work begins on academy - West Dunbartonshire Council

Council
launches
dog fouling
campaign P2
1
886
LAB
R
MILLA
JOHN
SSP
FICES
CIL OF
COUN KE ROAD
HA
GARS RTON
DUMBA U
G82 3P
3003
T:
961 71
M: 07
FFICES
E ROAD
ON
6397
389 75 8766
803 66
IND
FICES
CIL OF
COUN KE ROAD
HA
GARS RTON
DUMBA U
49
G82 3P 9 7614
38
40
T: 01 9 8908
LAB
IDE
McBR
DAVID
URR
IAN M
FICES
CIL OF
COUN KE ROAD
HA
GARS RTON
DUMBA U
767758
G82 3P
389
T: 01 961 711664
M: 07
B
ISTER LA
McALL
LAW
Lazer quest
New administration
session and
& elected members
designer sunglasses
pull-out poster
P8
P4 - 5
SUMMER 2012
COUNCIL
ENDS
Grubs up! Sharon in
national cooking final P7
WORK BEGINS ON
PARTIAL
STOCK TRANSFER
Housing staff will be
upgrading
to meet the 2015 deall Council homes
adline
Council staff are now working flat out to deliver improvements
to Council homes after the dramatic Council decision to halt
the partial stock transfer process.
Councillors voted to retain all
of the Council’s existing 10,500
homes. The commitment will
see the Council invest £95
million in homes to ensure that
properties meet the Scottish
Housing Quality Standard
by 2015.
There will also beadditional funds to
demolish surplus stock and promote regeneration and new build in collaboration with
partners.
Councillors decided that retaining the
housing stock was the best option for
tenants and would also be the best way of
protecting Council jobs and services.
The Council had previously planned to
hold an independent ballot in September asking tenants to vote on
transferring up to 5,000 homes
Elaine Melrose, Executive Director,
says ‘it’s now up to us to roll up our
sleeves and make it happen’.
to local housing associations. If the project
had gone through around 17 staff would
also have moved from the Council to the
housing associations.
“There is around
£3.6 million for
regeneration across
West Dunbartonshire”
Tenants will have to contribute towards
the cost of improving their homes with
rents estimated to increase annually by
around seven percent for the next five
years. While this will certainly have an impact on tenants it should be acknowledged
that the Council’s current rents are
amongst the lowest of all Scottish Councils.
Elaine Melrose, Executive Director for
Housing, Environmental and Economic
Development, said: “The Councillors have
set us the task of ensuring homes meet
the Scottish Housing Quality Standard by
2015 and it now up to us to roll up our
sleeves and make it happen.
“We have been given the funds to set
about the demolition of surplus stock at
Bellsmyre, Glenside and North Mountblow,
and there is also around £3.6 million for
regeneration across West Dunbartonshire.
We will also be trying to find a strategic
partner that is financially able to take
forward further housing regeneration if we
can provide the development sites.
“I’d like to thank all those staff who
have contributed to the partial stock
transfer process and reassure them that
their input will still be important as we
consider the how our housing services are
run in the future. I’d also like to thank those
staff from Housing Services and Corporate
Services who worked extremely hard over
a very short period of time to prepare
detailed options in for Councillors to
review and decide upon.”
£15.5m DUMBARTON
A C A D E M Y
Joyce White, Chief Executive,
pictured with ???
The new school campus will feature a 100m running
track, theatre and modern library
Pupils, teachers, parents, staff and
Councillors are celebrating the official
start of building work for the new
£15.5 million Dumbarton Academy.
Fourth-year pupils Katie Sutter and Cameron Raeside
joined headteacher Jacqui Lynam and Councillor Patrick
McGlinchey, Convener for Educational Services, in
cutting the ceremonial first sod on the site.
The first building phase lasts up to August 2013
and involves constructing the new school facility, a
flood-lit all-weather pitch to the rear, a surrounding
playground, and service road.
Phase two will consist of demolishing the existing
school structures, constructing the staff car park, a
further flood-lit all-weather pitch, grass pitch and
100m running track. This is due for completion in
December 2013.
“This school has a very exciting
future to look forward to”
Once finished the school will provide stateof-the-art surroundings for up to 700 pupils, with
classrooms designed to meet every requirement of
modern teaching. The building will also include a
dramatic theatre and modern library.
