Chief Executive Blog - May 2013

Dear Colleagues,

Hello again - I’d like to begin this blog by asking how may of you have heard of Ketso?  

Ketso means ‘action’ in Lesotho, where it was invented and it’s an interactive tool that has been described as a ‘hands on kit’ used to engage groups in research, brainstorming or other activities for creative engagement.  It’s been widely used as a technique amongst many organisations including South Lanarkshire Council, Renfrewshire Council and Tesco!

CMT and a cross party working party of Members are using Ketso to structure the Area Based Reviews that are dominating our current work as we strive to find the majority of the £30m savings that are still required.  It’s a challenging process, but early indications are that  it is engaging everyone in a meaningful way in the tasks that lie ahead if Council services are to be reviewed and redesigned.

This month I brushed shoulders with royalty when the Duke of Rothesay visited the new bottling plant at Glen Grant Distillery, Rothes.  Unfortunately I was on official duty so unable to partake of any whisky tasting, nonetheless it was a very enjoyable occasion and another measure of the important contribution of the whisky industry to Moray and the Council’s invaluable contribution in ensuring the planning and building control elements of the new plant went as smoothly as possible.  Well done to Kevan Sturgeon and his team in the Council.

Meetings further afield included the CoSLA Annual Conference and the CoSLA Convention/SOLACE (Scotland) Seminar in Edinburgh, the Highlands and Islands Chief Executive Forum and the Joint Executive Team meeting for the Health and Social Care Integration with Aberdeen Cityh, Aberdeenshire and Moray via video conference.

May is promising to be another busy month with the Long Service Awards presentation for staff and Early Years Collaborative event in Glasgow and the monthly CoSLA Leaders’ meeting in Edinburgh as well as pushing on with the Area Based Reviews.

Well that’s it for now.  As I leave you this month I wonder will summer ever arrive?