your magazine

2010
2010
theloop Calendar
Calendar
Faiths
FaithsTogether
Together
ininCroydon
Croydon
your magazine
Celebrating difference
Mar/Apr 2010
IN THIS ISSUE
This month...
Editor’s letter
LETS SHOUT ABOUT IT............. 3
Over to you lunches...
Your shout!
We all know what our values are and what they mean; we
helped create them. But do we really live the values? Or
are they just words?
ALL ABOUT YOU.....................4-5
Meet your public health director...
Interview with Joan Raccagna...
Could you Worksmart?
WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE.......6-7
Stories from Africa and France...
We’ve made the shortlist!
IN FOCUS...............................8-11
A meeting of religions minds.
Community art at your museum!
ICS: listening to you...
PDCS – your success!
NEED TO KNOW...................... 12
NVQs – your flexible friend!
CAREER STEER......................... 13
Ms Career Steer returns!
HOW TO................................... 14
World cooking in Croydon.
WHAT’S ON.............................. 15
Clocktower cinema listings...
A Single Man - reviewed!
We found the answer to this question while producing the
latest edition of the Loop. This issue focuses on one value:
difference. Do we truly value diversity? Well, the evidence
was overwhelming… You are reaching out into our community, using art, music
and food as tools to create a cohesive society; one in which all cultures are
respected. Of those of you that are religious, many are attending inter-faith
events, celebrating your faith among different religions. When new initiatives
are introduced, you are out there talking and listening to our customers and
each other and acting on feedback.
And then there is you - our staff as individuals; who you are informs what we
do. The diverse mix of culture, age, religion and lifestyle produces a variety of
perspectives that are informing our decision making at the council, inspiring us
to provide different ways of working and flexible training.
The values work; they are a winning formula. We are being shortlisted for
numerous awards and many of you are achieving excellence within your PDCS
assessments. Of course the council isn’t perfect, but if you want anything to
change, you know that it’s up to you to let CMT know. And that is exactly what
you are doing. You are speaking up in our Over to You lunches and writing in
to The Loop so that we all get the benefit of your diversity.
Vive la difference!
Mike Silvera
Learning and development consultant
in this issue...
SPECIAL OFFERS...................... 16
Consider your Options…
Visit the Healthy Living Hub!
Turn to page 6
to find out how
we’re celebrating
diversity in our
libraries.
the Loop
We’d welcome your feedback and ideas on how we
can keep improving the Loop.
Please send your comments, articles and photos to:
Internal Communications,
8th Floor, Taberner House,
Park Lane, Croydon CR9 3JS
Tel 020 8604 7217 Fax 020 8760 5611
Email: internal.communications@croydon.gov.uk
Front cover: Celebrating difference
2
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the loop | mar/apr 10
Turn to page 12
and learn why
NVQs are your
flexible friend!
Editor: Jade Cunningham
Contributors: Hayley Blake, Katherine Monk,
Adnan Bajwa, Paul Banham, Emily Blaquiere,
Freda Boden, John Bownas, Brigid Bradley, Dr
Peter Brambleby, Davinia Christmas, Nadine
Gomis, Amanda Guest-Collins, Nick Moore,
Joan Raccagna, Becky Saunders, Mike Silvera,
Ritika Singh, Fiona Tarn, Fiona Woodcock.
91530
LET’S SHOUT ABOUT IT
Over to you lunches…
the conversation continues
In our last edition of the Loop, we told you about our ‘Over to you’ lunches
– your opportunity to openly feed back your views on council life to our
corporate management team (CMT). On 8 December 2009, Nathan Elvery
and Julie Belvir continued to deliver on our promise to listen to our staff by
hosting a lunch – providing you with yet another captive audience…
The personal touch...
• You understood that managers were busy
but you didn’t want to feel like a cog in a
machine: “you get back what you put in”
you pointed out. You also wanted to see
more of our CEO - suggesting that Jon
Rouse visit different floors and introduce
himself to the staff there.
• Your view is that we’re getting better at
celebrating success but you asked why
we’re not celebrating individual successes.
You’d like praise for passing exams or
long service and suggested thank you
certificates or lunch with the executive
directors.
• You expressed low morale due to recent
letters regarding reduced parking at the
council and asked how people will be able
to manage long journeys and their work
duties.
We need to talk…
• Face to face, first hand communication
was favoured above other methods.
• You felt that when information is
cascaded, it doesn’t reach all parts of the
organisation, especially near the bottom.
Getting technical
• Staff who experience a delay after turning
their computers on observed that the
percentage of time lost per employee must
be significant.
• You feel that the equipment provided
doesn’t do what it is supposed to do since
there was no consultation with people
doing the day to day work and so some of
you said that “the wrong solution” was
delivered.
• You complained that the “expense
and inflexibility” of Capgemini was
demoralising.
• You felt it was important to remember that
IT starts with a business need and shouldn’t
be driven by IT.
• You wanted more national systems – like
housing benefit – to allow benchmarking
and shared services.
• You want to be able to see our staffs’ skills/
knowledge/experience on our intranet so
you can find those with the right skills for a
specific project.
Getting strategic
• You compared the council to Napoleon –
are we doing too much on too many fronts?
• You suggested a hierarchy of strategies –
those with the most to contribute to the
maximum number of people should be the
priority and the others perhaps culled.
