Welcome
Welcome to our second edition of the F&PM newsletter. This week we kick off with a word from Karen McGourty, who may be new to F&PM but is certainly not new to the Council!
This week we're also highlighting the work of our cleaning and janitorial staff. There are so many of you out there doing vital work to keep others safe and fed. We hope you all realise just how much you're valued.
Thanks for all your feedback from last week. Keep your news coming in, and if you'd like to see anything featured in our next edition please email us
A word from Karen McGourty
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I came to F&PM in March 2019 on secondment from Housing Asset Services. My mission is to pull together the variety of information F&PM holds on the Council’s operational properties into a Property Management Plan (PMP) that will inform long-term planning for the effective management of these property assets.
In preparing the PMP the Property Pledge materialised and was successfully launched prior to lockdown (and pre-Andrew’s Coronavirus beard) on 28 February at Onthank Primary School.
 What is the Property Pledge about?
The Property Pledge asks everyone to take an interest and pride in the buildings we all use and enjoy. It sets out the Council’s commitments as well as the requirements on building users and is a great way for everyone to share ownership and responsibility to help preserve their condition. Laurie Graham is leading the roll out of the Pledge across all corporate buildings, which will restart after lockdown.
Secondment
Although I have worked for the Council for over 30 years; all my career has been spent within Housing Services – so it can be a bit daunting going on secondment, but the people at F&PM have been very welcoming, friendly and extremely helpful. Everyone has displayed a real sense of commitment, and a willingness to deliver efficient and effective services, so I’m not surprised that during lockdown F&PM staff have pulled together and been at the forefront of service delivery to do best what matters most:
- feeding people
- maintaining a clean, safe environment
- keeping our buildings secure, ready for ‘normal’ business – whenever that resumes
As we move ever closer to the recovery and renewal phase, the Property Pledge will underpin the shared ownership and personal responsibility each and every one of us must take to stay safe, from taking that responsibility for cleaning our own work stations and equipment, to preserving the property, its fixtures and fittings in best condition so as not to compromise the safety of our buildings or those using and visiting them.
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Welcome to the world!
This wee cutie is Adam Samuel Jamieson Scott, born 9 April, weighing 7lbs 10oz, to Louise Scott.
Louise is a Quantity Surveyor in our Architectural and Asset Planning Section.
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Louise says ‘He's doing really well, an easy baby so far - and his big sister Robyn who is two, is slowly (very slowly) coming around to him!
He weighs 10lb 14oz now and we are getting smiles from him now too.’ Congratulations to you and your family Louise
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Food for families in need
Janice Wilkie has been busy keeping families in need fed. Here she tells us what she's been up to....
Every Monday night I collect surplus food from Aldi, Tesco and Marks and Spencer. At present, we do not have a building and as you can see all the food has to be arranged from my house into boxes and ready for distribution to needy families.
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The need for extra food boxes has increased due to the present situation and with families losing income.
The boxes are placed outside my house for the volunteers from the Stewarton Coronavirus Support Group and Potters Church to collect and distribute to both Stewarton and Kilmarnock area.
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By Jane Richmond
Throughout the past 8 weeks our FM staff have demonstrated incredible resilience and adaptability during what can only be described as unprecedented times.
The teams have played a vital role in helping keep social work, education hubs, police stations, NHS, and catering running. Staff have been incredible adaptable in supporting these areas and continue to do so. They have their We all have our concerns about working in these areas, and rightly so as we have families to go back to. So it's all credit to everyone who continues work out there and we're doing our best to provide the best support through well-being calls, and providing advice when working to maintain social distancing and providing appropriate PPE.
WhatsApp groups have been set up to provide quick and easy communication both by text and Face-Time.
We have also provided cleaning materials to hubs and offices to allow non-FM staff to clean areas that are used continually by various service-users such as computers.
Electro-static guns
To support cleaning in these buildings and to give service-users confidence we will spray all areas that are used with Electro-static Guns, weekly. This allows misting of everything within an area, not just surfaces. Items such as books, pencils will be coated. We use Innu-science products that are enzyme base and work continually for 72 hours.
Staff are working on rotas this helps to support normality as well as avoiding being over-whelmed by working continually with what can only be described as challenging.
As we move forward we continue to support our services by making sure they have buildings that are safe and clean to work in. Staff have seen changes that will become the norm in months to come.
School Crossing
Our School Crossing service has been stood down for the time being. Before schools return we will need to to carryout risk assessments to ensure social distancing can be maintained. This will be challenging as pavements can be quite narrow or the crossing could be outside a shop. As we move forward we are keeping in touch with the school crossers.
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East Ayrshire Council is running a small number of Hubs at Primary Schools to provide childcare for vulnerable children and children of key workers.
Here is the FM team at Auchinleck Primary School Hub, showing off their Social Distancing skills. Cleaning and Janitorial cover at the hub is being managed by FM on a rota basis for . All staff in the area who are able, are on a rota system to ensure fairness.
