So What’s Happening?

SWH’s monthly newsletter November 2014

Ben’s Bit

Whilst writing this I noted that I was about to attend two company orientation sessions with employees who have recently joined the company. Since the beginning of 2014 SWH have recruited a total of 66 new employees.

This seems a far cry from the position we were in last year, when I was asking for volunteers to leave our business. It is a reflection of how busy we are and testament to the success we have achieved in securing new work across all parts of the company.

Our Civils and Build Teams are probably the busiest they have been with our order book for the new near year also beginning to fill up. The additional funding that Devon County Council received earlier in the year means that we will remain extremely busy until the end of March next year. We can’t however be complacent, the ‘Tough Choices’ paper that Glen mentions in his bit, means that there could be problems looming on the horizon.

In this month’s edition it’s great to see once again how you engage with your communities in participating and supporting a wide variety of events. Well done to the Dragons!!

It’s also great to be nominated for an Award and this month is no exception. To be nominated as a finalist for Customer Satisfaction as part of The British Quality Foundation Achievement Awards is fantastic. Even though we did not win we were clearly punching above our weight against some very big national contenders – well done to the whole team.

Finally, I am delighted to announce that Richard Towl will be joining the Senior Management Team with effect from 1st November 2014. Richard currently heads up our Build & Commercial team based at Rockbeare and will play an integral part in the future development of SWH. Messages from SMT IMPORTANT - PPE NOTICE

On the 1st November it will become a compulsory requirement that on all surfacing and civils sites the wearing of gloves will be mandatory. This applies to all, including Managers, Quantity Surveyors and other visitors.

Gloves will be made available to all SWH employees and the Site Agent should have a supply on site. If subcontractors require gloves they should be supplied at cost.

Please note that some activities will require the wearing of specific types of gloves and this will be recorded in the Risk Assessments and Method Statements.

Please leave a message...

Can we remind all staff to please leave their name, telephone number and a short message if you get a voicemail or answerphone when dialling a number. Please do not just hang up as the number on the receiving end will only get a missed call from 01404 821500 regardless of which office or work mobile you call from.

Vital Statistics Jan - Sept Jan - Sept 2013 2014

Days lost through sickness 2839 2321

Vehicle damage cost - via insurance £74,489 £68,211 claims Vehicle damage cost - SWH fleet or £82,282 £53,677 on hire vehicles

Stolen plant cost £19,504 £49,869

Fuel costs £2,255,000 £1,777,000 (diesel stored across SWH depots)

Days lost through lost time incidents 114 2

Lost time injury frequency rate 4.52 1.45 (target 3.0) Reportable accident incident rate 847 339 (target 600) Messages from SMT INVESTORS IN PEOPLE - FEEDBACK FROM THE EXTERNAL ASSESSOR