Headteacher Jacqui Lynam, who joined the school
earlier this year, said: “Cutting the sod at the
construction site was a really powerful moment for
all the staff and pupils at Dumbarton Academy. This
school has a very exciting future to look forward to
with fantastic new surroundings to help our teachers
bring the very
best out of our
pupils. We are
thrilled and can’t
wait to get into
the new buildademy
Ac
n
rto
ings in 2013.”
ba
m
Du
The new
2
DOG OWNERS TOLD
Got any stories or news? Let Corporate Communications know at communications@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
The number of
who
people
currently ‘like’
the Council’s Facebook page.The page has only been
running for a year and has proved
to be a fantastic way of sharing
information with a wide local
audience and conducting surveys.
We also have 1,280 followers on
the Council’s Twitter site.
1,900
m
2
.
1
£
0
1,90
0
0
0
,
0
2
£1.2m
The Council
saved more
than £1.2m
in the past year by improving the
way it purchased goods and
materials. Angela Wilson, Executive
Director, Corporate Services,
said: “This is just the start and
we believe there are further
efficiencies to be generated by
improving our buying practices.”
The
overall
procurement
performance improved by 17%
which was one of the biggest
improvements in procurement
amongst any Council in Scotland.
0
7
2
0
0
0
,
0
2
1,900
4
0
7
2
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.
£1 m
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4
0
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0
m
£21.72
The number of people who attended
the 2012 Scottish Pipe Band
Championships at Levengrove
Park, Dumbarton. That was up by
25% on last year and included
competitors from 134 pipe bands
from across Europe. Ian Embelton,
Chief Executive of the Royal Pipe
Band Association, praised the
Council saying: “From an organisational point of view this was easily
the best year we’ve had.”
240,000
?
?
0
?
7
?
2
0
0
1,9
The number of
people
who
voted for their
favourite image in the Council’s
first ever student photography
competition. The Council teamed
up with Clydebank College to ask
students to capture West Dunbartonshire at its best. The shortlist
then went to a public vote and the
winning shot (below) was taken by
Lauren Millar, 21, from Clydebank.
£14.2m
20?,?0?0?0
270
The number of times full
Council will now meet a
year after Councillors voted
to move to a quarterly
cycle rather than monthly. The
decision was taken on June 20 and
should help save £55,000 in
administration costs. Committees
will also meet less frequently.
4
????
‘DO THE
RIGHT
THING!’
Greenspace and Corporate Communications
have teamed up to tackle dog fouling
with a hard-hitting campaign that labels
irresponsible owners as disgusting.
Dog fouling is one of the most complained about issues
locally, and in a survey of 450 staff and residents 91%
thought it was a problem in West Dunbartonshire.
In response the Council is running a ‘Do the Right Thing!’ campaign
throughout the summer which aims to make local dog owners realise that
leaving their dog’s mess is repulsive and socially unacceptable.
The campaign has been rolled out across the area, but several problem
sites, such as football pitches and children’s play areas, have been intensively
targeted.
One of the anti-fouling schemes involves Council officers taking the radical action of spray-painting dog mess bright pink
to shock irresponsible owners into changing their bad habits. This will highlight the
scale of the problem on streets and hopefully embarrass the offending owners into changing their habits. We are the
first Council to attempt this in Scotland and the move has attracted significant media interest.
Litter control officer, David Hay said: “We are determined to make
West Dunbartonshire a cleaner, safer place. To do that, we need these
irresponsible owners to understand that the local community finds their
behaviour offensive and unacceptable.
“Not only is it illegal to not pick up
after your dog, dog mess can be harmful
to humans, especially children. It can
cause stomach upsets, headaches and
sore throats, and in the worst cases,
it can cause eye damage.
“We are determined to
make West Dunbartonshire
a cleaner, safer place”
EMPLOYEE SURVEY
UPDATE
The Council will develop a
new employee recognition
scheme, refresh the Core
Brief framework and improve
manager’s skills at managing
change following suggestions
received in the latest staff survey.
The survey, answered by 1,500 staff, highlighted what people
were most satisfied with and also where improvements needed
to be made.