Pictured left to right:- Debbie Goudie, Helen Collins, Alex Kerr, Margaret Shirkie and Jacqueline Galbraith. They are all part of a much larger workforce who work to ensure the hub stays open, making sure high standards are consistent and maintained for everyone’s benefit.
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We carried out a Special Enhanced Cleaning Service at the Dental Unit at NWKAC when the Emergency Weekend Dental Service from Crosshouse hospital was transferred there at the weekends due to lockdown.
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The team all had to wear Full PPE due to the type of Surgery taking place. Thank you to all of you who agreed to carry out this extra work, and special thanks to Linda Campbell, Cleaning Supervisor who organised and delivered this special service so professionally.
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During the Coronavirus pandemic we in F&PM are at the front line in the battle against the virus. From making meals for the vulnerable, to supporting school opening for key worker pupils, to delivering food parcels, to keeping buildings clean and safe.
We are looking for your help again. Recently there has been a number of break ins to properties. We are asking that as you go about your daily business to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity or damage to Council buildings. If you witness anything suspicious please call the police or if you see damage to a building please call our property Helpdesk team on 01563555525
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Here's the most eagerly awaited bit of this week's newsletter... If some of last week's quiz left you stumped, here are the answers, and if you're keen for more, have a go at part 2 - answers next week. Good luck!
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ANSWERS TO QUIZ EDITION 1
- MOSCOW
- SINGAPORE
- HELSINKI
- BAGHDAD
- TOKYO
- STOCKHOLM
- NEW DELHI
- CANBERRA
- BRIDGETOWN
- ATHENS
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What you need to know
If you are currently off work due to sickness absence, please submit self certification forms and fit notes as normal. These vital documents allow your pay to continue. Please either send to the Opera House as normal or you can email a photo to the relevant mailbox for your service:-
Covid-19 - Self Isolating
If you have been self isolating from work due to Covid-19 symptoms or due to a family member having Covis-19 symptoms and you have now returned to work, can you please ensure you have notified your Manager of your return date who will notify the Employee Support Team to enable us to remove your details from various Covid-19 logs.
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VE Day at Ross Court
By Marion Greer, Catering Manager, Ross Court, Galston
Ross Court in Galston, has been providing the sheltered housing residents with their lunches 7 days a week throughout the lockdown.
As a special treat and because all the planned celebrations were cancelled we wanted to organise something that would help the residents still be able to try to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of VE day on Friday 8th May 2020.
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The Ross Court staff decided that an afternoon tea would be a lovely way to help the residents mark this occasion . The afternoon tea included sandwiches, scones, tray bakes all prepared on site by catering staff, it even included a party hat to get the residents in the party mood. The residents were all delighted with their treat.
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Volunteers from the Education Transition, Energy Management and Property Maintenance Teams have been out and about supporting all sorts of tasks
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This has included:
- Preparing and delivering ‘shielding’ boxes (from Kirkstyle)
- Delivering packed lunches and hot meals to vulnerable families (from Onthank PS)
- Preparing supplies of foods for community larders
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This is carried out on a rotational basis, with employees still continuing to carry out their own duties in between.
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A big thank you to all the following FPM employees:-
Stewart Finlay, Aileen Hollywood, Anne Richardson, Helen Donnelly, Donna Leitch, Alana Graham, Irene Hall, Tracy Donis, Kieran Collins, Rebecca Garrick, Grant Beaton, Des Gilroy, Harry McMartin, Rodger Campbell, Kevin Laird and Kerry New.
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The Office of Daddy Day Care
By Mick Dickie – FPM Contracts Manager
A new typical workday consists of my wife heading out to her work after helping me get the kids ready for another day in the ‘office’. With the country facing an unprecedented time, I am very fortunate that I am in a position where I can work from home and be able to look after our two children, Jack aged 4 and Emmy aged 2.
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Admittedly, this has been challenging at times, however, considering their ages they have dealt with this situation brilliantly.
They've even been contributing to my work by adding to my notes with numerous scribbles, and attending conference and video calls. They certainly add some light hearted humour to the calls, which is exactly what we need during these times.
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In normal circumstances, I would not have spent anywhere near as much time with them both and I will never forget my extra time getting to see them develop each day. But when this is over and they return to their regular childcare, will I miss the constant ‘I’m hungry’ or ‘When is mum home?’ I’m not so sure…….
Take care and stay safe everyone. See you soon.
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Mark Hunter's
Recipe Corner
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Here's a mothwatering pic of last week's recipe, did you try it? Send us your pics
This week we're featuring tasty Thai chicken patties - sounds easy and delicious! We've put both recipes in a pdf link (PDF 611KB) so you can download and print it if you like. We've also included last week's recipe for warm breakfast salad and a link to our Wellbeing food page which contains lots of other yummy treats to try. (If you're viewing this on an East Ayrshire Council computer you may have to switch from Chrome to Internet Explorer or Edge to see the recipe link)
Have you tried cooking something new? Or do you have a favourite recipe you'd love to share? Let us know
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