Keith Barrow: It’s business as usual at Shirehall
Shropshire Council is without a chief executive after the abrupt departure of Kim Ryley. So what does the future hold? Leader Keith Barrow spells out his vision
Shropshire Council is without a chief executive after the abrupt departure of Kim Ryley. So what does the future hold? Leader Keith Barrow spells out his vision:
This week marked the start of new era for Shropshire Council as we said goodbye to chief executive Kim Ryley, and I wish him well in his new role helping Cheshire East Council, and in his subsequent retirement.
But it’s most definitely business as usual here in Shropshire as we continue our efforts to provide local people and families with the best possible services, and the best value for your Council Tax.
Over the past three years we’ve faced the huge challenge of saving a massive £86 million due to government spending cuts. It hasn’t been easy but I’m really proud that we’ve been able to make these savings with minimal impact on services and local people. However, we know there will be further spending cuts ahead so we need to do everything we can to be prepared for these, and to minimise their impact on you.
That’s why we’ve spent a lot of time carefully planning the changes that we need to make to the way we do things, to help us meet the challenges ahead.
These plans are definitely the right way, and the best way, forward, so there really is no need to change them.
I’m confident that, supported by my fellow councillors, the council’s senior management team, and by our fantastic and hard-working staff, we will continue to improve services and provide the best possible value for money for Shropshire people.
There has always been a strong support team at the council, carrying out our legal duties and responsibilities. One of these responsibilities is that of ‘head of paid service’ which basically means being line manager for the council’s senior managers.
I’m really pleased that David Taylor, the council’s corporate director for people, has agreed to take on this important role. David is a hugely experienced, and very capable local government officer, who has often deputised for the chief executive in the past, at Shropshire Council and at other councils he has worked for, and he’ll help to ensure the smooth running of the council.
This is a formal appointment, which must be agreed by full council and I’ll be recommending to my fellow councillors that they agree his appointment at our next meeting.
So, what does the future hold and what are the changes that we’ll be making? Well, as you may have read, we’ve recently agreed to work more closely with our neighbouring councils in Staffordshire and Worcestershire so that our three councils will be more efficient and save money by sharing resources, knowledge and buying power.
And, we’ll shortly begin moving some of our services across to our new company – ip&e group – where they can be delivered with less ‘red tape’, and can generate new job growth and public profit that can be pumped back into improving services. We had around 90 applications for the job of ip&e group managing director, which is really encouraging, and we’ll be holding interviews on Monday. So, we’ll soon have the right person in place to lead us into this exciting new era.
So, there will be changes ahead. But, one thing that hasn’t changed is the council’s key aim – to improve the quality of life for local people.
Doing what’s right for Shropshire and Shropshire people is massively important to me. I’m Shropshire born and bred and have lived here all my life; in fact five generations of my family have lived in Shropshire.
As a Shropshire lad, I want the county to be a brilliant place to live, work, study or visit, and I’m sure you do too.
That’s why I’ll keep working hard to make sure the council provides you with the best services and best value for money. And if you’ve got any thoughts or suggestions about how we can do this, then please get in touch with me.
The one thing we will always agree on is we all want the best for Shropshire and for the people who live and work in the county, so I’m always happy to hear what you think about the council and our services and how we could do things better.
In fact, one of the reasons for setting up ip&e group was that lots of people told me that the council should cut down on bureaucracy and I couldn’t agree more. It’s really important to me that we listen to local people and this is one great example of how we’ve done just that.
I know that times are hard and money is tight for many people. That’s why it’s crucial that we give you the best value for money for your council tax. That’s what all the staff at the council are working hard to achieve and I really want to thank them for their efforts.
We’ve made huge achievements in Shropshire over the past three years and I really am looking forward to a bright future for people of Shropshire.
See also:
Comments for: "Keith Barrow: It’s business as usual at Shirehall"
ed
interesting choice of photo!something you dont see much of anymore in shrewsbury green bins being collected funily enough they are no use any longer without a cardboard recycling service!!!! #sackthelotofthem
kerry
Ha, working for the good of shropshire, the binman in that picture is working for hte good of the profit margin on the french owned firm that runs the bins veolia, they dont give two figs about shropshier people they pollute our skies with their incinerator and run rings around the council extracting maximum payment for doing minimal work, the whole thing is a complete scandal and the fact that keith barrow supports more work and more public money going overseas by outsourcing british workers jobs and profiting from public social services is why the shropshire born and bred folk should kick him out!
Carlos the Jackal
Desperation City, Arizona!
"Look into my eyes, look into my eyes, the eyes, the eyes, not around the eyes, don't look around my eyes, look into my eyes, you're under".
