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Leading the Vale Together – Every One of Us Makes the Difference
Leading the Vale Together – Every One of Us Makes the Difference
07 November 2025
Over the past few weeks, Senior Leaders and Managers from every part of the Council have been coming together to talk about what it means to lead in the Vale today.
The conversations were open, honest and full of real stories about how people across our services are finding new ways to solve problems, support colleagues and make life better for residents.
One message came through clearly:
Strong Communities with a Bright Future is not just our vision. It is something we each create, every day, through the way we work and the choices we make.
How It All Connects
We explored the 21st Century Public Servant framework, which describes the behaviours that help people in public service thrive in times of pressure.
It connects directly to Vale 2030, to our Reshaping Programme, and to Brilliant Basics – all focused on building services that work better for residents and for us.
Together, they remind us that small actions add up to big change. They help us ask:
- How can I make Vale 2030 real in my own work?
- What simple improvement could help my team or our residents right now?
- How can I show our values – Open, Together, Proud and Ambitious – in what I do today?
What Our Staff Are Telling Us
Our Staff Survey showed that many of us feel proud and supported, yet some still want more connection and opportunity.
- 41 per cent said they have opportunities to contribute to the Reshaping Programme
- 49 per cent said they understand how their role connects to the Council’s priorities and feel equipped to adapt to change
These results are not criticism; they are an invitation. They show that people care deeply about making a difference and want to feel more involved.
That is why our leadership sessions are focused on building confidence, connection and voice.
Real Stories From Across The Vale
Across the Council, colleagues are already showing what it means to live our values and deliver Brilliant Basics.
- Reshaping Parks – A full service review helped the Parks team identify new ways of working and smarter use of resources. This collaborative approach achieved significant savings, reduced carbon emissions and introduced new income opportunities, all helping to protect valued green spaces for residents.
- Vale Community Resource Service (VCRS) – A joint health and social care team supporting people at home, praised by Care Inspectorate Wales for the quality of its care. The team gets the fundamentals right every time – strong communication, partnership working and genuine compassion.
- Whitmore High School – Recognised as one of the Best Workplaces in Education and Training in the UK. The school’s culture of openness, wellbeing and ambition shows how our values create workplaces where people feel supported and proud to do their best.
- Brilliant Basics in action – From the colleague who phones back to help a resident complete a form, to teams in Council Tax and Customer Contact reviewing their processes to make things simpler and faster, small actions are making a big difference across every service.
These stories prove that Reshaping, Brilliant Basics and Vale 2030 are not abstract ideas. They are happening every day, led by people who care about doing things well and working together to improve how we serve our communities.
What Happens Next
Over the next few months, we will keep the momentum going by:
- Sharing more examples of staff-led improvements
- Helping every team link their work clearly to Vale 2030 and our Wellbeing Objectives
- Creating new opportunities for people to shape change together through the Reshaping Programme
- Supporting managers to make sure everyone feels informed, involved and confident
You can already see this in action through Brilliant Basics, where small practical improvements are making services simpler and clearer for everyone.
Together We Make It Happen
Change is not something that happens to us. It is something we build together.
So, before you finish reading, take a moment to think:
What is one small action I could take this week that would make things a little easier, clearer or better for others?
It could be sharing information sooner, asking for feedback, simplifying a process or celebrating a success.
Every single improvement helps us move closer to our Vale 2030 vision of Strong Communities with a Bright Future.
Vale 2030 Starts With Us
When we live our values, take action and support one another, we create a Council that we can all be proud of – and communities that feel the benefit every day.
Want to know more?
These resources are here to help you see the bigger picture and to spark ideas about what you can do next.