September has been another busy month, I don’t think we ever say anything different these days.
For me, as well as further development of the business and budget options for Members to consider and the transformation progress, I have had a real focus on Safeguarding.
Each year MVDC, along with all other statutory partners of the County’s Safeguarding Boards, are required to complete a self-assessment to provide assurance that we are undertaking our responsibilities in terms of safeguarding young people and vulnerable adults.
Having completed the vulnerable adults self-assessment and preparing for the Children’s Safeguarding assessment, there are requirements that, as Safeguarding Lead, I need to ensure we are satisfying. This means I will be completing a Training Needs Assessment to highlight roles within the organisation that may require more in depth training than the basic level that we ask all staff to do every three years. I will make contact with BMT to discuss in the coming months. As ever, if you have any questions or queries about safeguarding, or need help in making a referral if you have a concern, contact one of your Safeguarding Leads – Kirsty Jones, Stu Cole or myself. The Safeguarding Policy is available on Molly and on our website and this contains the instructions on how to make a referral also.
This month has also seen a huge amount of work for the Wellbeing Team on mobilising the new contract for our two leisure centres. The pressure is on to work with the two existing operators who will be handing over the centres to Greenwich Leisure Limited (you may know them as Better) at the end of November. There is a lot of work to be done in a tight timeframe and I would like to thank the Wellbeing team but also the legal, property and finance teams too for their support and input. There have been sleepless nights and it still feels like a long way to go, but team work really does make the dream work… We’re not there yet…but we’re edging closer.
This month culminated for me on Friday with SLT joining Members, some new and others more long serving on a coach trip around the District. We visited a number of stopping off points where we were met by our teams who spent some time celebrating progress in some of our major projects and successful completion of others. These included Transform Leatherhead, Mole Valley Life, Parks and Affordable Housing. It wasn’t possible to cover everything we’re proud of but SLT had the opportunity to talk to Members on the tour to tell them about all our teams and what we do and are achieving. We ended the day with a talk about the history of, and a sneak peek inside, Pippbrook House. Whilst there have been changes made inside the building to accommodate it’s various uses in the past few years, its internal beauty is still very much evident when you take in all the exposed details and exquisite original workmanship. I wouldn’t have wanted to clean it though! ? That’s it from me for now – onwards to October, when I will be welcoming in the teenage years into my house. The twins turn 13 this month, and I’m not sure I’m ready for it! ☹