You felt that when information
is cascaded, it doesn’t reach
all parts of the organisation,
especially near the bottom.
You feel that we need
to share best practice
across the organisation.
Money, money, money…
• The group felt that individuals need more
access to resources – too many people
wait for cash to make things happen.
• You complained about centralised budgets
and the annoyance of claiming back for
travel costs and the delay, why should
staff advance fund the council?
Let’s join it all up
• You feel that we need to share best
practice across the organisation.
• You asked for joined up working from
the customer perspective – e.g. housing,
planning, building control – rather than
visit them all, why can’t customers just do
it all at once?
Your shout
By popular demand, Tuesda
y is now
officially the new Friday
. That
means that on 6 April the
re’s a
bunch of us heading dow
n to the
upstairs room of The Gr
een Dragon
pub in Croydon High Str
eet for
their next Freedom of
Expression
acoustic music night. Am
it Chadda,
Chris Parr, FOX and Jen
ny
Lockyer will be performin
g from
8pm, and it’s free to get
in. They
do some great food the
re too
– so get down early if
you want
a bite to eat before the
music
kicks off. Just email Joh
n.Bownas@
croydon.gov.uk to find
out more.
share your
Here’s your chance to
with a wide
interests and concerns
! Send your
audience, so get writing
unications@
letters to: internal.comm
Internal
to:
post
croydon.gov.uk or
erner
Tab
r,
floo
communications, 8th
on
oyd
House, Park Lane, Cr
CR9 3JS.
The Loop, your magazine
keeping you informed
|
3
A l l A B O U T YO U
Introducing…Doctor Peter Brambleby
Our new director of public health joined the council on 1 March, the Loop caught
up with him to see if he could make Croydon healthy, wealthy and wise…
Tell us a little about yourself
… where did you work
previously and what did you
achieve?
I’ve been a director of public health
in two areas – Norwich primary
care trust (PCT) and most recently North Yorkshire and York
PCT. NY&Y is the largest PCT by area – 3,200 square miles!
Partnership working was a challenge, with all those local
authorities! We did some well-received Joint Strategic Needs
Assessments and won a “Shared Learning” award from the
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
I also developed a research interest in value for money and
involving others in making tough choices.
What attracted you to Croydon Council?
I chose to come to Croydon because it offers a number of public
health challenges and opportunities. The biggest attraction
is the long history between the council and the local NHS and
the very evident commitment to building an even stronger
partnership. Partnership working appeals to my primary
interest, which is to tackle the causes of ill-health at source
rather than treat the consequences at a late stage, and when
ill health or infirmity does strike it so often needs a coordinated
response from the caring agencies. I was also born in Croydon
although I spent most of my childhood in India where my parents
worked. It will be fun to reconnect with my Croydon roots!
“ people’s diverse experiences
and their values matter more than
mere facts and figures.”
What are your goals within your new role?
My personal goals are the same as those of the PCT (and echoed
in the council’s vision), namely to push for longer, healthier lives
for all the people of Croydon by helping people to improve
their health. We want to re-balance the healthcare system and
improve the experience and outcomes of care. That will take a
certain amount of data gathering and analysis, but I will give as
much weight to local voices. People’s diverse experiences and
their values matter more than mere facts and figures. Myself
and my team will be out and about as much as possible, helping
to put in place the changes that the council and PCT Board
decide upon. Our approach as a public health department will
be: “Make the case: make it happen.”
Access all areas:
Joan Raccagna is putting accessibility on the agenda
The Loop met up with Joan
Raccagna, manager of our physical
disabilities team to talk about her
role as chair of the workers with
disabilities support group, one of
many support groups at the council.
Joan is lively, personable and engaging
but she teams these qualities with a
real tenacity for her subject matter and
seems to really relish her role. I can see
very quickly why it is that she’s been
able to make a difference.
Joan is keen to emphasise just how
much accessibility affects all of us – if
not now, possibly in the future: “It’s not
just about new employees who have
disabilities; it’s also about those who
become disabled during their time here.”
She talks about temporary issues that
affect our mobility, such as pregnancy,
as well as mental illness which will affect
62% of us in the UK at some point in our
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the loop | mar/apr 10
lives – “If you don’t take accessibility
issues into account, you may end up
eliminating yourself,” she points out.
“ they’re listening now – and
that’s the important thing.”
The group discuss the everyday
problems staff and customers alike have
with accessing the physical environment;
parking, access to toilets, signage,
lighting levels, access to IT-to name but
a few. Joan has been advising on the
design of the new Public Service Delivery
Hub (PSDH) ensuring that accessibility
is key, not just for the sake of our staff,
but our customers too who will need to
easily enter and exit the building.
Joan has been at the council since 1996
and in a rare break from her general
positivity admits that “over the years
progress has been slow.” She smiles and
is quick to add: “But they’re listening
now – and that’s the important thing.”
If you have a disability and would like
to attend the workers with disabilities
group and help increase accessibility
within the council please email Joan.
raccagna@croydon.gov.uk
Did you know: that over 18% of our ma
nagers have a disa
bility?
A l l A B O U T YO U
Worksmart
Our challenge…
We want to create a productive working
culture that supports a positive work/life
balance for staff. We are determined to
increase employment to wider and more
diverse groups of people too, such as those
with disabilities, returning mothers, carers,
etc. In addition to attracting the employees
we need, we also want to keep them happy,
as happy staff stay longer and ‘go that extra
mile’ for the organisation.
