Chief Executive Blog - February 2016

Dear Colleagues,

Like many of you this past month, I had the pleasure of attending a Burns Supper and the Burning of the Clavie event in Burghead, which is always an exciting spectacle.   I also made a valiant attempt to kick start my fitness regime for 2016 by attending my first Jog Scotland class in January.  Unfortunately I was unable to go the next week, but this is something I hope to get back to very soon.

I have met with a variety of people including our local MSP Richard Lochhead, and the new Principal of UHI Moray College, David Patterson. I also attended the annual meeting of the Moray Trades Council, which once again proved useful in terms of keeping another group abreast of current issues.   I also met with partners of Moray’s Community Planning Partnership, and was in Edinburgh for regular meetings at Cosla.

One of the highlights during the past month for me was the budget exercise my fellow directors and I held with the senior management team.   Despite a very short turn-around time to prepare for the exercise, everyone responded well.   
What is becoming clear to me is that we are now beginning to feel the added value of the series of meetings and events, such as the Leadership Forum, Listening Meetings, Managers’ Briefings, etc, all introduced in recent times which are now an integral part of the way our management structure communicates and works together.  This has helped develop a common bond and understanding which can only help as we steer the council through these testing times.

In terms of what lies ahead, there is no doubt that the budget situation will be the primary challenge, but planning for the future for an organisation the size of the council takes many forms. An example of this was the recent Corporate Parenting Event held at Moray College, which was about how our local services can work together to meet the needs of Looked After Children and Care Leavers.
Another is the Early Years Conference taking place in the Alexander Graham Bell Conference hall at Moray College on 19th February.  This will be the fourth such conference and will help inform the Early Years Strategy.  I am particularly looking forward to hearing keynote speaker Katie Brown who works closely with the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland.    

With the mid-term break in schools fast approaching it is important to make sure we give ourselves time to recharge our batteries.  Whilst for some of you this may be through a sporting activity, for others it may be curling up with a box set of dvds or a good book.  However you do it, I would encourage you to make regular time for yourself so that you are refreshed and ready for the challenges ahead.