Angela Terry, Organisational Development Manager said:
“Employee satisfaction and engagement is crucial for ensuring
the Council is delivering the best services possible for our
residents.
“We value employees feedback which gives us a better
understanding of how the Council is viewed by our workforce.
Our improvement plan looks at the areas highlighted by staff
and by addressing these issues we can build on the future
success of the Council.”
Full details of the employee
on the
survey results and the
Staff will be kept updated ement
rov
imp
key
se
the
of
ss
improvement plan
gre
pro
issues.
initiatives in future TALK
have been published on
the HR&OD intranet page.
“One idea we’re trying is spray
painting the dog poos and this will
confront those dog owners who
The campaign
believe that if their dog does its
includes spray
painting dog m
ess to hi
business somewhere discreet or
the problem ghlight
out of sight then it is ok to leave the
mess behind. It’s not, it is still disgusting.”
ELECTION RUNS
SMOOTHLY
Chief Executive Joyce White
has praised the 200 Council
staff who worked tirelessly to
make sure the Council Elections
in May were a success.
Election staff oversee
The Election team took less than
results
at the Count in the
six hours to verify more than 27,000
Play Drome
votes and announce all 22 successful
candidates at the Count in the Play
the national average. This is a particularly
Drome Clydebank.
good result given the
The Count was
the culmination of six “I would like to thank high levels of deprivamonths of planning all the staff who helped tion in the area.
Joyce White, Chief
with staff responsible
to make this election Executive and Returnfor the design and
ing Officer for West
printing of polling cards
process a success”
Dunbartonshire, said:
and ballot papers, location of polling stations, delivery of election “I would like thank all the staff who
material across the authority, recruiting helped to make this election process a
and training election staff and generating success. This was my first Count as
Returning Officer but the professionalism
interest amongst the public in voting.
In total more than 66,000 ballot pa- of everyone involved made it a very smooth
pers were issued and over 8,000 postal process. The Councillors also passed on
ballot packs sent out. On the day voter their appreciation to the election team at
the first Council meeting in May.”
turnout was 41% which was better than
THE FUTURE
New administration and elected members wall chart P4-5
IS BRIGHT
After four months as Executive
Director of Corporate Services,
Angela Wilson, says she is
confident the Council has a
bright future.
Angela, who started with us in March after joining from South Ayrshire
Council, has been getting out and about meeting as many of her new
colleagues as possible. She said: “It’s been a fantastic time
for me to join the Council and it has been great meeting my team and
all the new councillors. I’ve found everyone to be supportive,
welcoming and enthusiastic.”
Her target for the next year is to
agree a new corporate plan, and to
work with fellow Executive Directors
and the new administration to
achieve better services for the people
of West Dunbartonshire.
Moving with the times is important to Angela. She said: “If I had a
spare £10m to spend at the Council,
I’d use it to make major investments in ICT, such as our website, and
Executive Director Angela Wilson is committed to improving
ICT infrastructure
in innovative ways of communicating, such as mobile technology. I’d
like to see solutions that will continue the improvement and
modernisation journey across the Council, including new ways of
working through mobile technology.
All this would improve the way we deliver services to our community.”
Asked what she would most like
to change about the Council,
Angela said: “I’d like the culture here
to be positive, and for it to be a
place where we recognise and
celebrate our achievements.We are
an improving council, and I’d like our
staff to be proud of working here
and being part of us becoming
even better. I’d like this Council to
have a reputation as somewhere that people really want to work.”
“I’d like our staff to be
proud of working here and
being part of us becoming
even better”
GOLF PRO-AM
IS HUGE SUCCESS
The 2012 West Dunbartonshire
Council Pro-Am has been hailed by
organisers as the most successful
event in its history after a thrilling
shoot-out in the baking May sun.
This was the 26th year the prestigious tournament has been held on the Council’s Dalmuir
Municipal Golf Course in partnership with the
Scottish Professional Golf Association.
Nearly 150 professionals and amateurs competed from across Scotland to win the individual
Scottish Tartan Tour title and team prize.
The eventual winner at two-under-par
was Hayston Golf Club's Stephen Gray. His 66
secured a two-shot victory from Greg McBain
(Gamola Golf).
