Spring Management Development Sessions on Vale 2030 and Reshaping

31 March 2025

Over the last two weeks, Managers and Team Leaders from all Council departments have been learning more about Vale 2030 - our new Corporate Plan - and the Reshaping Programme in the spring series of Management Development Sessions.

These events have been running every six months for nearly 10 years, bringing people together in person to discuss key topics, like the challenges the Council faces, but more importantly opportunities for learning and improvement.

Such conversations have never been more crucial as the Council looks to deliver on its vision of Strong Communities with a Bright Future.

Significant changes in circumstances, including the Authority’s financial position, mean many staff and services are operating differently and the Council is committed to evolving and transforming to keep delivering for its residents.

That is what the two key pieces of work that formed the focus of the sessions are all about. They link closely to an item of Welsh Government legislation known as the Well-being of Future Generations Act.

Matt Swindell, Cabinet and Committee Services Officer, said: “I thought the event I attended was really beneficial. It was a good opportunity to sit down with colleagues from other departments and talk through the impact that Vale 2030 is going to have.

“It was interesting to hear how the changing approach is going to affect different service areas, and I think everyone was really impressed by the emphasis on giving staff ownership and autonomy to drive ideas forward.

“What’s interesting is just how important communicating across departments is if we are going to offer residents the best service.

“In my area, we are working on proposals to restructure how scrutiny committees work. This is a direct result of Vale 2030, the Panel Performance Assessment (PPA) and Let’s Talk About Life in the Vale survey.

“How to deliver more effective scrutiny is mentioned in all of those pieces of work and I think the management sessions helped shine a light on that.”

As well as learning about the fantastic feedback the Council received from its PPA, an evaluation carried out by a group of external experts, those in attendance considered the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act’s five ways of working - involvement, long-term, prevention, integration, and collaboration – and how to put these into action.

There was a section on strengthening leadership practice that covered better partnership working and smarter customer engagement by using the new Tone of Voice Guide.

The Brilliant Basics were discussed, a concept that involves getting the fundamentals right first time and every time. There was also an emphasis on the practical implementation of ideas, a point that managers will pick up with their teams.

A final Management Development Session will be held in April for those unable to attend one of the recent events.

All Chief Officers met on March 26 to consider Vale 2030, its commitments and what must be done differently to realise them.

Colleagues in the Resources Directorate have been working on a Signalling Change Plan, which shows all of the activity that is underway to help the organisation adapt to the challenges that lie ahead.

The Council’s Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) have also recently had a dedicated session around signalling change and the future Reshaping Roadmap.

An online question and answer event with Chief Executive Rob Thomas and Director of Corporate Resources Tom Bowring will take place between 2pm and 3pm on April 8.

This is open to all staff and will focus on the organisation’s direction, priorities and key projects.

Anyone who would like to participate, attend or learn more can access further information on Staffnet.