Our solution…
Worksmart is our flexible working initiative,
which encourages staff to look at different
ways of working. Flexible work options include
part time, job share and working outside the
historical 9-5. Worksmart is not a right or
entitlement, but it is a potential opportunity;
our chance to balance the needs of our
employees with those of the service.
“I work four days a week, and I make
sure my day off doesn’t conflict with
the service requirements of the team.
Originally, my time off allowed me to
study for a master’s degree in HR, but
now I’ve completed it, I am able to use
this day to do the important things for
my family. It gives me such a sense of
freedom because it allows me to spend
time with my family and feel like I am
there for them.”
Ritika Singh, recruitment executive, human
resources and organisational development.
If you would like to learn more about working
flexibly have a look at the Worksmart policy
or ask your line manager. For an overview and
Q&A session, managers can book for the bite
size session on Wednesday 21 April.
“One flexible scheme allows our staff to
accrue hours which they can take off the
next month. It’s a great opportunity to have
that flexibility for our staff – but remember
it’s a two-way street. Staff need to keep
focussed on the needs of the service and
bear in mind that it’s got to be about what’s
best for the customer too.”
Steve Iles, head of highways, street services.
CHRIS: online
payslips!
You can now see your
monthly payslip by logging
onto CHRIS. You’ll see
the same information on
your e-slip as on your
paper version. It’s an easy
and instant way to see
your current and previous
payslips at any time, and can
be emailed to you at work or
to a personal email address.
Staff in the chief executive’s
office will stop getting paper
payslips in May, planning,
regeneration & conservation
in June and resources &
customer services in July.
DASH, CYPL and community
services will continue to
receive paper payslips until
further notice. We’ll keep
you posted!
rk part-time?
Did you know: that over 26% of you wo
For help visit:
http://intranet.croydon.
net/staff/hrod/chris/
keeping you informed
|
5
WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Every song tells a story
“We wanted to do something completely
different,” explains the softly spoken Nadine
Gomis, a lively individual with a creative
mind and a knack for seizing an opportunity.
The Coulsdon library assistant was singled out for her African
and French song and story sessions at Coulsdon library which
won her the Appreciating Diversity award at our Croydon
Council Awards last year, but she is quick to point out that her
achievements were a group effort. She includes colleagues
Sonia Knight and Isi Kalanzi (Isi is now based at Selsdon library)
in the success of the library’s story time sessions.
With her roots divided between Senegal, France, and Africa
she is perfectly placed to share her cultural knowledge. In the
story time sessions, Nadine speaks in one of her native tongues
(African or French) teaching numbers, songs and stories. A
colleague then translates her words to the children, and the
children chant it back.
“ They are asking for her to perform sessions
at a lot of libraries now – Thornton Heath,
Bradmore Green, Selsdon...”
Despite the strong focus on education, it is the colourful
bringing to life of the sights, sounds and tastes of France and
Africa that keeps children and their enthusiastic parents (some
arriving in costume!) coming back for more. African instruments
are brought in, so the exotic words can be heard against the
rhythmic beat of a drum. Pineapples, mangoes and bananas*
are shared out amongst the children. “They really, really enjoy
it” Nadine tells me, eyes shining. Sonia agrees: “They are asking
for her to perform sessions at a lot of libraries now – Thornton
Heath, Bradmore Green, Selsdon...”
Her exciting and informative sessions are increasing our
customer base but the wider implications of introducing the
next generation to an understanding and appreciation of other
cultures are of greater significance still. Who knows the effect
such an early introduction could have on creating a more
tolerant world in years to come?
Young and full of spirit, I ask the vivacious Nadine why she
chose to work in Croydon. She seems surprised at the question:
“I like Croydon - I prefer it to London, she says simply, “it’s lively
and fun; there is always something to do.”
I don’t know why I asked; there is plenty to do in Croydon if you
have a bit of imagination and creativity – and Nadine is not
lacking in either of these qualities.
If you are interested in attending a song and story time session
please contact Nadine.gomis@croydon.gov.uk. Turn to page
15 to find out about other library events.
* Fruit was provided by the family learning team.
Did you know? that 66% of you are female?
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the loop | mar/apr 10
WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Making the grade:
the council makes the awards lists!
We’re winning and making the shortlist for a range of awards – a fact that highlights the diversity
of talent at the council; congratulations to you all for making a difference.
British Parking Awards – we won
Parking services have won the British Parking Award, giving well deserved recognition to all staff in parking services for high
levels of customer service despite the challenging environment.
Our head of parking services, Mirsad Bakalovic said: “I am proud of the results that have been achieved
by all parking services staff across all functions. These results include significant efficiency savings, increased performance
and customer satisfaction. Our achievements have also been recognised by obtaining ISO9001 which is awarded to
organisations for having good quality management systems with the view to meet customers’ expectations and above all, I
am exceptionally proud of our staff for winning a British Parking Award for Exceptional Customer Service.
PPMA award – shortlisted
Croydon Council has been shortlisted for a Public Sector People Managers Association (PPMA) award for
workforce skills. The council made developing the talent needed for a high performing organisation a real
priority. A new Leadership Academy, unique in style and approach, and an ILM-accredited Management
Development Programme (MDP) sat at the heart of this work.
