word AUTUMN 2010
The
The magazine for TCBC employees
MOIRA’S EPIC CYCLE RIDE PAGES 5
CAN WE FIX IT? PAGE 6
SCHOOLS REVOLUTION PAGE 8&9
SAFE AND HAPPY CHRISTMAS PAGE 12
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Contents
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Greetings!
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LINDA’S CAREER CHANGE Fostering rewards
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MOIRA’S EPIC CYCLE Lands End to John O Groats
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CAN THEY FIX IT? Meet the property maintenance team
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STAFF NOTICEBOARD News and events
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21st CENTURY SCHOOLS Transforming education
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IN THE ZONE Fitness in work
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Best wishes Neil Jones Editor 01495 742151
Rhys saves the day Torfaen sports development officer Rhys Miller saved a teenager’s life after she was stung by a wasp while at summer camp.
CORPORATE PLAN 2 Planning for the future
Nadia Strange, 15, from Penygarn was taking part in the Woodland’s Field summer camp at the Black Mountains Activity Centre in Brecon on July 30 when she suffered a life-threatening allergic reaction to a wasp sting.
HAVE A SAFE CHRISTMAS Tips for a safe, happy Christmas
Knowing the dangers, Nadia’s mum Pam Strange quickly laid her on the grass outside the tent and whilst on the phone to the emergency services, called Rhys over to help.
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Welcome to the autumn edition of The Word. Read on to find out more about the council’s sweeping plans to transform education in Torfaen; Moira Adams incredible cycle ride from Lands End to John o’Groats in memory of her son; where we are in our preparations for Corporate Plan 2 and much more on all your events and activities from over the past few months. It might seem too early, but have a great Christmas and we’ll see you in 2011.
Designed and compiled by the Communications Team Design 6494 Editorial 2152 Photography 2154 © 2010 Communications Design, TCBC
Mrs Strange said: “She just went white and started panicking. She was crying ‘don’t let me die, don’t let me die,’ and I knew full well she could.” Rhys took the phone from Mrs Strange while she got Nadia’s allergy kit of adrenaline injections from inside the tent. Rhys said: “I tried to keep as calm as possible and followed the instructions from the paramedic over the phone. “I got the epi-pen ready and held it from 10 inches and stabbed the top of her leg. “I then held the needle in for about 10 seconds to make sure all the adrenaline was out.” Nadia was rushed to Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny by ambulance where she was treated and released within a few hours.
supportive, fair, effective
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Rhys said: “In work I had training with a dummy epi-pen. Without it I wouldn’t have known where to put the injection to start with.” Mrs Strange added: “I’m glad he was there, he saved her life and it was a stroke of luck with the training.” Nadia said: “When I came out of hospital and saw Rhys I said: ‘Thank you Rhys you saved my life but my leg is killing.”
Managing in Tough Times There will be tough times ahead, but we’re lucky to work with some remarkable and inspiring people. October’s Comprehensive Spending Review and the size and severity of the cuts announced has made for some pretty bleak headlines over the past few weeks and clearly has not been good news for anyone who cares about delivering high quality public services. The First Minister, Carwyn Jones, has rightly expressed serious concerns about the impact the cuts will have on Wales and we will have a clearer idea this month about how Torfaen will fare when WAG announces its draft budget which will set out how it intends to respond to its reductions in funding. The amount of money that Wales gets from central government is determined by “the Barnett Formula” and a lot of this is made up of funding for health and education which have been largely protected from the cuts. With additional monies made available for health, we do not know whether WAG will choose to pass this on, in full or part, to the NHS in Wales - this will affect the money available for other public services, particularly local government.
The financial situation means our second corporate plan is more important than ever. If we do not have enough money to go round, and have to make some very tough choices about what we will and will not be doing in the future, we must have absolutely clarity on what takes priority. Councillors will be making decisions on the new plan before the end of this year.
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“...If we do not have enough money to go round, we must have absolute clarity on what takes priority...”
Secondly, we will not know for some time how the reductions in the welfare system will impact on the demand for our services. Of course we have known what was coming. All Chief Officers have been considering how they would manage predicted reductions of 3% in revenue and 10% in capital, and are working closely with Nigel Aurelius and his team to set realistic budgets for next year and the coming years of economic austerity. In addition I have set up an Innovation and Efficiency Board in Torfaen where Green Team and Chief Officers discuss ways of transforming the way we do business to minimize the effect of funding shortfalls on services.
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There is some good news however! Surplus school places and ageing school buildings have been two challenging issues that all councils have pushing for WAG to address on a more strategic, national level with mixed success. Our plans for 21st century schools will once again see Torfaen leading some forward thinking and far reaching proposals (see pages 8 and 9).
