The magazine for Aberdeenshire Council employees

Insight into Employee the Visual Survey Impairment results Team On your marks for Run Balmoral Ann’s taste of fame

March 2009 Registration Service | Staff Travel Survey | Homecoming 2009 Welcome

Welcome to the second issue of SQ, the new employee magazine for Aberdeenshire Council.

In this issue you can find out about the success of Ann Ruxton on the ITV programme Taste the Nation (page 7), the work of the Visual Impairment Team (page 23), the results of the Employee Survey (page 3) and much more.

We’re always on the look out for interesting articles for future issues of SQ. If you have an idea you would like to submit simply send a 50 word summary of your idea to your service representative (see below). They will then take the idea to the editorial panel who will decide if it should be included. Here’s the list of service representatives:

Chief Executive Graham Hobson 01224 664906 Education, Learning and Leisure Rachel Cowin 01224 664333 Finance Margaret Ross 01224 665409 Housing and Social Work Fiona Westland 01569 767553 Law and Administration Kirsty Doull 01224 664208 Personnel & ICT Don Lamont 01224 665375 Planning and Environmental Services Michael Padilla-Lamb 01467 627510 Transportation and Infrastructure Louise Mackie 01224 664574

SQ is now available electronically on Arcadia. We’ve cut the number of copies we print by around 30% but we would like to produce even fewer SQ is printed on copies. If you’re happy to view a copy online, or to share a copy, then simply let your service representative know. Don’t print a copy off in your Greencoat recycled own office though as this will be more expensive than the copies we paper stock produce.

80% recycled post-consumer fibre Let us know what you think of SQ 10% TCF (Totally Chlorine Free) virgin fibre We’re always keen to hear what you think of SQ so we can continue 10% ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free) fibre making improvements in the future. Simply email us at FSC certification [email protected] or call us on 01224 665585 NAPM recycled certification to let us know.

SQ | 1 Contents

3 Employee Survey highlights 15 5 NEWS

7 Ann gets taste of fame on new cookery show

3 8 Taste of Grampian celebrates 13 Employee Survey highlights Go green Father of the Bard its 10th birthday

9 On your marks for Run Balmoral

11 Exciting year of events planned for Homecoming 09

7 13 Go green this Spring 17 Ann gets taste of fame Aberdeenshire’s Registration Service 15 Father of the Bard project hits 8 the silver screen

17 Surprising services on offer from Aberdeenshire’s Registration Service 19 23 9 19 Insight into Ann Ruxton’s job Taste of Grampian Run Balmoral Ann Ruxton’s Job Visual Impairment

21 ACHIEVEMENTS

23 The work of the Visual Impairment Team

25 Tell us how you get between A&B to win £100 M&S 11 vouchers 25 Events planned for Homecoming 09 Tell us how you get between A&B

SQ | 2 a substantial increase in the number of you who say you are clear about the future direction of the council

The responses to the 2008 Employee Survey, Employee completed by employees last September, have now been analysed and results Survey have been fed back to services.

A total of 4,636 employees highlights from across the council completed a survey. Overall the results were views of positive, with employees’ responses to the majority of questions showing an employees improvement from the 2006 and 2004 surveys.

SQ | 3 Here are the key points from each section of the survey:

You and Your Work Consultation and Overall ratings Communication • You continue to be positive • Across a range of factors, you about most aspects of your • Quite a few (although still a are likely to believe that the job such as the actual work minority) of you do not have council is better than other you do, support from team meetings on a regular employers. This is particularly colleagues and job security basis true in relation to factors such • Quite a few (although still a • There is a widespread view as working environment and minority) of you do not feel that managers in the council how people are managed you have an accurate job do not deal effectively with description poor performance when it From these results the • You are now more likely to does arise council’s management feel you are encouraged to • Those employees with access contribute to improvements in to Arcadia rate the usefulness team has identified your work of the information on it highly areas where • An area of concern is the but are less likely to provide improvements are continued view that workload positive ratings as to its user- required. The main pressures are worsening within friendliness. Similar views the council are expressed about service three are to: newsletters Your Health at Work • Reduce unpaid hours Leadership and • Reduce absence from • The majority of you continue to work consider yourself to be in good Management health • Reduce work related • There have been improve- • You are significantly less likely stress ments in the perception of than the national average to be managers encouraging people smokers Service action plans will be to be creative, senior manage- • A very significant number of developed and implemented to ment visibility and information you never take exercise or do ensure these, and other, issues, from management so only occasionally are addressed and improved. • There has been a substantial • There has been no improve- increase in the number of you ment in the proportion of who say you are clear about people who say they have an the future direction of the appropriate work-life balance council

now more likely to feel you are encouraged to contribute to improvements in your work SQ | 4 NEWS

Reassurance campaign to tackle safety perceptions in Aberdeenshire

A major focus for the Aberdeenshire Community Safety Partnership’s work is reassurance – promoting positive messages about life in the local area and managing perceptions about fear of crime.