Chief executive Jon Rouse said: “I came to Croydon with an ambitious modernisation agenda
and set our HR team a big challenge to make significant improvements to how the council
develops its workforce and skills. They took up the challenge with passion and both our
customers and the council itself are now experiencing the real impact of this work”.
Local Government Chronicle Award - shortlisted
Croydon has been shortlisted for a Local Government Chronicle (LGC) award under the
category of Community Involvement for ‘Imagine Croydon’.
Led by Croydon’s Local Strategic Partnership (LSP), Imagine Croydon was the single largest
community engagement project ever undertaken in Croydon aimed at actively involving our
community in developing the long-term vision for the borough. The centrepiece was a radical
engagement exercise; over eight months, more than 20,000 people, across all sections of the
community, contributed to the debate.
The director of strategy and communications, Damian Roberts welcomed the achievement: “We all
feel very proud that this initiative has been nominated, but whether we win or not, we already have
the greatest prize – a new long-term vision for Croydon.”
IDEA Innovation Award – shortlisted
Croydon Council was pleased to be shortlisted for the new IDEA Innovation Award for the theme ‘community
safety: policing our communities together’. The short listing recognised our exceptionally strong partnership work
through the Safer Neighbourhood Partnership that enables Croydon to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.
Our director of public safety, Tony Brooks explained: “We have very extensive and well embedded
partnership arrangements. This was evidenced by the visits to the Family Justice and Turnaround
centres, meetings with a wide range of partners and followed up with a focus group that involved a
range of young people from Croydon. Although we did not win, the judges were visibly impressed
with our approach.”
Keep an eye on What’s New on our intranet - we’ll let you know if we win!
keeping you informed
|
7
IN FOCUS
A meeting of (religious) minds
“The idea behind establishing Faiths Together in Croydon was to bring together all major faith groups; to
share common concerns and to find solutions to them, talk to one another and acknowledge each other,
the dangers that the world faces today and how we can contribute to moving things on”.
Barry Goodwin, chair of Faiths Together in Croydon.
Faiths Together in Croydon (FTiC) began in 2003 with a series
of newsletters and meetings that were held to bring people of
different faith communities together to share news and insights
on different topics. This developed into an inter-faith network.
Croydon Council are partners with FTiC, gaining their views
on local and national issues, council policies and initiatives.
The Loop met with three members of FTiC to find out what the
network means to them and why.
Barry: Croydon has a diverse
faith community which mirrors
London - and you could say the
world as a whole. Faith groups
give us a doorway into the
community, provide millions of
volunteer hours each year which
support those in need of care and
on the margins of society. Being
part of an inter-faith network
such as FTiC doesn’t mean that
we all believe the same thing but
does say that we acknowledge
our differences and work together
to find the common ground in
order to work for the ‘common
good’. That involves working with
others in partnership.
Interview panel:
Reverend Barry Goodwin, chair of FTiC (Christian).
Shuaib Yusaf, joint vice chair of the steering group of FTiC (Muslim).
Jagdish Sharma, joint vice chair
of the steering group of FTiC (Hindu).
Jagdish: I am thinking about a far sighted
initiative by Jon Rouse and his staff, where
Diwali last year was celebrated at Fairfield
Halls. More than 400 members of different
faith communities took part and enjoyed a
fun-filled evening. Muslim Eid-ul-Fitr and
Christmas were also celebrated at the
same venue. These were truly interfaith
events – and such events bring people
together, enhance understanding about
each others’ faith traditions which leads
to good relations.
For a truly cohesive society, mutual
understanding and respect for each others’
faith tradition is very necessary – which
can only come about by sharing a common
forum – like our interfaith network.
Shuaib: Yes, I agree; the diverse ethnicity of
Croydon is mirrored by the presence of all the major
faiths in Croydon. And the reach that the faith
centres have into their local community is without
parallel. Our partnership with Croydon Council
is an effective route to helping deliver services to
disadvantaged segments of the community.
For further information
about Faiths Together
in Croydon, please contact
Barry.goodwin@southwark.
anglican.org on 020 8256 9367
know? over 70% of Croydon residents have a faith or belief.
Did 8you
| the loop | mar/apr 10
IN FOCUS
Life imitating art
– how we helped deliver a community art project
Our museum staff have been
working with the artist Toni
McGreachan on a Museum
of Croydon community art
project which encourages
local community groups to
engage with and produce
a response to the paintings
in the museum’s exhibition.
Council staff worked with
four groups: a secondary
school, a primary school,
a pupil referral unit and an
Alzheimer’s group. We now
have some really exciting
art works on display that
showcase Croydon’s diverse
artistic talents.
How did the project
come about?
The exhibitions team were
planning their autumn
exhibition - Scene Unseen:
Unpacking the Art of Croydon
and what they really wanted
was to let local groups be
able to put their mark on
the exhibition. “We always
strive to maximise community
engagement with the arts”
explains Brigid Bradley,
assistant exhibitions officer,
“and this seemed a great
opportunity to tap into local
talents. After all, the art
works belong to the borough,
and we wanted to give people
a chance to properly engage
with the education team,
in the museum, and the
museum as a whole worked
with local schools and with
the department of adult
services and housing in
order to make sure everyone
was able to participate
and enjoy the project. The
planning and carrying out of
the art sessions was quite
a challenge; the diversity of
“the art works belong to the borough,
and we wanted to give people a chance to
properly engage with what was on show.”
with what was on show – and
emphasise that art isn’t just
for experts, but for everyone.”
