough to know the tre- on staff and there is tremendous
mendous potential for improve- scope for improving recruitment
ment and for positive working. I and retention, for concentrating on
have been heartened by the com- staff development, and for learn-
mon purpose amongst councillors, ing from other employers.
staff, residents, businesses and 3. Transforming the council so
other partners for the council to that it meets the needs of residents,
improve and to be a top performer. businesses and partners. There are
No-one likes to be labelled 'poor' many areas where changes can be
and Swindon Borough Council is made so that the local authority
no exception. becomes an organisation which is
Since last August the 'building good to do business with.'
blocks' for improvement have been There is much to do to support