Local pro Stewart Savage, who finished joint
third on 69, led the amateur trio of Peter
Verrecchia (handicap 12), Fraser McGlashan (18)
and John Semple (18) to victory in the pro-am
r hands the
Provost McAllisteeir drivers
winning team th
37 teams competed in the Pro Am
team event with a net score of 15-under-par 53.
The amateur’s each won a Wilson dxi driver.
Provost Douglas McAllister played in the
event for the first time and said: “I’d like to thank
all the staff involved in preparing the course in
such fantastic condition and putting on a great
tournament like this.
“There was a brilliant atmosphere around the
course all day and the glorious sunshine made
it a really perfect day. I had a great time and
everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves
too.”
WEBSITE
GOES LIVE
The new Council website
will go live to the public
in July after months of
preparation by teams across
the Council.
The new site looks modern and
easy-on-the-eye and offers mapping
technology, makes popular content
more prominent, helps residents find
information more easily and has an
enhanced use of social media.
More than 50 web editors across
Council departments have also been
trained in how to use the new website
and write content for websites.
Web Manager Jonathan Muir said:
“We’re really pleased with the new site
and can’t wait to launch it to the public.
This is a really important development
for the Council that should offer up
some great benefits to staff and residents.
“Please remember though that a
website never stops needing updating
so even after the launch we still need
to priortise getting accurate information online.”
VIEWPOINT
3
Chief Executive
Joyce White
It’s a
great
job
Hello,
I’d like to begin by asking a
question - do you enjoy your
job?
You might think it a strange way to start
my column however given that you spend
almost a third of your life at work I think it
is important that you get some satisfaction
from it. It is also vital to our success as an
organisation that we have happy and motivated
staff who are passionate about providing
the best service possible.
In the past few months I have lost count
of the number of times I have seen
first-hand our staff performing brilliantly.
At the recent Council elections 200 of
you came together to ensure the polling
stations were open, that ballot papers
were safely transported to the Play Drome,
and the votes were accurately counted and
cast.
I was also blown away - literally - by the
fabulous Scottish Pipe Band Championship
at Levengrove Park, Dumbarton.To stage an
event that attracts around 20,000 people
to the area so smoothly and with great
feedback from the Pipe Band Association is
a fantastic achievement.
“I have lost count of the
number of times I have
seen our staff performing
brilliantly”
And most recently the eyes of the UK
were upon West Dunbartonshire when the
Olympic Torch Relay travelled through the
area last month. Again staff from across the
Council came together brilliantly to ensure
that our area was looking clean and tidy,
that the relay could proceed unhindered
and that thousands of local people of all
ages were motivated to come out and
support the event.
And let’s not forget the fantastic frontline
and support services we provide day by day
across our Council area. From services to
the very young to those at later stages in
life, we are a key part to their everyday
living.
These successes are only possible because
we have staff who enjoy their jobs. I believe
that the Council offers our staff stable
employment with diverse opportunities and
in a supportive environment that helps
us keep a good work/life balance. There will
always be temporary frustrations and
problems to tackle, but in general public
service offers us all a great career and it is
up to us all to make the most of it.
I have an old saying I believe in “It’s up to
me if it’s going to be”. Enjoy your job - I do
- and thanks for all your efforts.
Best wishes
4
Got any stories or news? Let Corporate Communications know at communications@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
NEW ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTED MEMBERS 2012 - 2017
PROVOST
DOUGLAS
McALLISTER
DEPUTE
PROVOST
JOHN
MILLAR
LEADER
of the
COUNCIL
MARTIN
ROONEY
DEPUTE
LEADER
of the
COUNCIL
PATRICK
McGLINCHEY
COMMUNITY HEALTH & CARE
PARTNERSHIP
CORPORATE SERVICES
HOUSING, ENVIRONMENT AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
LICENSING BOARD
PLANNING AND LICENSING
COMMITTEES
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
COMMITTEE
JOINT CONSULTATIVE FORUM
APPEALS COMMITTEE
AUDIT AND PERFORMANCE
REVIEW COMMITTEE
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LOMOND
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LEVEN
CONVENER
DEPUTE
GAIL CASEY
KATH RYALL
DAVID McBRIDE
PATRICK McGLINCHEY
JOHN MOONEY
MARTIN ROONEY
PATRICK McGLINCHEY
LAWRENCE O’NEILL
MICHELLE STEWART
JOHN MILLAR
CHAIR
DEPUTE
LAWRENCE O’NEILL
JOHN MILLAR
MICHELLE STEWART
THOMAS RAINEY
DOUGLAS McALLISTER
HAZEL SORRELL
KATH RYALL
CHAIR and LEADER of the OPPOSITION
JONATHAN McCOLL
3
DUMBARTON
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KILPATRICK
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CENTRAL
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CLYDEBANK
WATERFRONT
Find out who would like to be stuck in a lift with Billy Connolly P6
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SNP
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SSP
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SSP
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6
STAFF GO
THE EXTRA
MILE FOR
CHARITY
Win a pair of designer sunglasses worth £75 P8
SECONDS
WITH...