“Since the last review H&S is taken seriously have understood the key Given the value of these there have clearly been and that they need to points from a talk. benefits you might want further improvements take responsibility for to consider how to in the way things themselves and their People were very positive make them more widely are done across your team. about site visits of the recognised. organisation: Managing Director and A flexible approach managers, valuing these Whilst health and safety Business planning where needed to support as a demonstration culture has improved and consultation with work-life balance is of interest in the since the last review representative groups is very much valued by operational aspects of there remain issues effective, accompanied people. There were good your business. Consider with the near-miss by a strong vision. People examples of supporting how this can become an reporting which may are clear about what they employees when their established opportunity reduce confidence in are expected to achieve health necessitates a to gain feedback from the process. It could and the underlying change. employees be useful to review the message of your Core process. Values is getting across in There is a clear focus on Managing expectations most areas. developing a coherent and understanding There was a considerable and consistent approach could be enhanced in amount of positive Learning and to management resulting certain aspects, e.g. the feedback about the development strategy in a greater degree PPE policy, the planning appraisal scheme as a and delivery is a real of trust. This is more process for jobs. means for identifying strength in SWH. Almost advanced in some areas. training needs and a everyone commented Although compliments good chance for a 1-1 that it was “the best place People generally in the newsletter are discussion. However, for training”, valuing the feel valued for their valued by people seeing the quality of appraisal opportunities this gave contributions and there it as a good way of delivery is not uniform them not only to work was a sense of pride recognising jobs well across SWH which safely but also to develop among many of those done it was suggested should be addressed. for the future. Many attending the interviews that the sheer number in people were impressed who believe they make a each issue leads to their Company inductions for not just by the amount difference. being de-valued. You new employees seems of financial investment may wish to consider to work effectively but devoted to training There is a culture of alternative ways to there were a few people but also time. This review and evaluation highlight examples of who did not feel it was contributed greatly to resulting in positive exemplary practice as useful as it could be. people feeling valued and changes to the way in without diminishing the You might wish to review recognised. which learning and significance. this.” development is delivered Progression e.g. tailoring learning to Your suite of health and Rest assured we are opportunities in SWH individual needs. wellbeing initiatives already working on the are good, a number of is very commendable suggestions made. people have worked their Summary of and there were some way up to senior roles suggestions for further very positive comments over a period of years. improvement about them – especially Occupational Health The continued Identify the good support. However many importance given to practice around Tool of the initiatives e.g. the health and safety is a Box Talks and use this Steps Challenge and the great strength, there to improve talks in Employee Assistance is a real sense that this areas where they are telephone helpline were is embedding across less effective. Managers not uniformly recognised SWH. People believe that must ensure people by site based employees. Some Thank You’s

Trevor Cook would like to say a huge thank you to Mike Gubb (South Molton) for the hard work he puts in every year for the Bideford Carnival & Mass Pipes & Drums. Mike sorts all the signage and barriers for this event each year with the backing of his manager Paul Street to ensure the event goes off without any problems which is appreciated by everyone.

The Carnival and renowned Bideford Festival of Piping & Drumming took place on Saturday 13th September. With over 200 Pipes & Drums as one, it is the closest you will get to the Edinburgh Tattoo without traveling to Scotland, Mike plays a big part in this event.

Trevor had the following to say after attending the event

“My wife Ros and I would like to say a big thank you to Mike, the Bideford Pipes & Drums for a most memorable weekend, not forgetting Paul Street for supporting the work that Mike does”.

Crediton Community Walk

“Just to let you all know we had a very successful afternoon in warm almost sunny conditions and we were able to welcome 300 visitors, many with four legged friends with wagging tails, to see the Link Road and raised in the process £611.76 for the Holy Cross Campaign Roof Appeal. This has taken us past the £20,000 mark since the Appeal launch back in May.

Many visitors walked the road both ways while some walked from Marsh Lane and then used the Downes Farm footpath from the A377 to access the new bridge and return home via Downeshead Lane and past Buller Square.

On behalf of the Governors of Holy Cross and our Appeal committee thank you for allowing us the access this afternoon”. Glen’s Bit

Funding Next Year Last month I mentioned proposals to deliver £3M savings to the Highways Revenue budget. The ‘Tough Choices’ paper has now been published for public consultation. The following link will take you there:- https://www.toughchoices.co.uk/

There has already been a lot of interest in the local and national press, particularly about the Road Warden Scheme. I urge you to take a look and have your say.

Structure Reorganisation Devon Highways staff have recently received a consultation document outlining the proposed re-organisation of the Devon Highways teams. Whilst this mostly affects DCC staff, it will impact on the way we work together in the future. This will be discussed at the upcoming Devon Highways Team Days.

Efficiency Performance This Year The current level of efficiency being achieved this year on target cost works is just over 2.9%. The majority of this gain has come from Surfacing and Drainage works which have been as a result of larger packages of work. The additional funding this year had a negative effect on efficient programming in the first half of the year but this should start to turn around now.

Further improvement to the efficiency target this year, has not been possible from Surface Dressing, mainly down to the fact that this year, we have had a very high proportion of low category roads. Next year is the opposite and we have recommended that the mix of roads is reviewed in future years.

