Friday 23 April 2010

A great week this week - a combination of moving forward quickly on some of the larger corporate change programmes coupled with some brilliant weather. Topped off with a superb Victoria sponge made by Louise Della Mura from property services for our weekly team and biscuits session yesterday. Thanks a lot Louise. And my new kitchen is almost fitted - last night I was washing up in the bath which is starting to annoy even me! Just the plumbing to go now...

I chaired the Work Place Transformation Board on Tuesday. This board oversees the numerous delivery work streams that make up this programme, which we now believe to be the largest and fastest service and property transformation programme anywhere in the public sector, let alone local government. Many of you will have also seen the Cabinet decision to approve the decant of some County Hall and Browfort based staff to the George Ward site in Melksham while the refurbishment is carried out. Whilst some are very excited about this, I know that others are very worried about how all of this will work. The programme team will now be working hard with individuals and teams to work out the details and to minimise the disruption to our customers, work and personal lives. More of this in future blogs.

David Amos from the Local Government Improvement Network in Scotland visited us on Wednesday. Wiltshire is increasingly being seen as a leader for its successful work on LGR, BMP and systems thinking led service transformation using lean principles. It was good to have some national recognition for this work.

I'm joining the ICT management team at Urchfont today where they are conducting the detailed planning around the in-sourcing of ICT and how ICT supports the work place transformation programme. This is the most important part of this programme, as the flexible use of our office and operational estate all hinges on great, reliable ICT. The first role out of the new kit starts over the next few months as Bourne Hill starts to be fitted out.

Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend and talk again next week.

Carlton