BOBBY KERR
Service Development
Co-ordinator
Four super-fit Council staff ran, cycled and swam their
way to fundraising success after organising their very
own triathlon.
What is your favourite hobby?
Anyone who knows me will be able
to tell you it is tennis. I just love it.
I play and coach all ages and am a
member of Helensburgh
Tennis Club. I’ve represented Scotland at club
level and played on the
historic grass courts of
Queen’s Club in London.
Describe your perfect day?
I love getting up early to make the
most of a day. I’d read the papers and
then go and have a morning game of
tennis with friends. I’d then come
home and start preparing a huge
meal for the extended family and
then we’d all tuck in that evening.
What did you want to be when
you were growing up?
When I was really young I wanted
to be a policeman but that changed
for some reason!
What’s the best piece of advice
you’ve ever been given?
While I was running a snooker club
I was told that if you look after the
business the business will look after
itself. Also that business comes first.
They are both very true.
What’s your
favourite
holiday
destination?
It has to be
Mauritius.
I got married
there and it
is simply paradise.
The people are so friendly, the
beaches are amazing and the water
is so beautiful. Just paradise.
If you could only take two
things to a desert island with
you what would they be?
I love music so I’d have to take
my music collection. I’d also need
something to stimulate my brain
so I’d probably take an
encyclopedia that I could
spend hours poring over.
If you could be invisible for
the day what would you do?
I’d like to stay at the house and find
out what my children get up to! I’ve
got a 20-year-old boy and twins - a
girl and a boy aged 15 - so there is
plenty of mayhem
usually!
If you were stuck
in a lift with
someone who
would you like it
to be? It would
have to be Billy Connolly. I’ve
watched him most of my life and just
think he is hilarious. I love the way he
tells stories rather than jokes.
Jason Keating and Fiona Roxburgh from the Housing team, Public
Reassurance Officer Scott McLelland and Early Intervention Officer
Ronnie Harper completed the challenge in aid of Erskine Hospital. The
event started with a 200m swim at the Vale of Leven Swimming Pool,
followed by a 20km cycle and finally a 5km run around Alexandria.
Chief organiser Jason said: “I’d always really wanted to do a triathlon
but the ones I tried to enter were never at a suitable time, so with help
from Scott, Fiona and Ronnie, we agreed to arrange our own. We raised
£1000 in sponsorship for Erskine
Hospital, so it went better than
we could have hoped. It was a
first for all of us and amazingly,
we all finished in a draw although I think Scott might
disagree with that result!
“We could not have done it
without help from the staff at
the Vale of Leven Pool,
and without our colleagues
putting up with us moaning
about our sore legs. We’re
hoping to organise another
triathlon next year and
d
an
on
Scott, Ronnie, Jaspool
have more competitors -so
Fiona at the
watch this space!”
The team had to cycle 20km each, swim 200m
at the Vale of Leven pool, and run 5km
STAFF BID FAREWELL TO
CHIEF SOCIAL WORK OFFICER
Chamber to wish
Staff filled the Council her retirement
for
t
Anne all the bes
Hundreds of staff turned up to say
goodbye to one of the most popular
officers when Head of Children’s Health,
Care and Criminal Justice Anne Ritchie
retired after 39 years in Local Government.
Anne started her career in 1973 as a Social Worker
with Glasgow Corporation, followed by 20 years with
Strathclyde Region before joining the newly created
West Dunbartonshire Council in
1996.