Those working on the project
really got to experience
inter-team working. The
exhibitions team worked
each group’s skills, abilities
and circumstances had
to be taken into account.
Fortunately, the staff
members for each group were
fully on board with the project
and so were keen to make
sure each participant got as
much out of it as possible.
What does it all mean?
The project has been
extremely rewarding for our
staff, allowing them to work
closely with the community it has also inspired the groups
involved. “It has been such an
achievement to get people
who might not ordinarily
come to the exhibition, to
really engage with Croydon’s
heritage.” explains Brigid.
The teachers who witnessed
the positive effect the project
has had on their pupils agree:
“They’ve experimented with
a medium that they’ve never
used before, and they’ve just
had a wonderful, wonderful
time,” concluded Nikki Canon
of Edenham High.
Visit the exhibition
gallery and see what
the council and our
local community have
achieved by working in
partnership. You can also
visit a smaller exhibition
in the Croydon NOW
section of the museum.
keeping you informed
|
9
IN FOCUS
The Integrated
Children’s System
– a shared experience
The Integrated Children’s System (ICS) is going to
mean a lot to all those who work in social care –
from practitioners and their managers to the young
people they seek to help.
Put simply, this new electronic records management system
will change the way social care workers log information and
communicate with each other. Rather than relying on paper
records and the risk of duplicated content, practitioners will be
able to input and share data such as case notes and create truly
accountable records.
All of this sounds great; here is a system that will enable social
care workers to be more efficient, achieve best practice, and
enhance the service we provide to children and young people.
However, this government driven initiative - mandatory for all
councils - means a sizeable adjustment for the staff it affects.
It means that they now need to take the time to learn a new
system; an extra task in their already busy days.
ICS Project manager Nick Moore and social care development
manager Keith Shaw quickly realised that the social
practitioners’ knowledge of their jobs - their personal experience
of best practice were the best tools available to inform how
they train the staff in this new system. Who better than they to
help design the process? ICS is mandatory, but how we teach
the system and the templates we use, these are our choices.
The pair understood that the knowledge and understanding of
our social practitioners would need to be sought in order to
deliver the most effective method of training. They responded
by inviting the social care workers to two highly interactive
workshops.
Creating a shared vision…the workshops
Staff were asked to interview each other, asking for examples of personal
best practice. They debated what had worked effectively in past social care
electronic systems - and what they hoped ICS would achieve. They formed
groups and identified common themes, drew pictures and wrote poems
that expressed their vision of high performance with ICS. These creative,
thought provoking sessions allowed staff to listen and talk to each other
and reach a shared understanding and vision.
The workshops proved a success, allowing Nick and Keith to draw upon
a real diversity of experiences to underpin future training sessions. Nick
said: “We have achieved a new and shared understanding of outstanding
practice which includes the most dynamic and mutually effective use of ICS
and other joint working support systems. We have imagined and begun
the design of our ideal and preferred future in which best practice is clear,
supported and happening all the time.”
From 31 March all social care practitioners and their managers will be using ICS.
To find out more, please contact Nick.moore@croydon.gov.uk
The Fell Road decant: how was it for you?
In our November/December edition of the Loop we told
you about the Fell Road decant. We have begun asking
for feedback from the staff who moved buildings due to
the closing of the Fell Road site; here is what we have
learned so far:
• Over 62% of you thought the communications leading up
to your move were good to excellent.
• However, you would prefer to be consulted about your new
locations so that you can vet the facilities.
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the loop | mar/apr 10
• Although most of you felt easily able to fulfil your role in
your new location, you considered the office equipment to
be only adequate.
• You would have preferred a more extensive building
induction.
• Overall you felt the level of disruption had been minimal
and you were able to get back to your work routine quickly.
IN FOCUS
PDCS – celebrating your success
Back in our September/
October edition of the
Loop, we talked about
PDCS - our Performance,
Development and
Competency Scheme.
This is the scheme through
which Croydon manages
staff performance and
development, sets us
individual development
plans with clear targets
and deadlines, allows us to
address under-performance
– but also gives us the
opportunity to formally
reward good performance.
On 10 February in the
Arnhem gallery at
Fairfield Hall, Croydon
Council held a celebratory
lunch for staff who have
excelled within the PDCS
framework, achieving an
overall “excellent” rating.
Jon Rouse hosted the event
and commended their
performance: “You have
shown commitment that
goes beyond your jobs”
he noted, adding that the
excellent rating had been
achieved by an elite 5%
of our staff. What was
notable was the diverse
mix of attendees; there
were staff from every level
of the organisation. The
mood was buoyant with
attendee Michelle Stewart,
a voluntary sector inclusion
officer from development
and care, admitting: “We’ve
worked so hard - it’s nice to
be acknowledged!”
There was tea and coffee
and cakes and sandwiches,
but there was also food for
thought as Jon posed the
question: “What would it
mean for the council if the
whole organisation was
operating at your level?”
The Customer Service Excellence Quality Standard:
what does it mean for your service?
