NEW: Wellbeing videos

Did you miss out on attending the virtual wellbeing videos during the wellbeing event?

HR is pleased to confirm you can now access the following bitesize videos at your own leisure until the end of August:

1. Stretching routine for office workers (20 minutes)
2. Back to basic cooking – cooking the healthy way (15 minutes)
3. Boost your mood and improve your mental health through nutrition (15  minutes)
4. Focusing on the positive (25 minutes)
5. Staying well during challenging times (15 minutes)

Simply go to the following website: https://iframe.dacast.com/b/157437/p/269883

Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and select the relevant video.

Tip : If you are watching the video via a work laptop, disconnect from the remote view and the VPN and watch the video via the laptop’s own internet (not the internet via the remote view) as this streams more smoothly. You can also watch this on a personal device such as a tablet, phone, or personal laptop.

Inspirational fundraisers!

Staff members and their families have been dreaming up creative ways to raise money for good causes during lockdown. While fundraising events and campaigns have been cancelled up and down the country because of the ongoing restrictions, many of you haven't let that stop you doing your bit. Among the innovative fundraisers is nine-year-old Lucie Cheek, main picture above. Lucie wanted to grow her hair so it could be made into a wig for a child who has been affected by cancer or another condiction. At the same time, she is raising money for the Little Princess Trust, which funds research into childhood cancer. Find out more at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ivana-cheek. Meanwhile, our very own Barry Potts in Housing hasn't let coronavirus prevent him from raising money for The Shark Trust. Barry was due to run the 65-mile Isle of Wight Challenge in May, but is now signed up to attempt the 100km South Coast Challenge on 29/30 August. Barry wants to thank everyone who has sponsored him so far and reassure them his training is going well, despite the heat. You can sponsor Barry here: /www.justgiving.com/fundraising/barry-potts5 In addition, Gail Anderson in Corporate Communications, pictured above right, was disappointed to learn she couldn't take part in the St Albans Half Marathon in June to raise funds for her son's school, The Lea Primary School in Harpenden. Instead, along with her neighbour, she completed a half marathon around Redbourn, St Albans and Harpenden in 2 hours 12 minutes. You can sponsor Gail here https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/displayCharityCampaignPage.action?campaignId=11156&charityId=1017748 And after three months of sharing language learning online, Cath Shepherd, also from Corporate Communications, is bidding a fond 'au revoir' to her Lockdown Languages initiative. Set up just as the schools were closing in mid-March to help her friends' kids with their French and Spanish homework, the project has raised more than £300 for the Trussell Trust which supports the nationwide network of Foodbanks and campaigns for change.  Lockdown Languages hit boom time with collaborative classes for adults and boozy linguistic Zooms. Cath says a massive thank you to everyone who took part in sessions or contributed and there's still time to add a small donation.  For more information visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lockdownlanguages

Annual leave arrangements

From Judith Fear, Head of HR and Customer Services

In order to manage annual leave effectively and maintain service provision during the Covid-19 pandemic, Service Heads need to ensure that the majority of annual leave is taken equally throughout the year and not stored until the final quarter or until lock-down measures are relaxed.

New temporary arrangements for the management of annual leave introduced in early April, required all staff to  take 1 day in April, 2 days in May and 2 days in June (pro rata for p/t staff) and staff were advised that they would be required to take 2 days per month until further notice. Staff who were at home but not working, were also instructed to take any untaken leave carried forward from 2019/20 by 26 June 2020. The guidance was silent on the treatment of untaken leave from 2019/20 for staff who are working.

The Senior Management Team reviewed these arrangements at the end of April and again at the end of May and the following amendments were agreed to provide greater flexibility:

• from 1 July 2020 staff can take their leave in any configuration that suits them (subject to the normal process of booking and authorisation), providing that they take a minimum of 12 days annual leave by the end of Quarter 2 (30 September 2020) and 18 days leave by the end of Quarter 3 (31 December 2020)  (Pro rata for part time staff)
• in addition, any staff who still have untaken leave carried forward from 2019/20 will need to take this by 30 September 2020.
• in the final quarter of the annual leave year (1 January to 31 March 2021) staff will be expected to take the balance of their remaining annual leave wherever possible.
• The normal provisions of the Annual Leave Policy regarding the carry forward of untaken annual leave will apply at the end of the leave year (please see the relevant extract set out below in italics)

UNDERTAKEN LEAVE AT END OF LEAVE YEAR

8.1       The purpose of providing an annual leave entitlement is to ensure that all staff benefit from an opportunity to rest and recuperate.  To achieve this aim it is essential that workload is managed to enable staff to take their leave and they should be encouraged to do so.

8.2       In exceptional cases, where an individual has been unable to take their full leave entitlement due to pressure of work, the Service Group Head may agree for up to 5 days entitlement to be transferred into the next year's entitlement in consultation with their Director.

8.3       This transferred entitlement should be taken within the first three months of the new leave year and a request to take it should normally be treated sympathetically.

Exemptions

Any members of staff who have not been able to comply with the requirements so far, or who anticipate being unable to comply with the requirements set out above e.g. due to service requirements, will need to request their Head of Service to seek an exemption from the Managing Director or the Executive Director, once he is in post. An exemption may be agreed on the basis that the requirement be relaxed to accommodate specific circumstances in a given quarter and then transferred to a subsequent quarter. For example, where a member of staff has a specific requirement to book a long holiday in quarter 3 or 4, which they would not be able to accommodate if required to take their leave in quarter 2.  In this event, a Service Head can approve this exception but the member of staff will need to be aware that if they later wish to cancel their pre-booked leave, they may not be able to change it, and will not be able to carry it forward into the next leave year.