Anne said, “Over the course of
my working life I have worked
with some of the best colleagues
anyone could ever have hoped for.
Within Social Work, more widely
across the Council, and in our
partner agencies, there is such
commitment it makes me proud
to have been part of Public Service.
I will miss that very much. I would
like to thank everyone for their
generous gifts and kind words
on my retiral which are much
appreciated. In addition, the amazing
amount of over £500 was raised
for the Dumbarton and Lennox
Children's Trust, which is wonderful
and I am extremely grateful.”
me a nd
T
E
P
Y
M
Lyn Hughes
Human Resources Advisor
This is me and my dog Freya,
a five year old Springer Spaniel.
She was given to me and my
husband as a wedding present which is a bit more exciting than
a set of towels.
Like all Springer Spaniels she is full of energy,
with a tail that never stops wagging, and loves
nothing more than going to the park and chasing
her ball.
She’s a very friendly dog and tries to sit on your lap with a paw on either
shoulder while trying to lick your face. This isn’t something reserved for
people she knows - she once did it to a random stranger on a park bench in
Balloch. Thankfully he thought it was funny!
Freya loves swimming and as soon as she spots water she off for a soak,
although I only wish I could get her as excited about a bath! She’s great
company and can be well behaved, although
she does enjoy chasing our cat Beryl.
at:
Let us know
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Do you haviceations@west-dunba
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“I have worked with some
of the best colleagues
anyone could ever have
hoped for”
Te ll us
ab o u t
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p
In her retirement Anne plans to
spend more time with her husband
travelling on their Honda Pan
European motorbike, and she also
plans to paint her front door - a
task she’s been trying to find the
time to do for about 10 years.
Keith Redpath, Director of
CHCP, said: “Anne was a very well
respected colleague not only within
West Dunbartonshire but across
Social Work in Scotland. She’ll be
greatly missed and we all wish her
a long and happy retirement.”
COUNCIL SCHOOL COOK
IN NATIONAL FOOD FINAL
Want to keep up-to-date with the London 2012 Olympics? Check out Web Watch on P8
A Council school cook is in the running to win the prestigious title
of Scottish School Cook of the Year.
Sharon Lockhart of Bonhill Primary School made it to the final stage after a hotly contested semi-final in which
she tantalised the taste buds of the judges with Mediterranean
Meatballs served with Cous Cous, followed by Summer
Bonhill school cook
Breeze Cheescake.
Throughout the competition the cooks have to produce a two-course meal
consisting of a main dish and dessert for a maximum
cost of £1.50 and which meets specific nutritional
guidelines.
The national challenge offers school cooks
the opportunity to demonstrate that they have
the talent and skills to produce tasty, healthy
and nutritious food within a tight budget.
Sharon Lockhart, 44, from Bonhill,
has worked for the Council for 20 years and
said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have made
it through to the final and am pleased to be
representing West Dunbartonshire Council in
Scottish School Cook of the Year 2012.
The Grand Final of the competition, which is
organised by ASSIST - the Facilities Management
Organisation, Wiseman Dairies and the Braehead
Cook School, will take place on 20 August.
STAFF GET DOWN TO OLYMPIC GOLD
THE KNITTY GRITTY FOR WEST DUN
However, within a few weeks of the knitting
pattern going online, social worker Margaret
was inundated with offers of help from various
departments. Soon the jumpers began to pile
in, as staff members not only got knitting themselves but recruited their aunties, grannies and
pals to help. At last count, there were 259
jumpers donated by 22 members of staff, their
families and friends. Some of those jumpers
have already winged their way to Kenya.
Margaret decided to get involved with the
appeal by the charitable knitting group Loving
Hands when she read about the plight of
babies affected by HIV and AIDS in her
church magazine. She said: “I read that many
of these babies were being sent home from
hospital wrapped in newspaper - and this is also
what has tugged at the heartstrings of our knitters.
I enjoy knitting, it is one of my hobbies and it
takes only a night sitting in front of the TV to
knit one of these wee jumpers.”
She added: “I was amazed by the response
to the Intranet article. One of my clients, who
is registered as partially sighted, has also been
knitting jumpers. She said it had encouraged
her to return to her knitting hobby which she
used to enjoy.”
