Executive director blog posts.
Many of you will have seen the announcement made last week that I will be leaving Derbyshire County Council in early autumn
Chris Henning joined Derbyshire County Council in May as the new Executive Director – Place.
Our Modern Ways of Working project is looking at how we will all work differently moving forward as we start to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.
As you are hopefully aware I am the council Executive Director for equalities and diversity and today I want to pick up a particularly important issue.
We all know climate change is a global issue which, as a community leader, we want and need to play our part in addressing.
On Thursday 6 May 2021 voters in Derbyshire will get the chance to decide who will run the council for the next 4 years.
In a few weeks' time it will be foster care fortnight, we will be doing all we can to raise the profile of the amazing work foster carers do.
Imagine if we were asked to write down the thing we would least want other people to know about us
Over the past few weeks I've been involved in some of the employee engagement workshops that have been held across the council.
The clocks have sprung forward, spring is in the air and Easter is fast approaching.
As I write this, I have just come from observing the minute's silence that marked the anniversary of a year since lockdown.
You may not be aware but alongside my functional role in children's services I now have a new role as Executive Director champion for equality and diversity.
Last Friday was the anniversary of the first COVID-19 death in the UK
This week is national Food Waste Action Week and it got me thinking about what more me and my family can do to avoid throwing food away.
Like most of you, I was desperate to hear what the Prime Minister was going to say earlier this week about the plan to get us out of lockdown.
We now have a real opportunity to build on the flexibility and agility you've shown to permanently change how we work.
I don't usually go big on making new year's resolutions. But I have been thinking about the year ahead.
I hope that despite the current lockdown and the various challenges that many of you will be facing, you're able to keep some optimism for the year ahead.
Many of us started this new year with a hope in our hearts that the worst of COVID-19 is past us.
Most of us I'm sure will have watched this evening's Prime Minister's announcement.
You can't turn on the news currently without seeing mention of vaccinations.
I've taken to reflecting on all that has happened so far this year and how important it can be to just be in the moment.
Since I last wrote, National Safeguarding Adults Week has taken place.
Here in children's services we've recently been receiving far more compliments than complaints. It's the first time we've seen this and it got me thinking.
I am very aware that this is stating the obvious but we are working in unprecedented times and have been for much of this year.
It's been a time for reflection this week. From Remembrance Sunday to Armistice Day.
The clocks have gone back, the first frost has formed and our 'alternative' Halloween and Bonfire Night celebrations are over.
A message to all employees from Emma Alexander about Saturday's lockdown announcement.
During this weird period in our lives it's likely that we'll all have up days when we feel really positive, and difficult days when we feel fed up.
This past week has seen some significant increases in the numbers of coronavirus cases across the country.
In the previous local authority where I worked, colleagues persuaded me that if I was photographed having my flu jab it would encourage others to get theirs.
Last night the Prime Minister announced a number of measures in response to the increasing rates of coronavirus infection being seen across the country.
You may or may not have children, you may be a step-parent, a sister or brother, a grandparent, an aunt or uncle, or your kids have grown up and flown the nest.
Anyone read anything good over the summer?
We're now into the summer holidays and I'm sure some of us are hoping to take a bit of a break from what has seemed at times to be a pretty relentless workload.
Our cleaning and caretaking service, and property design service has moved to joint venture companies we've set up with Suffolk County Council.
These past few weeks many of us have been taking opportunities to take a well-deserved break from work.
For many of us at this time of year, our thoughts will be turning to children returning to school.
Settling down to write my final message before I retire next week, I've been thinking about how much has changed since I joined the county council in 1990.
There's been much talk of the resilience of our key workers, a resilient economy, the resilience shown by our communities, and resilience against infection.
There's no doubt that this continues to be an uncertain time for all of us as new government guidance is regularly introduced.
With my retirement just weeks away, I've been reflecting on my working life.
Last week I shared a personal lockdown story with everyone in children's services.
As we prepare to enter a new phase on the journey to recovery from coronavirus with the relaxing of some restrictions we are finding new ways of working.