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There is still much to feel positive about in Torfaen. Be assured that I am very proud of the outstanding work and commitment that you show every day of the year, and I miss no opportunity to make sure people know about it! Reading about people like Moira James and her epic bike ride in memory of her son who so tragically lost his life in Afghanistan and the professionalism shown by Rhys Miller in what was literally a life or death situation, reminds me how lucky I am to work with such remarkable and inspiring people in Torfaen. Regardless of the enormous uncertainties facing public services and the difficult decisions that lie ahead, that is something we should all take time to remember.
Alison Ward Chief Executive
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Changing by Degrees The second Torfaen Sustainability Week was held in October with staff involved in a range of events designed to promote greener, cleaner living. Through the week there were events across Torfaen under the motto, Changing by Degrees. The Torfaen Sustainability Conference kicked off the week at Greenmeadow Community Farm, and saw the launch of the Schools Sustainability Index. Other key events included: •a biodiversity lecture by senior ecologist Steve Williams;
•a local producers market at Greenmeadow Farm; •a n open day at the LIFE station, which included a ‘Love Food, Hate Waste’ demonstration and advice on growing your own food and running an allotment. • D id you know your home could earn you money by generating electricity from renewable or low carbon sources such as wind turbines and solar panels. For further information please visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
Late career change for Lynda Giving up her job as an NVQ assessor for Torfaen Training to become a foster carer was a ‘seismic decision’ for Lynda Brown.
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Lynda, from Cwmbran, joined the former Torfaen Borough Council in 1983 as a clerk/typist in the planning department, later moving to planning and building control where she specialised in land searches for house sales.
In 1994, she transferred to Torfaen Training, but a decade later, was ready for a new challenge and, in 2005, she was accepted as a foster carer with Torfaen’s MIST project. “I was thrown in at the deep end as I was working with challenging young people with the aim of keeping them out of residential care,” Lynda recalls. “However, it was nice to be working from home.” A grandmother by then, Lynda confesses - tongue in cheek – that becoming a foster carer made her feel ‘like a young mother again’. She has since had five long-term placements, and a number of young people have stayed for short breaks.
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They remain in touch and seeing them living independently gives Lynda a real sense of personal satisfaction because she knows her involvement has made such a big difference to their lives.
I have never regretted deciding to foster. I hope my story will encourage others to take up the challenge.
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Fostering has its frustrations of course and Lynda admits to feeling disappointed when young people have, at times, rejected her support and advice. She also regrets that sometimes their attitudes towards her have concerned her massivelysupportive family.
Despite everything, Lynda wouldn’t change a thing.
Lynda Brown - foster car er
Torfaen’s Family Placement Team is constantly looking for foster carers and you don’t have to give up your job as it is possible to combine a career with fostering. You need to be over 21 years of age, in good health, and have a spare bedroom, but above all else, you must enjoy spending time with children and young people and be able to provide them with a stable, caring home environment. To find out more, contact Recruitment and Development Officer, Jeff Davies, on 01633 648426 or email jeffrey.davies@ torfaen.gov.uk
Moira’s epic cycle ride in son’s memory Moira Adams, assistant cook at the Highway in Croesyceiliog, cycled from Lands End to John O’ Groats this summer in memory of her son, Private Kyle Adams, who was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in 2009, aged 21. Moira and husband John set off at the end of July on the fundraising cycle to raise money for the Afghanistan Trust which helps support soldiers and their families who have served with The Parachute Regiment in Afghanistan and who have been wounded or killed. Kyle, who attended Croesyceiliog Comprehensive, was killed on 6 August 2009 alongside Lance Corporal Dale Hopkins and Corporal Kevin Mulligan when the vehicle they were travelling in was hit by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. Another Para who was travelling with them was also seriously injured. Moira said: “After we lost our son I wanted to do something in his memory that would have a real impact and this bike ride is exactly the type of thing that he would have loved to do. He was very active and always had a smile on his face. He was so proud to be serving in the Paras.” Moira was joined on the ride by her husband and Kyle’s father, John, and Kyle’s uncle, Ken Campbell and his partner, Pearl Hale, although Pearl had retired early with knee problems. They finished the bike ride on Saturday 14 August, clocking up a staggering 1004 miles.
If you would like to support the Afghanistan Trust and Moira’s cycle ride, donate at www.justgiving.com/pte-kyle-adams
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SMART home move
Can we fix it? Yes they can! Ever wondered how that flickering light bulb got fixed, that radiator got warmer or that toilet got unblocked? These are just some of the many tasks fulfilled by the New Inn depot based Property Maintenance team on a day-today basis.