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone
who has helped, particularly to Maris Connolly,
Helen Faye, Jean Powell and Marion Major
who have recruited lots of knitters - if anyone
wants to knit some more, there is still time!”
If you would like a copy of the pattern,
contact Margaret on 737905 or email:
margaret.willoughby@
west-dunbarton.gov.uk
Seamus
Monaghan
Unpaid Work Officer
from the
Community Payback Team
Managing offenders who
carry out unpaid work
in the community is a
responsible role which
Seamus Monaghan finds
challenging but ultimately
very rewarding.
“It was certainly a challenge to design and produce and
nutritionally analyse a two-course meal that was cost effective,
modern, and suitable for children.
“I was slightly nervous at the semi-final as I was working
outside my normal environment, however I did enjoy the
experience and I’m over the moon at getting through to the
final stage. Now I’ll go and give it my best shot.”
When Margaret Willoughby put
an appeal on the staff intranet,
asking for volunteers to knit
“wee jumpers” for African babies
affected by HIV and AIDS, she had
no idea what response to expect.
TALK TALKS TO...
Sharon Lockhart is
looking forward to the
final in August
“I’m over the moon at getting
through to the final stage”
Staff from across the Council have knitted hundreds of jumpers for charity
MY DAY
7
T h e
Olympic
To r c h
R e l a y
visit to
W e s t
Dunbartonshire
has been
hailed as
4,500 people watched the flame
one of
in West Dunbartonshire
the best
community events in years.
Thousands of people crammed the streets of
Hardgate, Clydebank and Dumbarton in June to welcome
the Olympic flame to the area and cheer on the torchbearers.
The event was streamed live to a national audience
on the internet as part of the comprehensive coverage
of the Torch Relay tour of the UK, and showed off
West Dunbartonshire at its best.
“I think it was one of the best events for
bringing everyone of all ages together”
Ronnie Dinnie, Head of Neighbourhood Services,
said: “We had high hopes that the Torch Relay visit
would capture the imagination of local residents and
that certainly turned out to be the case. I think it was
one of the best events for bringing everyone of all ages
together in years.
“I’d also like to thank all Council staff involved who
helped make sure everything went smoothly on the day.”
Unpaid Work Officer Seamus
and his colleagues in the Community
Payback Team arrange worthwhile
work for offenders when they
have been given an unpaid work
order by the courts. This work
could be anything from painting,
gardening and snow clearing to
litter picking. Offenders recently
built a new section of the Clyde
Coastal Path in Duntocher.
Seamus began his career with
the Council 12 years ago as a supervisor, who monitored offenders as they worked. His job is now
based in the office and his first
task of the day is recording the
hours the offenders worked on
the previous day, and contacting
any offenders who did not turn up
for their shift. He said: “It’s hard
trying to understand why the
clients sometimes find it so hard
to comply with the order. I know
it is due to their chaotic lifestyles,
but when they fail to attend and I
have to return an order back to
court, it is very frustrating. I think,
“Why did you not just turn up?”
“It’s hard trying to
understand why clients
don’t comply with
court orders”
Seamus spends a lot of time
writing reports to the court, and
although some might find the paperwork boring, Seamus finds it
very satisfying. He said: “Doing a
completion report for a client
who has successfully finished their
unpaid work order is very rewarding. One of the best memories of
my job so far is finding out that
one of my clients, who was placed
in a charity shop to do her unpaid
work, is now managing her own
branch. It just proves that unpaid
work orders can be very beneficial
as well as being a form of punishment.”
8
ROSIE WANTS
Don’t miss the next edition of Talk due out in Autumn
DESERT REVENGE
After taking on the most gruelling
race in the world and being defeated
at the final stage, most people would
probably decide to hang up their
running shoes.
and now Talk
First Mount Everest,hara Desert!
Sa
the
to
it
s
ke
ma
toenails. I was absolutely gutted as I was mentally fit.
I cried my eyes out at the time and I still get upset
about it even now. The front runner was also forced
out with injury at the same stage, so that’s running
for you! My first words to the organisers after I had
to pull out of the race were “I’m coming back!”