Comparing last year’s targets with the current year’s agreed targets; we have also generated an embedded gain of £151k.

Surface Dressing Tender The tender for the remaining 1.7M m2 has just been released. This is a spot tender, not a framework and is for the next two seasons with the potential to be extended for a further two years to 2018. There are performance measures, a bit like our current TMC contract which will determine annual extensions. The programme has been split into three Lots and tenderers can bid for any or all of them, giving a discount for multiple lots. We are digesting the tender information which also has a quality submission to prepare, worth 20% of the marks. The tender has to be submitted by the 1st December.

It also makes clear that our share of the programme through the Term Contract will remain at 1M m2 for the next two seasons 2015 & 2016 with the whole of the programme being included in the three lots thereafter. SWH Training Update

In 2013 SWH Training were accredited as a National Skills Academy for Construction. Our main challenge is to promote careers in construction to the younger generation. Through its National Skills Academy for Construction programme SWH Training has worked closely with local schools and colleges to make students aware of the importance of health and safety in the construction industry.

Anna Cooper recently worked with Teignmouth College to identify that 12, year 12 students & post 16 students studying level 2 courses in Construction would benefit from the Health & Safety talk as they are all about to start work placements within the industry and hadn’t received any training with regards to Health & Safety.

Working closely with SHE Advisor Mark Fouache they came up with a detailed lesson plan in order to support the students curricular studies.

Mark conducted the Health & Safety Talk on behalf of SWH. It started with a presentation with an introduction to basic Health & Safety in the Work Place and also included some DVD’s for the Students to watch regarding the cost of accidents to a business. Mark went through SWH's operational control for a young person as each of their placements will have to provide a young person’s risk assessment.

The students were also given an Essential Health and Safety toolkit book for them to keep.

In 2013 SWH Training was accredited as a National Skills Academy for Construction. Our ,main challenge is to promote careers in construction to the younger generation.

With enthusiastic help from across the business we have built strong and lasting relationships with many local schools, colleges and universities hosting a multitude of events including careers fayres, taster days, mock interviews, careers talks and many lessons planned and delivered by our staff.

If you would like to volunteer your services for any of the above please register your interest with Anna Cooper. [email protected] Dragons on the Exe!

Last month SWH Build took part in the Devon Air Ambulance Trust Annual Dragon Boat Festival on the River Exe. The Build team was propped up with support from waifs and strays from around the business. The team are proud to announce they came second, by a whisker, out of nine competitors. Taking part was; Richard Towl, Jerry Bricknell, Andrew Knowler, Luke Trussler, Joe Taylor, Eddie Gribble, Paul Bedford, Ben Gubby, Steve Holcombe, Sheldon Roberts, David Trelease, Joeys Cainzos-Sola, Glenn Miller, Nick Ford, Steve Griffiths, Ryan Bedford, Katie Gray and Marion Hall.

Between them, the SWH Build team managed to raise an impressive £1,350 for the cause, with donations still coming in.

Richard, team captain said, ‘Our team thoroughly enjoyed the Dragon Boat Race. The atmosphere was buzzing and there was so much anticipation between races. SWH Build were so pleased to have come second, as we had some serious competition throughout the day. We will look forward to next year’s event, where we plan to steal the crown from Crisp Professional Development!’

The 2015 event has been set for Sunday 27 September, so if you would like to take part let Lauryn Mann in BD know, or alternatively email the charity directly for more details: [email protected] It’s a great event which is good for team building or just for fun with a group of friends and we are told that many of this year’s Confidential Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Our EAP is freely available for all of our employees 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They offer a range of confidential counselling and information services including Stress Management and Resilience.

Stress isn’t always bad. In small doses, it can help you to perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best. But when you’re constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price.

There are so many sources of stress. Caring for children, elderly parents or disabled dependants, holding down a job and making time for a social life are all everyday sources of stress. Added to these everyday stresses are extraordinary events such as deaths, serious illnesses, natural disasters and social upheavals that often occur randomly and without warning.