In very exceptional circumstances, the member of staff may be deemed to be exempt from all annual leave restrictions in 2020-2021 due to the nature of their role.

All exemptions will be confirmed in writing by HR on receipt of instructions from a Head of Service, endorsed by the Managing Director or Executive Director. 

N.B. If a member of staff wishes to take more than the amount of leave specified above, they may do so, subject to service requirements.

These arrangements will be monitored on a quarterly basis and a report provided to the Managing Director on each of the following dates:

15 June 2020

15 September 2020

15 December 2020

15 March 2021

As part of the quarterly report, Service Heads will be required to justify any decisions to deviate from the agreed plan.

The Annual Leave Policy will be kept under review, as new guidance emerges around travel and quarantine restrictions and you will be informed of further updates as soon as we have developed our local policy and procedures.

With best wishes for your continued health and well-being.

NEW: Share your creative side

HYOC2020 is about celebrating Hertfordshire as a county of creative and cultural opportunity.

Read the latest edition on the HYOC2020 newsletter online now!

It includes a round up of some of the fantastic cultural activities that have taken place across the county, as well as fun resources for school children to get creative during lockdown.

Join in the fun by using #HYOC2020 on social media and find out what's on in your local area at www.creativehertfordshire.com or by following #HertsMyCreativeCounty.

An important safeguarding reminder

If you can't see the pictures on this bulletin, follow the instructions of right clicking on the X at the top of the photo box and pressing download pic and the pics should appear within about five seconds. 

Cowley Hill Ward Summit

We have commissioned Community & Economic Regen Consultants, an independent community engagement consultancy, to engage a range of residents, community and statutory partners in conversations to gauge views and priorities for Cowley Hill.

This will lead to a Community Summit on Wednesday 15 July.

The summit will be a call to action to develop a shared approach to address the key priorities in Cowley Hill Ward.

If you are a resident of Cowley Hill your insights are invaluable, and we would welcome your input.

The link to the resident survey is https://bit.ly/2Yhe7VZ 

Essential Food - possible scam calls

Hertfordshire County Council Trading Standards is warning residents to be wary about any phonecalls they may receive from anyone saying they are from the council, asking for personal or financial details.

There has been a report of someone ringing a resident in Watford, saying they were from Hertfordshire County Council, telling them there is now a £30 charge for essential food parcels. They then went on to ask for all sorts of personal and financial information, which the resident refused to provide.

Apparently the caller became quite nasty, at which point the resident hung up on them – exactly the right thing to do.

Even in these unusual times, the council is not going to contact residents out of the blue, asking for personal or financial details.

If you get a call like this, tell the caller to put it in writing. Then contact the council using details that you know are genuine such as from the phonebook, from a bill or online. Do not use any contact details given to you by the caller, as you don’t know if you will be connected to another fraudster.

For advice on scams and to speak with Trading Standards, please call the Citizen’s Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.

To report a fraud, please contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2024.

If you think that you may have been tricked into giving financial details, contact your bank.

Virutal Book of Remembrance

A virtual Book of Remembrance is available to anyone of any faith - or none - to remember a loved one lost during the current crisis whether from coronavirus or not on the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire's website.

Visit www.lord-lieutenant-herts.org.uk/remembrance to find out more.

Coronavirus guidance

Please make sure you are familiar with the Coronavirus FAQs that HR has been regularly updating. 

You can find it under 'Quicklinks' on the intranet Hub. 

News round-up

Corp Comms has issued a number of news releases in recent weeks.  Keep yourselves updated by checking the home page of the intranet hub regularly or the home page of our website: www.hertsmere.gov.uk  

The coronavirus page also has latest service upates

Lockdown pictures

If you are out and about at any point on council-related essential business, please look out for the following photo opportunities.

1. Anything from our parks looking nice, green spaces in bloom or deserted high streets, but also pictures put up to thank the NHS, such as the rainbow drawings on display in many windows.

2. Anything capturing members of our workforce who are still legitimately out and about doing essential work that can't be done at home. Whether that's a member of our street scene crew performing their duties or a volunteer delivering shopping to those in need.

The best snaps may features in the next edition of Hertsmere News, our residents' magazine, which is due to go out in September.

Please email pictures to Corporate Communications and title them 'Lockdown pictures.'

Stay in touch via social media

There's never been a better time to follow us on our social media channels to see the key messages we are putting out and to help by sharing some of our content. 

Face coverings

The government is now advising the public to wear a face covering when in an enclosed space where social distancing is not always possible, such as on public transport or in some shops, where you may be more likely to come into contact with others.

Find out more about what this means, how to make a face mask and other general advice on the Hertfordshire County Council website.

NEW: Fit Fed & Read – Delivery Staff Vacancies

Fit, Fed and Read is recruiting delivery staff now; if you are looking for paid summer work this could be a great opportunity for you. As a member of the Fit Fed & Read delivery staff team, you will be responsible for the day to day delivery of the programme, including fun and engaging activities as well as ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the young participants at all times. Each site will have a Lead and an Assistant Delivery Staff member.

For further information about the programme, including the online application form, please visit https://sportinherts.org.uk/sport-for-social-change/fitfedread/ .

The deadline is July 8th, however, online interviews will commence immediately.

If you have any questions please contact the Fit Fed & Read team on fitfedandread@herts.ac.uk