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I hope you enjoyed some quality time with family and friends over Easter and had a chance to recharge your batteries – and for those of you who were working during the break, thank you for going the extra mile.
In case you missed some of our key messages over the Easter holidays, firstly I wanted to remind you about some exciting new opportunities at the council.
We’re looking for both a programme manager, and a project co-ordinator, to support our transformation work. These will be important roles in the new Office of the Chief Executive, and the successful candidates will work on a wide range of tasks to help us change how we do things for the better and to deliver The Shropshire Plan.
Please also take some time to catch up with the latest update on the pay award 2023/24 negotiations. As some colleagues may not have access to my weekly update or the intranet, please make those people aware of the current pay situation.
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Updates
 The digital services team in ICT are happy to announce the launch of the ‘next’ version of our Shropshire Council website – next.shropshire.gov.uk – which will run concurrently with our current website as we migrate content over.
This new website is the culmination of the lessons learned from building and managing the last few iterations of the Shropshire Council website, the insight we’ve gained from reviews of the data we have on how our current pages are used, and our research into the design trends and best practices used across commercial organisations, the Government and local government.
Through some prototyping and testing, we have completely rebuilt the website around a ‘cleaner’ overall look and feel, designed to be faster, more accessible and secure no matter if you are viewing it on a phone or a large computer monitor. We are also able to cater for a range of different page layouts and styles than we were previously able to offer, allowing us to create pages that best suit the unique content each service area has and the needs of the public that it caters for.
Most importantly, ensuring our website is as easy to use as possible will ultimately help make savings for the council through channel shift. Alongside the more intuitive page layouts, we will also be using our analytics reports to put the most popular online transactions within easy reach of customers on the homepage, so they can find what they need quickly.
Over the coming months we’ll be in touch with every service area and team that is represented on the current website to discuss their content and what improvements can be made as part of the move to next.shropshire.gov.uk.
If you are part of a service area or team that doesn’t currently have a section or webpage, please do email web.support@shropshire.gov.uk and we’ll do our best to help.
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We know that one of the main reasons why people choose to work in the public sector is our compassion for people and a shared desire to make a difference.
It’s so important that all our children and young people get the opportunity to stay in a safe, secure, nurturing and loving home, and in a place which is familiar to them, near their family, friends and school.
If you feel like you could provide a child in care with a home and a family to love, please let us know.
To find out more about becoming a foster carer, click below or call 0800 783 8798.
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Many of our staff have another string to their bow that very few of us know about - a hidden skill or talent that makes you say: “I didn’t know you did that.”
In this new regular feature, we’d like to showcase those colleagues who do something, outside of their day-to-day job, that’s a bit of a secret.
Why not tell us something about yourself that others don’t know, and we’ll try to feature it in a future update? Send them to Chris Strange in the communications team: chris.strange@shropshire.gov.uk
Did you know our very own Frances Darling is editor of the Trading Standards Business News for the West Midlands? It’s a peppy publication which reaches many professional people across the sector and the region.
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As part of ensuring that we meet the needs of all our staff, we’re exploring how best to support our neurodiverse staff members.
You can help us by filling out a short survey to help us understand more.
All responses are anonymous, and it only takes a few minutes to complete.
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A new window for applications for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) opened last week. It will be for activity that delivers between July 2023 and March 2025.
This will focus on two priorities: supporting local businesses, and community and place.
All projects under both calls must start within six months of 1 July 2023, and all outputs and outcomes must be delivered by 31 March 2025.
The minimum bid thresholds are £100,000 for activity relating to supporting local business, and £60,000 for activity relating to community and place.
Organisations have until Friday 12 May 2023 at 5pm to apply.
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We’re delighted to announce that apprentice Ben Powis has passed his final assessment and is now qualified as a countryside worker.
Ben’s been working with Shropshire Council’s outdoor partnerships team as an apprentice since October 2021, and they are now working towards taking Ben on as a full-time countryside maintenance officer to help the service maintain our wonderful countryside and deliver income generating work to help fund the service.
This land-based apprenticeship has enabled Ben to learn many new skills and to experience the working environment while earning a wage and gaining formal qualifications. The apprenticeship was delivered with the help of Upskill Shropshire and North Shropshire College in Walford, in a supervisory role.
Richard Knight, countryside maintenance manager, said: “It’s been great to see Ben’s confidence and knowledge grow over the apprenticeship, and we’re looking forward to working with Ben in the future to help deliver our services.”
Ben added: “The apprenticeship was exciting and informative. I’ve learnt many new skills that will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
If you are considering recruiting an apprentice to futureproof your workforce or looking to enhance your own or your teams’ knowledge and skills, please contact Upskill Shropshire to explore your apprenticeship options via: apprenticeshiplevy@shropshire.gov.uk.
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 A nationally-recognised kitemark for excellence has been awarded to our Enable Supported Employment Services and Midland Partnership Foundation Trust (MPFT) for helping people experiencing mental ill health back into work.
Enable at Shropshire Council work in partnership with MPFT to provide a supported employment or Individual Placement and Support (IPS) service. The IPS approach supports individuals accessing mental health services into sustainable paid employment.
We have an external audit every two years called a Fidelity Review. that aims to be a ‘snapshot’ of the current practices of an IPS service.
Our review was in March and the service was placed very securely into the 'Good Fidelity' rating.
This review saw the introduction of the IPS kitemark - a nationally recognised accreditation that is awarded to both the IPS team and the MPFT clinical teams that were part of the review.
Ruth Davies, IPS employment manager, said: “We are thrilled that we have been awarded this kitemark, which demonstrates excellence in the delivery of IPS and is a real achievement for both Enable and MPFT. We couldn't have achieved this outcome without the support of our partners, and it is testament to the hard work and commitment of everyone involved.”
Our youth support team in the Shrewsbury area have been nominated for a Mayor's Award for their services to young people in the community. The Mayor of Shrewsbury Elisabeth Roberts hosts the awards, which recognise and celebrate the unsung heroes of Shrewsbury, and will be presented at an awards evening next Tuesday (18 April).
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Thank a colleague – and more
Ever felt that you wanted to make someone’s day with some encouragement or praise?
Then why not check out the resources on the Viva Insights app which has a whole host of tools and tips to help with your wellbeing?
From music to help you focus, to breathing exercises, to meditation and sending thanks to colleagues, there’s plenty to choose from.
In Microsoft Teams - go to ‘Apps’ on the left hand side column.
Type in ‘Viva Insights’ into the ‘Apps’ toolbar.
Select ‘Open’ which we lead you to Viva Insights’ home page.
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Spring is finally here – yes, really! Time to enjoy the fresh air, add some movement to your week and have some fun. Why not join colleagues for a game for ultimate frisbee?
Just turn up, there’s no need to book and no charge. It’s at Salop Unison Club playing fields, happens every Friday lunchtime between 12.30pm – 13.30pm, and starts this Fridayl. For further details contact Louisa Jones via louisa.jones@shropshire.gov.uk
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And finally...
Sometimes it’s the smallest things that mean the most.
It’s why our leaving care team gave chocolate Easter eggs to all our young people who have been through the care system and are now living independently.
Thank you to everyone who donated an egg, and the huge difference you’ve made.
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Take care and best wishes
Andy Begley
Chief Executive
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