There is no escaping stress, but there are ways you can learn to handle it better when it is present, and to ‘bounce back’ faster. The collection of skills, characteristics, habits and outlooks that make it possible to remain flexible and fresh in the face of stress is often referred to as “emotional resilience”. Learning to become more emotionally resilient can dramatically improve your attitude and your health in the face of inevitable stress.

If you would like to learn more about resilience our EAP counsellors, through CAPITA, can help you to manage stress better, simply call 0800 716 017. It is a free and confidential service.

Alternatively you can access health and wellbeing information online at www.employeecare.com and enter SWH as the login.

Showing off their talents outside of work at the recent carnival are our Sign Installers Paul Worth (inside the Dalek!), Ian Taylor (Tardis) and Matt Lee-Glover (Bearded Lady)

Impressive work guys! Update

Last month we told you about our donation to Southbrook School for their Go Kart Challenge and we are proud to report that the team competed and finished in both of the 2 hour endurance races.

Racing against 47 other schools in the south west region Southbrook were the only special school taking part and completed 18.5 laps in the first race and 22.2 laps in the second race reaching top speeds of 12.6mph and 14.3mph respectively.

Well done Southbrook!

Proud Sponsors We are extremely proud to sponsor Withycombe Rugby Club U13’s Team. We have received a VEY BIG thank you from the boys for supplying and sponsoring their shorts for the forthcoming season.

The team is based in Exmouth and had a very successful year last year, coming first in the Chippenham and Cleve Festival where they were up against teams from Wales, Bath and Bristol. Let’s hope they repeat this amazing success!

SWH support a number of clubs and community efforts when our own staff are actively involved - subject to budget.

Starters & Leavers october 2014

Hello and welcome to:

Marcin Siewierski - Civil Engineering Operative Paul Broadhurst - Civil Engineering Operative David Simmonds - Roadworker, Area North Tim Williams - Roadworker, Area North

Goodbye and goodluck to:

Cody McGlade, Tavistock Turkeys We are delighted to announce that we will be giving each employee a turkey this Christmas.

The turkeys are being sourced centrally and will be delivered to all areas on Tuesday 23rd December. Please note delivery times as shown. These times are approximate and for guidance only.

The timings for Head Office show collection times for each department to come and get their turkey from the Training Department.

You will be asked for your signature when you collect your turkey. It will not be possible for turkeys to be collected on behalf of others, so if you are going on holiday please let your Manager know as soon as possible.

Devon Highways Area North (Tiverton) incl South 07.30 Molton Head Office (Rockbeare) - Training 09.15 Head Office (Rockbeare) - TMU 09.30 Head Office (Rockbeare) - JV 09.45 Head Office (Rockbeare) - General 10.00 Head Office (Rockbeare) - Workshops 10.30 Head Office (Rockbeare) - 10.45 Civils/Structures/Surfacing/Build/Build Maintenance Head Office (Rockbeare) - 11.00 Devon Highways Exeter & Eastern Workshops (Haven Banks) 10.30 - 11.00 Devon Highways Area South (Ivybridge) incl Tavistock/ 12.00 - 12.30 Newton Abbot Devon Highways Area West (Torrington) incl 15.00 - 15.30 Okehampton WE NEED YOU

We are pleased to report that next April SWH will be celebrating our 20th anniversary!

Building a Local Business is SWH's real success story and our dedicated people have made this possible. That is why, to celebrate this impressive milestone, we would like to invite all staff to come forward with suggestions on ways we could mark this occasion. To give you some ideas of how other organisations have celebrated special anniversaries, the Exeter’s Young Business Club celebrated their 10th anniversary with a night at the races, Crealy invested in a new ride for their 25th celebrations and the University of Exeter marked 160 years of teaching training by hosting their own festival! We are open to any idea, big or small, so whatever your thoughts, we would love to hear from you.

Perhaps these photos, taken from days gone by, will get you in the reminiscent mood… Some Awards News

SWH were so pleased to have been nominated for a Customer Satisfaction award as part of The British Quality Foundation’s Achievement Awards.