The council management team has recently
endorsed a new “customer service excellence
quality standard” for managers and staff to use to
measure their services and identify improvements.
The model is a self-assessment tool which covers
five key themes of service design and delivery:
• Outcomes and serving.
• Customer insight and engagement.
• People and culture.
• Information and access.
• Timeliness, quality and delivery.
It allows a fairly light touch approach to measuring the level of
service and provides an overall score – bronze, silver or gold. The
themes provide a checklist of key aspects of service delivery, a
customer service benchmark and examples of good practice.
The tool is based on a new government standard and therefore
work undertaken can be developed into an external accreditation.
All services should use this tool to measure and develop their
service and we will be looking to start rolling this out across
departments as soon as possible.
The customer service excellence standard tool
The tool and supporting information is available on our
intranet: http://intranet.croydon.net/csexcellence/
If you wish to find out more please contact the customer
strategy and development team on ext 47124 (020 8604
7124) or email service.review@croydon.gov.uk
keeping you informed
|
11
N eed T O K N O W
NVQs – your flexible friend
In November’s edition we told you about Croydon Works and the commitment of the council
and its partners to developing the skills of our staff.
Congratulations to the 16 staff in
Streetscene who recently completed
national vocational qualifications in
customer service.
Tom Jeffrey, executive director of
community services celebrated their
achievement by visiting our Stubbs
Mead depot to present the certificates.
He recognised the importance of the
team’s efforts, “For front-facing staff
customer care is crucial. They are out
there every day dealing with customers
and that’s why it’s vital that they take
opportunities like this to focus on their
skills.”
For Paul Kelly, environmental response
manager, the NVQ brought a new
discipline to the way that staff viewed
their work, “NVQs look at competencies
within the role and encourage people
to collate information about how they
do their job. In Streetscene it got people
thinking about exactly how they went
about their work.”
It was also a good example of how the
council works closely with its Croydon
Works partners on skills development.
The NVQ programme was supported
by train to gain funding and provided by
Croydon College (Business Solutions).
Chris Robertshaw of Croydon College
said, “I was very impressed by the
knowledge in Streetscene. Their
knowledge of their work processes was
superb.”
So how do NVQs meet the needs of
our diverse workforce?
They are designed to be flexible and to
recognise the individual requirements of
different learners. Chris told The Loop,
“We work to the needs of the candidate.
For example if a candidate has dyslexia
we may focus more on discussion than
on written work, or if there are time
constraints the assessor will work with
the individual to find the best method
of assessment. Most people are quite
surprised at the many ways that they
can evidence their learning.”
Iain Tonks, the Streetscene team
manager hopes that Streetscene’s
achievement will prove inspirational:
“I hope that our success will encourage
others to take up an NVQ.”
To find out more or to secure a place,
email paul.banham@croydon.gov.
uk or call 020 8604 7210.
Skills for Life
Do you want to brush up on your
English or Maths?
Do you experience problems
putting together letters, memos,
and emails?
Would you like to be able to
produce statistics, tables and
graphs or work out percentages?
Skills for Life courses are designed to
help you develop the skills you use in
everyday life, such as reading, writing
or maths; and to gain a qualification
at the same time.
Skills for Life ‘taster sessions’ are
taking place on 26 and 29 April in
Taberner House.
I was very impressed by the knowledge in Streetscene.
Their knowledge of their work processes was superb.
12
|
the loop | mar/apr 10
career S teer
The Career Steer
Here’s your chance to write in to our career agony aunt to get
a steer on your career!
Dear Ms Career Steer,
en I
me at the overtime rate wh
My manager refuses to pay
etimes I
work only mornings but som
work extra hours. I usually
meetings. What should I do?
have to attend afternoon
Don’t lose
your voice
ncil
Poor and tired, Croydon Cou
Ms Career Steer’s response:
Your response:
Dear Poor and tired,
Dear Poor and tired,
The Single Status Agreement, which was
signed by the council and the trade unions in
2007 to address inequalities in pay and terms
and conditions of employment, clarifies the
circumstances under which overtime payments
may be paid. The agreement applies to all
employees on NJC Green Book Terms and
Conditions, which means the majority of
Croydon staff.
“If you are a part time worker I think your
manager would be right in paying you at your
standard hourly rate for the overtime you are
working providing your hours for the week do
not exceed 36. Hours worked in excess of 36
per week should be paid at overtime rate. This
way you are being paid on the same basis as a
full time worker which seems fair to me..”
The agreement explains that payment for
overtime should only be agreed when it is not
possible to grant time off in lieu (TOIL) instead.
The agreement also clarifies that a full working
week for full time employees shall be worked by
part time employees before overtime payments
apply. This is nothing new, but the guidance
here is very clear.
This approach complies with employment law
and means you must work 36 hours at plain
time before any enhanced rates of pay for
overtime are paid, regardless of how many
hours you normally work. Also, under the
agreement, enhanced rates of pay for overtime
working only apply to staff below grade 12.
Your manager is therefore doing the right thing.
It’s a 30-second exercise,
once every four years – but
making sure you cast your
vote in May’s local elections
can have a profound impact
on how the borough shapes
up over the immediate
future.
Two sides to every story,
Croydon Council
“On the days when you have to attend
afternoon meetings negotiate with your
manager that you change your morning ‘slot’ for
the afternoon. That way you still get your half
day and his budget doesn’t suffer!”