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With a responsibility for keeping council properties in good working order to ensure service delivery is unaffected they very much are the team behind the scenes.
...we are the unsung heroes, working behind the scenes...
Group Leader Mike Wright explains: “The team are the unsung heroes who keep the buildings in safe and good working order. “We have a team of building surveyors, mechanical and
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electrical engineers, an asbestos management surveyor and a property compliance officer. We also have a small, direct works team of carpenters, painters, bricklayers and labourers to carry out emergency reactive maintenance on properties. Technical Support staff also run the Property Management helpdesk.”
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The main role of the team is to deal with the surveying and inspection of the authority’s property portfolio, ensuring compliance with legal duties, maintenance programmes, asbestos management and duty of care programmes.
This is your chance to get you r hands on the same innovative forensic marking system that the council is using to protect its property at a discounted price. You may have seen news reports or read about the council’s use of SmartWa ter. Each bottle has a unique chemical code which is registered and provides proof of ownership. The liquid is invisible to the naked eye but glows under UV light for police to detect and is almost imp ossible to remove. Now employees can get a SmartWa ter home coding kit for just £15 plus VAT – the regular cost is £50.96 plus VAT per year. If you have an @torfaen.gov.uk ema il address you can contact SmartWa ter direct on 0870 242 88 99. Any employee that does not have an @torfaen.gov.uk e-mail can order the home coding kit through the Insu rance department on 01495 766117.
FORENSIC SYTEMS IN USE
If you have an urgent problem then call the team on 01495 766706.
Staff noticeboard:
What’s been going on over the past couple of months.
Carwyn drops in
Cupcakes and coffee raise £500 for cancer support This year’s County Hall MacMillan coffee morning has raised £488.46 to improve the lives of people affected by cancer. “Once again, everyone dusted their cake tins and baking trays, dug out their recipe books and cooked up lots of mouthwatering treats for us to sell,” said organiser Andrea Cook, Assistant Team Manager in the Disabled People’s Service (DPS). “I’d like to thank everyone for their support, including those who couldn’t come along on the day but donated raffle prizes.” Andrea and the DPS team have organised the annual coffee morning and raffle since 2007 and in excess of £1,000 has been raised for Macmillan. The team is now collecting toiletries for homeless people or those living in refuges at Christmas. If you can help, please email andrea.cook@ torfaen.gov.uk
First Minister Carwyn Jones visited Torfaen in July as part of his tour visiting frontline public service staff to hear at first hand how services can be protected and improved. The First Minister, pictured in one of our refuse lorries with Brian Moylan, was joined by Social Justice and Local Government Minister Carl Sargeant, on the visit.
Taking up the Zumba Challenge Anyone who has tried Zumba knows that the latest fitness craze is very energetic – and exhausting – so surely no-one would attempt to do eleven classes in one week ? But that’s exactly what social services complaints officer, Trudy Walters, and administrator, Liz Watkins, did recently. The intrepid duo took part in a Zumba Challenge to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society, attending classes across Torfaen for six days. “We both have loved ones living with the illness so this charity is very close to our hearts,” explained Trudy. “We wanted to raise as much money as we could with a smile on our faces, though we could have done with some new legs at the end of the six days.” Cwmbran fitness instructor Amanda Ellis came up with the idea of the Zumba Challenge earlier this year as a way for people to raise money for the charity of their choice. Participants must attend all of Amanda’s eleven classes free of charge while raising money for a charity. “Doing the classes together helped to motivate us and kept the smiles on our faces no matter how much our muscles ached,” added Liz. Liz and Trudy were joined in their efforts by Gill Roissetter from Gwent Police, demonstrating that they take partnership working seriously.
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Sweeping plans for 21st century schools The education service’s sweeping plans for transforming Torfaen schools were announced in September. The service’s Forward Planning Team has led the proposals which consider every school and every pupil in the borough. The aim is to create the right schools of the right size in the right place across Torfaen. Chief Education Officer, Mark Provis and Tony Walker, Assistant Chief Education Officer and Head of the Long Term Capital Strategy Unit, gave The Word their take on some of the most pressing questions.
Tell us about the background to the plans? The Assembly asked us to put forward our proposals for dealing with the age old problems of ageing school buildings and surplus places in schools. We have done that by developing a Strategic Outline Plan that addresses every school and every pupil in Torfaen. The proposals could see as much as £266m invested in schools if the Assembly agrees our proposals over the length of time of the programme.
Why so radical and why now? The Assembly has said that the piecemeal approach to refurbishment or replacement of schools in poor condition has come to an end. It wants to see a strategic long term approach which addresses every school and every pupil in Torfaen and the rest of Wales. The programme will be the only major source of funding in future capital investment in Education.