To make this category, sponsored by FirstGroup UK Rail, was a fantastic achievement for us and a great night was had by all at the awards ceremony last Thursday in London.

Despite not winning the award, Barclays stole the crown, we were happy to be nominated and recognised at such a prestigious event.

The Achievement Awards are national annual awards that recognise exceptional achievement across the main areas of an organisation’s operation.

SWH HAS BEEN SHORTLISTED FOR A GREEN GOODS AND SERVICES AWARD FROM THE DEVON ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS INITIATIVE (DEBI).

Representatives from the organisation visited SWH’s HQ yesterday to see the innovative reedbed recycling facility which has reduced waste, saved costs and increased biodiversity on the site.

The judging panel will visit all four of the finalists short listed for this award over the next couple of days, from there, a winner will be chosen and then an overall winner of the Debi Award for 2014.

Tim Pegler, said, ‘Sustainability is at the core of our business and we are delighted to have been shortlisted for this award’. Compliments Thank you and well done to all for your continued efforts.

Area North “On behalf of the South Molton Rotary Club I should like to thank you for your support for Saturday’s Carnival. It’s success depends entirely upon support on individuals, businesses and organisations such as yourselves and this year your collective contributions was magnificent. There were over 40 individual entries in this year’s procession and the community of South Molton should feel a sense of pride in it’s achievement. You will receive a sponsors certificate to display on the premises as soon as we have them from the printers. Again thank you for your continued support for this community event”. Peter Hardwick, South Molton Rotary Club

Area South “The workmen, Tony Attwood and Chris Richards were excellent and access was maintained throughout. It was great to see excellent work being carried out with minimal disruption”. The Moorland Hotel

“Steve Miller, Lenny Camp and Rob Hutchings were hard working, very helpful and polite at all times. Thank you”. Mr Braithwaite, Bigbury

“Many thanks to Ian Bingham and Yvette Wilbraham for the excellent service you gave to us”. Gina Coles, Dartmouth Events Coordinator

“10/10 just brilliant! Colin Budd and Darren Squirrell were so considerate”. Mr Robinson, Kingsteignton

“A few weeks ago Chris Abraham and Eugene Cornish came to dig and clean the drains in Wallaford Road. The work they did was first class. The best men ever to clean the drains I have seen in 30 years plus. The Council could do with a few more like them”. Dan Rouncefield, Buckfastleigh

“I just wanted to say how well Gary Rogers, Neil Snell, Daniel Massey, Jamie King, Donald Ballard, Andrew Pearce, Tom Powis, Oliver Robinson, Mike Ball, Mike Hicks and Gary Christopher have been working over the past week. They have done a great job!”. Resident, Compton Compliments cont...

Area East 4 compliments received for Neil Handford, Phil Norman, Alex Berriman- Green, Ashley Chenery-Sharland, Richard Berriman, Gary Pike, Jamie Pike, Wayne Rowsell, Keith Sawyer, Will Davis and Rob Lowe including: “10/10 Extremely impressed by the operatives throughout the 6 weeks, polite and professional at all times. They also ensured we were kept up to date with the progress, highlighting possible disruption and providing timescales and generally making sure we were satisfied/happy with developments. The job appears to have been completed to a high standard and they left a clean and tidy site. A huge thank you from us for a job well done and completed on time”. Xanthe Breens, Colyton

“I’m dropping you a line to thank Lee Chapman, Simon Buckland and Paul Sinnott for their tremendous help in implementing the road closure in Prospect Park, Exeter, to allow us to stage our early autumn ‘Street Play and Community Get-Together’ event. The SWH gang turned-up bang on time to sort out the road closure. But more than being prompt and polite, they also showed a lot of interest in what was happening in the street. Without this generous support from SWH, we simply wouldn’t be able to run this type of event, given the cost and complication of sorting out a road closure. So, many thanks from the Prospect Park Residents’ Association”. Peter Chamberlain, Prospect Park Residents Association

“Thank you to Jim Palmer for all the support that was have provided for the ‘Jolly Good Jaunt’ event at The Deer Park, Honiton. The loan of the signs and cones was much appreciated”. Hannah Slater, Hospice Care

“L Ellis, S Henry, M Crotty, P Rowsell and J Hirst were friendly and accomodating and always made sure that we had access in and out of our driveway. They were very polite and considerate and worked hard. Every day they were here putting up with some angry residents with good manners.”. Andy Johnson, Plymtree

“Richard Board and Derek Snell have done a good job! Please pass on my thanks to them”. Nikki Richards, Resident Compliments cont...