It’s good to talk, Croydon Council
You may read the whole Single Status
agreement on the council’s Intranet at http://
intranet.croydon.net/staff/hrod/single%20
status/
“If you normally work part time you would not
be eligible for overtime payments until you have
worked a 36 hour week. You should be entitled
to have time off in lieu if you attend afternoon
meetings.”
Ms. Career Steer
No nonsense, Croydon Council
Next edition’s question: My manager uses really offensive sexist language but I don’t know who to
report him to. I have asked him politely to stop but he just laughed at me.
Ever been in a similar situation? How did you deal with it? Do you have a career issue you need a steer on?
Send your advice and problems to: internal.communications@croydon.gov.uk.
*Please note: all staff responses are the personal opinion of individual staff members rather than the views of Croydon Council.
Getting people to vote
has been the core focus
of the council’s current
No Voice, No Vote, No
Excuse campaign, which
will see regular media
coverage over the coming
weeks as well as poster
and outdoor advertising
across the borough.
Currently some 15,000
residents are not registered
to vote. The closing date
for registration is 20 April
when our campaign’s focus
will shift to actually getting
people to the polling
station on election day.
As always, our staff and
colleagues are a key
priority in delivering our
message to friends, family
and local people – so if you
haven’t registered to vote,
you can do so online at:
http://www.croydon.gov.
uk/democracy/dande/
elections/. Alternatively
you can email electoral.
services@croydon.gov.
uk or contact the elections
team on 020 8726 6300.
keeping you informed
|
13
H OW TO
Urban Feast:
world cooking on
your doorstep
If you are looking for exotic and exciting food simply
take a look around you! Croydon sells food from
every corner of the globe – from the vast oriental
supermarket on Purley Way to the Asian food
warehouses in West Croydon, why not start cooking
with it?
In 2008 the arts team successfully applied to the heritage lottery
fund to produce a book on world cooking to celebrate the
diversity of our cultures. Project managed by Davina Christmas,
cultural development officer, arts and community development,
all the recipes for Urban Feast were sourced from local residents
and include a slice of life; anecdotes, local history, information
on food markets, and of course, many recipes - from Polish Bigos
to Ghanaian Kontomire stew. The book also includes a mouth
watering collection of photos courtesy of the artist, designer and
photographer, Jake Tilson.
Sambar
Why not start by sampling some
South Indian cuisine? Sambar is a
mildly spiced vegetable and lentil
curry – and a very versatile dish:
“This dish can be made with
just about any vegetables
that are around.” says Shamini.
Did you know: that over
ck
37% of you are from a bla
p?
and ethnic minority grou
14
|
the loop | mar/apr 10
Serves 4
• 250g red lentils, washed
• 1 teaspoon ground tumeric
• 1 thumb sized piece of peeled
and chopped ginger
• 6 cloves of garlic, peeled
and chopped
• 1 tablespoon of tamarind paste
(optional)
• 1 cup (250g) sambhar mix
• Vegetables chopped into small
bite-size pieces, perhaps:
• 3 carrots, 3 potatoes, 1 aubergine,
30 green beans
• 1 drumstick, scraped with a peeler
cut into half lengthways, then into
6cm pieces (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 30 fresh curry leaves (optional)
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds (optional)
• 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
(optional)
• 1 white onion, quartered and sliced
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 fresh green chillies, left whole
• ½ can (200g) coconut milk
• In a large pan add the lentils,
turmeric, ginger, garlic, tamarind
(if using) and 3 cups of water. Bring
to the boil, skim off any foam as
it arises, cover and simmer for 30
minutes.
•A
dd the vegetables, the sambhar mix,
salt and tomatoes, and stir well.
•A
dd more water if the mixture looks
like it’s getting too dry.
• If using curry leaves, cumin seeds and
mustard seeds, heat the oil in a frying
pan and add them. Stir in the onion
and chillies and cook over moderate
heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the
onions are soft.
•A
dd this mixture and the coconut
milk to the vegetable mixture. Cover
and cook until the vegetables are
cooked through.
• S erve with rice or dosa and enjoy!
Contact Davina.christmas@
croydon.gov.uk to get your free
copy of Urban Feast. We’ll be giving
away this book at Taberner House
soon – keep an eye ’What’s New’
on our intranet.
W H AT ’ S O N
A Single Man
What’s on at the
Croydon Clocktower
March/April
In a career-defining role, BAFTA award winner Colin Firth is
mesmerizing as a gay man overcome with the loss of his long-term
partner. Tom Ford’s astonishing feature debut, based on the novel
by Christopher Isherwood, finds George (Firth) in the stifling world
of early ‘60s suburbia and academia.
David Lean Cinema
Reviewed by Thomas Evans
Please call the ticket office on
020 8253 1030 or email
ticketoffice@croydon.gov.uk
for full event details and prices.
March
The White Ribbon (15)
Invictus (12A)
Gentlemen Prefer
Blondes (U)
The Last Station (15)
Up In The Air (15)
Crazy Heart (15)
Mic Macs (12A)
Capitalism: A Love Story (12A)
April
Unable to grieve openly he takes
consolation in pills, drink, and routine,
conforming to “what is expected of
George and how he is to behave”. His
daily struggle with repressed emotion
is aptly reflected in recurring dreams
where he is drowning underwater.