How much will this cost for primary, secondary and Post 16 overall? Primary preferred options costed at £113m, Secondary at £153m. The preferred options costed may not be the final options chosen in the next stage of the bid process, so the costs may change.
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What happens if WAG money dries up due to government cut backs this year, next year or the year after? We will have to continue to try and raise funds by other means to enable us to carry out some capital investment in those schools in the worst condition and without WAG funding the programme would take longer to complete.
Why is the maintenance backlog so big? Torfaen inherited a large maintenance backlog in 1997 and limited funding has been available to maintain our schools meaning the backlog has not been addressed. Since 2007, we have made much progress with investment programmes targeting the worst condition school buildings, but a large backlog still remains.
How will this improve education? This will provide a 21st Century environment in which children will be given the best opportunities to learn and develop their skills. It will also provide a better teaching environment for staff, and offer opportunities beyond the school day to the wider community.
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What schools are affected? All schools require investment except Nant Celyn, Padre Pio and the planned Blaenavon Heritage Primary School incorporating St. Peter’s CiW and Hillside Primary and Nursery Schools.
My school has community facilities. What happens if it closes? Maintaining and growing community facilities in schools is an important part of the programme. We want to ensure schools are in the right place and are community focussed serving that wider community.
How have you reached these options and who has made them? All options were considered by the Forward Planning Team in the Education Service. They were based on an analysis of a range of critical success factors; Surplus places, in and out catchment pupil data, pupil projections, building condition and survey.
As required by WAG preferred options were identified from this analysis and put forward for consideration. These are only options and will be subject to full and formal consultation.
What’s happening with the plans for the sixth form centre? That project is now entering the second phase which will last several months. The preferred option is to create a Post-16 centre combining academic and vocational courses on one site and in the process close the English medium 6th forms, making all English medium schools 11-16. Much of Coleg Gwent’s Pontypool campus would also close.
• More information will be
available on www.torfaen.gov.uk in the near future.
On 11 September, almost 40 friends and colleagues of the late Jon Conick pounded the streets of Torfaen, walking from Blaenavon to Cwmbran, to raise money for the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff. Jon Conick was employed by Torfaen and was the life and soul of the workplace. When he lost his fight with cancer on the 20 June 2009 at the age of 29, he was being treated at Velindre Cancer Centre. Andy Wilson, one of Jon’s colleagues and friends organised the walk; “Jon was a much loved and sorely missed colleague of many of us. Velindre Cancer Centre treated and cared for Jon throughout his illness, and we wanted to do the walk again this year to raise valuable funds to help them continue their vital work for cancer patients in south Wales.” The walk started from Big Pit and covered the length of the borough to finish at the Three Blackbirds Inn, Llantarnam. So far we have raised £4459; if you would like to donate visit www.justgiving.com/thejonshow2
Timetable December 2010 – Deadline for submission to the Assembly Government. April 2011 – The Assembly announces which projects will be in the first wave of funding (band A) April 2011 to Mar 2012 – Local Authorities chosen in band A submit a more detailed business case.
Domestic abuse in the workplace Half day training sessions are taking place on Monday 22 November and Tuesday 7 December at County Hall from 9.30am – 1.30pm. The sessions are an introduction to the issues facing managers and colleagues of staff who are victims or perpetrators of domestic abuse and aims. The training is free and a mixture of presentation, small group work and discussion. For further information, please contact Immy Lee, on 01633 648296 or immy.lee@torfaen.gov.uk
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FIT AND HEALTHY GET IN THE ZONE! Do you ever struggle fitting time in for a bit of exercise? Now you can use the Health & Wellbeing Zone at County Hall for a fitness class or to use the gym equipment during your lunch break or after work.
Shaping up together... There is a one off fee of £5 per year but no additional cost to access the gym. You will also need an induction so you know how to use all the equipment correctly. Situated in the old NALGO club, the gym is open Monday – Thursday, 7.30am – 7.30pm and Friday, 7.30am – 6.30pm. Members should book a time slot using the Workplace Activities Calendar on the Health & Wellbeing site on Torfnet.
With over 150 members already, it’s becoming more and more popular with classes such as Zumba being one of the favourites. Other activities such as pilates, Legs, Bums and Tums and circuits is also available at £1 per session as well as a gym area which has a treadmill, rowing machine, stepper, 2 bikes and 2 cross trainers.
Deb Morgan, Administration Officer, said: “I started the pilates class as soon as I heard about it. I played netball for years but after suffering from back pain I had to stop and heard that pilates was a good way to strengthen the muscles in the back. It’s improved so much since I started, it’s very relaxing and I really enjoy being able to come during my lunch break”.