Area West 2 compliments received for Ken Woolacott, Tom Willoughby, Staveley Dawson, Ryan Dart, Lee Preston and Neil Taylor-Luxton including: “As the shop and post office owner right opposite the site I expected far more disruption. The work was completed much earlier than stated and the work force were courteous at all times. Well done”. Resident, Bideford

“James Clark and James Cox cleaned out the pipe drain across the entry to my yard. Last year it was blocked with gravel and the yard way flooded on several occasions because it had not be cleaned. the council always did this previously. The men worked very well”. Mrs Bedford, Tavistock

“James Clark and Graham Sage have done a excellent job at bell view (Sydenham Dameral ) with the gullies”. Resident, Tavistock

Compliment Statistics September 2014

Division Number of compliments received September ‘14 South (Ivybridge & Newton Abbot) 16 East (Exeter & Eastern) 11 North (South Molton & Tiverton) 3 West (Torrington, Tavistock & Okehampton) 11 Getting to know you... This month we meetStuart Cheesman, Civils Agent

Background I grew up on a farm in Essex and from an What do you like to do outside of work? early age learnt how to build things. I became Having two young children most of my time is a Sea Scout and learnt to sail when I was in taken up with my family. We moved to Devon Primary School. After University in Plymouth as we love to be outdoors and so we spent a I travelled for 6 years, working as a Diving lot of our time on the local commons and at and sailing instructor through Asia, Africa and the beach. We have just bought a kayak and Australia. I was fortunate enough to then get I look forward to teaching my children to sail a job in Madagascar for a year working as a down at Exmouth. We also have an allotment Dive Instructor for an environmental charity and like to get involved in community events and saw first-hand how fresh water and access and activities. to sanitation can improve people’s lives. I briefly went to Tanzania to work for the same Do you have any favourite books/films/ charity and this is where I met my wife, Ruth. bands etc? Directly from Tanzania I came home and Mainly read fiction when I have any time, I like studied for a Masters degree in Community old school rock – Gun’s and Roses, AC DC… Water and Sanitation. Ruth and I then worked in the Philippines and Indonesia – I worked for Do you have any pet hates? Oxfam as one of their Civil Engineers, helping Considering my family grew 100,000 tomatoes communities rebuild their lives after the Boxing plants every year on the farm, I don’t like to eat Day tsunami building water systems, houses, them! bridges, drainage systems and wells. Ruth and I then came back to the UK to live and to Do you have any pets? have our daughter, Ayla who is now 6 – we We have given in to our children and got two now have a son, Finn – 3 too. Back in the UK, guinea pigs – Petal and Fudge! I initially worked for BAM Nuttall and built the first Busways in Cambridge and Luton. If you were stuck on a desert island, what three items would you take? I joined SWH in April 2013 after we had Coffee – lots of it, black and strong. decided to relocate to Devon as the next jobs A knife – I like to make things. with BAM were in London and I really did not A fishing net, as I like sushi fancy commuting into London!! What are your ambitions for the future? Has SWH changed since then, if so how? We would love to buy some land of our own in Only a new boy to SWH so cannot really say…. Devon and to build a house.

What does your average day entail? My average day ….. Early start, drive to site, busy day of arranging plant, sub-contractors, labour and materials as well as discussions with the client and explaining to designers why, what they have put on paper cannot be built!!!

What do you most enjoy about your job? The technical challenges and the variety, one minute it is a new link road in Crediton and the next is a Helicopter landing pad at Derriford Hospital.

And least? RAIN…..