From the beginning, we know that
George doesn’t intend to survive
the day and the following events
are refreshingly devoid of self-pity.
Instead, a reflective George savours
his last day on earth, recalling fond
memories of his lost love.
A moving evocation of bereavement,
‘A Single Man’ gleams with ‘60s cool,
courtesy of fashion designer Tom Ford
as director. Colin Firth is perfectly
cast as the “slightly stiff” professor,
while the lean script elicits sympathy
with sharp black humour balancing
the sombre tone well.
Launch of LGBT section in the central library
The Lesbian Gay Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) section on Level 1 of the Central
Library was officially launched on Saturday 6 February as part of LGBT History
Month with the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Russell Jackson, cutting a rainbow ribbon
and declaring the section open.
Come along and visit!
Find out more on this new section of the library from
Andrea.hurren@croydon.gov.uk or Richard.
pearce@croydon.gov.uk on 020 8726 6900.
ual,
of you are heterosex
Did you know: that 55% l or preferring not to say?
exua
with the rest being gay, bis
The General Buster Keaton (U)
A Single Man (12A)
An Education (12A)
Freestyle (12A)
I Love You Phillip Morris (15)
The Last Station (15)
Fri 09 Apr:
Short film competition screening
Koyaanisqatsi – Life Out of
Balance (U)
Endless Cities (U)
The Girl With The
Dragon Tattoo (18)
The Lovely Bones (12A)
Sat 17 Apr: The
Princess
& The Frog (U) autistic screening
Exit Through The Gift Shop (15)
Telstar: The Joe Meeks Story (15)
I Am Love (15)
Shutter Island (15)
Fri 23 Apr:
48hr film competition screening
The Red Shoes (U)
The Three Colours Trilogy:
Blue, White, Red (15)
Wed 28 Apr:
Club Soda festival screening
Two In A Million (TBC)
Shift The Shift (TBC)
Psycho (15)
Thu 29 Apr:
Film ambassador screening
documentary shorts
keeping you informed
|
15
SPECIAL OFFERS
Living it up with the Hub
business on the ground
The Healthy Living Hub has opened for
ktower in Katharine
floor of the Central Library at the Cloc
staffed by the welcoming
Street. The Hub is an attractive space
Lifestyles teams.
NHS Stop Smoking and Council’s Active
ity organisations will
A variety of NHS Teams and commun
ths offering free
be using the space over the coming mon
ne who wants to find
information, advice and support to anyo
out more about healthy living.
a better time to
If you are a smoker there has never been
!
access support now the Hub is here
e active come and chat
If you and your family want to get mor
borough - information
to the staff about opportunities in the
ing or healthy eating.
about parks, leisure centres, walking, cycl
eating look no further
If you want to know more about healthy
so why not challenge
than the Hub. There is also a Wii Fit Plus
your work colleagues to a Wii match?
rough
Paying for childcare th
ve you up
childcareplus could sa
to £1,195 a year
You can save around:
lower rate tax payer
£874 a year if you’re a
a higher rate tax payer
£1,195 a year if you’re
Ready to register?
hand:
Make sure these are at
• your employee number
phone
• your carer’s address, tele
ofsted
and
s
tail
kde
ban
,
number
number if possible
like to pay
• the amount you would
um of
each period (to a maxim
)
£243 per month
e of birth
• your child’s name and dat
Log on to your salary
plus website: www.lifestyle
benefits.co.uk/croydon
Phone the childcareplus
helpline 0800 161 3042
Text childcare and your
name to 81025*
t
You can also phone or tex
to
nt
wa
t
jus
as above if you
learn more.
Affordable healthcare
cover – Options
The Beneden Healthcare
Society is a not-forprofit organisation, aimed
solely at public sector
employees. Membership
of Beneden is being
offered to staff for just £1.
50 per person, per week.
visit www.beneden.org.
uk or call 0845 052
5758 quoting reference
‘CroyCC’
Hub
For more information come and visit the
rdays 10-4
Satu
and
;
11-5
-Fri
open Monday 11-6; Tues
lthy.living@croydon.
0208 253 1009 or ext 61009 or hea
hub
gov.uk or www.croydon.gov.uk/healthy
Looking for some
where to
park your car or
motorbike?
We have a selectio
n of
garages available fo
r rent
throughout the bo
rough.
How much does it
cost?
This depends on wh
ere the garage is lo
cated,
however, the averag
e rent is £9 per we
ek.
How do I apply?
You can complete
the online applicatio
n form on the
council’s website: w
ww.croydon.gov.u
k/housing/
councilhousing/ga
rages or contact th
e housing
team on 020 8726
6100
Want a present from National Car Parks?
Then why not park closer to
where you want to be for as
little as £2.33 per day?
3. Initial payment must be made by
credit or debit card on application
Terms and conditions
1. All tickets must start from 1st
of the month
2. Completed forms must be returned
at least 7 days prior to chosen
start date
• Dingwall (CR0 0XH)
• Wandle (CR0 1DX)
• Fairfield Halls (CR0 1JN)
• Allders (CR0 2AA)
• Whitgift Centre (CR0 1LP)
To take advantage of this offer, please call Alison on 07766906212
or email alison.phoenix@ncp.co.uk