Martin Richards, Information Officer, said: “I attend the fitness classes and use the gym as it’s so convenient for me to be able to use the equipment here. The instructors are really supportive and I’ve met people I wouldn’t normally have met during my normal working environment. It’s great value for money too which is a bonus!” Sue Bradfield, Bookstart and Early Years Worker said: “This is my first time to a class and I’ve really enjoyed it. I saw it advertised on the intranet and thought I should start doing something so here I am. I’ll definitely be coming again.” For more information please call 01633 648583.
Don’t forget Torfaen staff can enjoy a discount membership at council leisure facilities too.
Mountain madness A group of adventurous staff signed up for Mountain Madness – free mountain bike sessions organised by the Sports Development and Health Improvement teams in September. Half a dozen headed to the Blaenavon countryside, with qualified cycle instructors taking them through their paces on the off road terrain.
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Delivering What Matters – Corporate Plan 2
In November councillors started finalising the key priorities that will make up our second Corporate Plan – the strategy that will guide the council through a hugely challenging time for public services. Work started in early spring 2010, when we launched the What Matters to You campign.
will prioritise resources. This will follow WAG’s budget announcement later this month.
Around 1000 surveys were completed and more than 1000 ‘What Matters to You?’ postcards were returned providing a real insight into what our citizens, businesses, community groups and staff saw as being the priorities for improving the quality of life in Torfaen.
Richard Edmunds, head of strategic services unit, said: “The data we have gathered will ensure that the final plan will reflect our Members priorities and those of the citizens of Torfaen.”
Members have been analysing this data and the next stage will see them refine the 15 outcomes below into a smaller number of areas for which the council
Alison Ward said: “The current climate means it will be more important then ever that we have an agreed direction of travel and clear set of priorities.”
Outcome Statements Encourage people to be physically active and healthy and support those with poor physical and mental health
Reduce anti social behaviour and help people feel safer in their neighbourhood
Maintain the quality of buildings, roads, cycle paths and pedestrian routes
Ensure children and young people engage in education and achieve their full learning potential
Ensure vulnerable adults and children are safe from harm and abuse
Increase recycling, reuse and reduction of waste and reduce energy consumption
Support families to ensure pre-school children have the skills required for school
Provide opportunities for people to increase their skills for employment and further their careers
Help people to have access to good quality and affordable homes
Support families and individuals living in poverty
Support communities to regenerate their local surroundings
Help carers to access services and support
Support frail people to continue to live at home
Reduce homelessness
Improve employment opportunities by attracting new employers and providing conditions for existing businesses to grow and prosper
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12 Safe Days of Christmas The selection boxes are in the supermarkets, X-Factor and Strictly are dominating Saturday night telly, and the clocks have gone back! Yes folks, Christmas is on the way, so here are some useful tips from our trading standards team on making sure it’s a safe and happy one - both at home and online.
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On the first day of Christmas Watch out for electrical faults! Check for faulty tree lights and worn wires - if in doubt throw them out. On the second day of Christmas Keep decorations cool. Christmas decorations have to comply with standards that make them less likely to burst into flames, but they are not ‘fire-proof’.
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On the third day of Christmas Care with candles! Candles can easily set fire to other materials, such as table clothes and curtains. On the fourth day of Christmas Don’t overload plugs and sockets. They pose a risk of electrocution and can result in overheating and fires. On the fifth day of Christmas Keep choking hazards away from children. Christmas cracker gifts, tree decorations, other people’s presents, nuts and batteries, especially button types, all pose a risk.
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On the sixth day of Christmas Don’t take risks with food. Don’t leave food out too long and make sure that turkey is defrosted.
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On the seventh day of Christmas Check your presents. Don’t buy unlabelled toys, make sure toys conform to British Safety standards, and are suitable for the age of the child. On the eighth day of Christmas Shop around online for a cheaper price, but stick to web retailers and services you know about or have been personally recommended to you.
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On the ninth day of Christmas Look for online firms that are part of an independent approval scheme that includes measures to protect your privacy, ensure payments are secure, and know your consumer rights.
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On the tenth day of Christmas Look for websites that have a secure payment service (known as an encryption facility) and also if they have a privacy statement – there is usually a padlock icon on the payment screen.
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On the eleventh day of Christmas Make sure you know the online trader’s full address - especially if the company is based outside the UK. Don’t assume an internet company is based in the UK just because its web address has ‘uk’ in it.
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On the twelfth day of Christmas If you are buying an item or service online that costs over £100 then consider paying by credit card.
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