But for Rosie Kerr, coming so tantalisingly close
Rosie’s place for the 2013 event has just been
to the finish line has made her determined to give confirmed, but she will need to start the task of
her dream challenge one more try.
fundraising all over again. This time she has decided
In April, Rosie took part in the Marathon des to raise money for Solidarite, the charity started by
Sables, which is dubbed “the hardest foot race on the founder of the Marathon des Sables to help
earth”. Competitors run the equivalent of five and a the most underprivileged children in the South of
half marathons over six days in the baking heat of Morocco.
the Sahara Desert, while carrying all
When asked how she
their own food, water and equip- “It was still the best will do things differently next
ment.
experience I have time, Rosie said: “I’ll make sure I
Heartbreakingly, after following
soak my feet in surgical spirit to
ever had”
a punishing training regime and raising
harden the skin, and I’ll take
£3,500 for charity, Rosie completed four of the different types of food to try to lighten my backpack
marathons before a painful foot infection meant she a bit.At least I’ll be prepared for what’s ahead of me.”
was forced to pull out of the fifth.
She added: “Even though it was so upsetting not
She said: “My heels got infected, and if your feet to complete the race, it was still the best experience
are not in good shape, you can’t go on. I lost all the I have ever had. But I do feel like I have some unfinished
skin round my heels and toes and also lost six business with the Marathon des Sables!”
WIN! 2 LAZER GAMES, FOOD & DRINK
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/2012/
Olympic and Paralympic Games
coverage; news, sport, video,
tickets, Festival 2012, torch relay,
schedules and venues
Vicky-Jane Hastings,
European Programme
Finance Officer, won
the chimenea and
two beautiful hanging
baskets courtesy of
Loch Lomond Homes
and Gardens Centre
£75
THE SPEX STORE in Victoria
Street,Dumbarton, is a dispensing
opticians where you can save up
to 70% on frames and lenses.
Looking good in glasses doesn’t have to be expensive,
with complete price frames and lenses from £20.
Once you’ve had your eyes tested, take your prescription
down to The Spex Store and choose from their extensive
range of traditional and designer glasses.
The Spex Store accepts NHS vouchers and can provide
glasses for children, teenagers and adults. So pop in to the
store and see the saving.
For your chance to win this great prize, send your answer
to the following question to us at: Corporate Communications,
Garshake, or email: communications@
west-dunbarton.gov.uk by August 31st 2012
Q. How much
can you save on
frames and lenses
at The Spex
Store?
3 Victoria Street, Dumbarton, G82 1HU t: 01389 726935 or 07720 680958
The London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games are the biggest events to hit the country for decades! Here are some
websites and Twitter accounts that will allow you to keep up-to-date with everything.
Information on venues, travel,
accommodation, events and
much more
Linda Shaw,
Area Manager, won
the Munch and Bowl
package, for six
people to enjoy
two free games of
bowling and a meal
from their grill.
WORTH
KEEP UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS
http://www.visitlondon.com/london2012/
to
Congratulationtistion
our Talk comp!e
winners
ANIMAL DESIGNER SUNGLASSES
We’ve teamed up with Lazer Planet,
Glasgow’s largest and most advanced
laser tag game at Scotkart Indoor
Karting in Clydebank, to offer our
lucky winner 2 games each for six
people, relaxing and enjoying half a
pizza and soft drink after the games.
To be in with a chance of winning, fill in the
wordsearch below. There is one word that does
not appear in the grid. If you can find the missing
word, send it to us at Corporate Communications,
Garshake or email:
communications@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
by Friday 31st August 2012
COMPETITION WINNERS
Follow all the Olympic action on:
@OlympicNews2012 (unofficial) https://twitter.com/#!/OlympicNews2012
@LO2012 (run by enthusiasts) https://twitter.com/#!/LO2012
@Lon2012don (run by enthusiasts) https://twitter.com/#!/lon2012don
@London2012 - the official Olympic account https://twitter.com/#!/London2012
THE
TEAM
The editorial content of Talk is produced by the
Corporate Communications Team: Malcolm, Anna,
Moira, Lesley Anne,Trish and Jonathan. Photography
is undertaken by David Norwood.
Email: communications
@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
Talk is printed on 115gsm Revive silk
paper. Manufactured from 75% recycled
content, the paper is Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC) certified.
Furthermore, Revive 75 is about to
be declared Carbon Neutral®.