"Shropshire Council is not in chaos, staff morale has never been higher. We did not waste millions of pounds on the Music Hall project, roundabouts and the like and iPads really are great value".
"Vote for Keith next May".
paul d
the problem is "business as usual" is no good. The economy is flat-lining and public services are going down the pan. We dont want business as usual we want to elect a new council and go in a new direction!
ian
they must be hiding something if they are trying to make out its all fine
john
How about taking a pay cut?
Brian Thompson
Re David Taylor and his formal appointment, what you really mean is you wil be telling your fellow councillors that they WILL agree his appointment at your next meeting.
Ref the ip&e group, how much is it costing to set this up and when you take over the council services how long before you sell off the company to the highest bidder.
Just like to point out that many Shropshire people work hard.
Jelly
Whilst being proud of your 5 th generation Shropshire it doesn't qualify you for anything and you are no better than anyone else. If you want to do the right thing - and listen to the residents at the same time - you should consider that it appears to us that you are desperately trying to gain as much power as you can for yourself and a certain select few.
You can start by revealing what really has gone on between you and the chief executive and removing yourself as chairman of the private company being set up as there is a clear conflict of interest, how can you act as a diligent scrutinising shareholder when you may become embroiled in a private sector scandal?
Rita von Tease
Arrogance, arrogance, arrogance!
Direct your anger at the ballot box in May. Their form of 'democracy' cannot be allowed to continue in the name of Shropshire people.
helen
'I’m really proud that we’ve been able to make these savings with minimal impact on services and local people'
'It’s really important to me that we listen to local people'
'These plans are definitely the right way, and the best way, forward, so there really is no need to change them.'
Oh where to even start.... Cllr Barrow doesn't seem to understand that most people are capable of comparing what they can see happening in front of their own eyes with what he says is happening in front of their eyes, and spotting the huge gulf between the two. He and his cronies have to go before they can do any more damage to the place and people he claims to value so much. Vote them out.
Jeepers
If only voting them out was the simple answer.
The other lot would be just as bad, only in different ways. The moment these people - whatever their politics - get power, they'll do ANYTHING to keep and extend it.
What the taxpayers think doesn't matter.
helen
Jeepers-
'The other lot would be just as bad'
They really wouldn't- Keith Barrow's Cabinet are a class apart
Twiggo
How is privatising services cutting back on red tape and increasing efficiency?
How is it more efficient to have two management strucutures in place to run services instead of one?
We will still be paying for highly paid Council managers to oversee the contract but we'll also be paying the managers of the private company to deliver the services. And, incidentally, those people that will be running the services will be less likely to live here so won't be putting their salaries into the local economy.
Plus there are the shareholders to pay and corporate functions to pay for (which I'm sure Mr Barrow is looking forward to).
We will pay more for less or if we do continue to pay the same we will get much, much less. Bye bye services, hello fat cats.
grumpo
Business as usual.
So what does this mean :-
1.More and more exempt reports so that the public have no idea what the vital discussions/decisions are.
2. Continuing to employ extortinately paid outside consultants.
3. Rushing headlong towards privatisation
4. Continuing with the ill thought out transformation of the Council as established by Ryley
5. The refusal by Barrow to answer pertinent questions in a direct open manner
6. To have other Tory Councillors follow their leader like sheep who appear incapable of questioning any of his views or maybe they are to scared too.
The problem is as leader of the Council as in the case of a Chief Executive, the post and title should have a degree of respect from both public and staff. However the holders of such posts need to earn such respect by their actions.Unfortunately Barrow and Ryley have actually managed to lose the respect for the positions they hold/held which sums up the disillusion people have for the current regime.
So is there one action you can take to prove you are listening to peoples views?
Yes .Delay any appointments to the new company.You state interviews are being held on Monday so it is not too late to not commit to an appointment unless of course the person has already been selected and what a surprise this would be if it is not an individual who has in the past been employed as an outside consultant.
So come on Mr Barrow review the advice given to you by Ryley before proceeding further and you may just start to earn some trust and respect back.
Ceri
iIt must be bad if the pr team are having to do statements like this
eva land
[If only voting them out was the simple answer.
The other lot would be just as bad, only in different ways. The moment these people – whatever their politics – get power, they’ll do ANYTHING to keep and extend it.
What the taxpayers think doesn’t matter.]
Couldn't agree more Jeepers.
There is really no real divide politically now and never really has been in Shrewsbury.
You don't see Labour representing the less well off, they are represented by teachers for example, who are the best paid of the public services other than the police. The demands of the job in the police however are far more exacting and with way longer working hours in actual front line public service.
We pay a high price for a democratic service that we do not actually receive.
Self interests always win out once voted in.
julian
"It's really important to me that we listen to local people".
ha ha ha ha ha, priceless.