Perception of crime, antiso- cial behaviour and community safety are at odds with the reality of true crime figures and statistics. This can result in Charlie Shaw and participants problems managing a of the MiDAS training consistent reassurance message in Aberdeenshire.

Do you ever drive an As a result a sustained media and marketing campaign will be Aberdeenshire minibus? undertaken to change per- ceptions in communities. The campaign is already underway Following a recent and will target a variety of review the council’s long MiDAS training and assess- media resources including radio ments are provided by various advertising and local weekly established minibus community transport groups newspapers. driver assessment has across Aberdeenshire. Details been replaced by the are available at www.aberdeens- Local radio adverts on Community Transport hire.gov.uk under Community Northsound and Waves radio Transport/Training. will be used to reach a younger Association’s MiDAS driver audience and as wide a demo- qualification. If you hold a PCV driving licence graphic as possible in the area. you are only exempt from the The campaign will link these If you hold the old-style minibus MiDAS training requirement when adverts to specific events or driver permit and you wish to driving a non-accessible minibus. initiatives. continue to drive council-owned minibuses either as part of your The adoption of MiDAS will Keep your eyes and ears peeled job or as a volunteer you will ensure all minibus drivers are for more details in the coming have until October 1 to undertake suitably trained, enhancing the months. the required MiDAS training and safety, comfort and well-being of assessment. passengers.

SQ | 5 Kaizen Update

There has been a lot of be improved. At a recent update Within Transportation and Kaizen activity around the on the results of this Kaizen the Infrastructure a Kaizen on Civil audience heard that by streamlin- Engineering Design Quality for council lately with some ing the process involved staff time roads and operations was under- projects coming to an equivalent to £50,000 had been taken during March. The project end and others getting freed up. will identify best practice for each element of design quality manage- underway. Budget Monitoring and Setting ment and combine these elements was the topic for another Kaizen into an agreed best practice In Education, Learning and Leisure undertaken recently when seven system to be adopted in all design the Learn To Swim Kaizen was members of the accountancy and offices. undertaken last year and the team corporate finance sections looked is already seeing some excellent at ways of combining the budget A new project called Kaizen results. As a result of the Kaizen, setting and revenue monitoring for Daily Improvement is also waiting lists for swimming lessons processes. underway across the council. The have been cut by 39% and par- project will embed the practice of ticipation is up by 11%. It also led The team agreed that from April day-to-day continuous improve- to a new learn-to-swim scheme this year budget monitoring and ment in all areas by developing being introduced in January of this setting would be undertaken on employee culture and con- year. the same spreadsheet. This will tinuous improvement skills and allow permanent changes in the knowledge. Look out for updates An event that took place a little monitoring to feed directly into in future issues of SQ. further in the past is the Internal the budget and will allow more Invoices Kaizen, undertaken two emphasis to be placed on future years ago. This looked at how financial years during the budget the existing (and complicated) monitoring process. internal invoicing system could

SQ | 6 Ann gets taste of fame on new cookery show Ann at work with pupils from Westfield Special School

School Cook Ann Ruxton will Four regions were selected to the Aberdeenshire team. Each be showing off her skills in represent and Ann regional team was then allocated a new nationwide cookery was invited to apply for the a celebrity chef as their mentor programme running until the Aberdeenshire team. – for the Aberdeenshire team end of April. this was Nick Nairn. The team “They filmed me cooking a dish met up for the first time at Nick’s to see if I was suitable for the cookery school just outside _ Ann, who works at Westfield programme to see if I could talk Stirling to practice dishes for the Special School in , is and cook at the same time which competition. part of the ITV programme Taste I assured them is never usually a the Nation which features talented problem.” “The time at Nick’s school was cooks from 32 regions across spent getting to know the rest of the UK. Teams from each region “The dish I cooked while they were the team, and then perfecting the are gathered into groups of four filming was ‘pheasant in crème recipes in the excellent facilities with each cooking dishes which fraiche with pasta and roasted there. represent their area. peppers’, so I thought I would set the scene. I had three real, “We had to prepare a signature When Ann first got a call from the feathered pheasants and a gun dish so I prepared ‘wild, wheat-fed researchers for Taste the Nation on display in the kitchen for them. Cairnbulg Castle pheasant in a she wasn’t sure it was genuine. The researchers liked this, it was creamy sauce served on a bed Ann explains: “I was driving to completely different to what they of game chips, with Buchan take part in a day’s instruction by were used to filming and it was the oatcakes and roasted vegetables’. the British Olympic Rifle team. first thing they talked about when My pudding was actually the First of all I thought it was a wind they got back to London.” school carrot cake recipe, along up, but after a series of questions, with Drambuie custard.” I realised it was genuine, but how A few days later, Ann got the they got my phone number I’ll call to say she had been suc- Then it was off to London for the never know.” cessful and was now part of filming of the programme, where

SQ | 7 Jim Knowles, Michael Stoddart and Andy Roger at the launch of Taste of Grampian Taste of Grampian celebrates its 10th birthday

The north-east’s main food casing products from oatmeal manufacturer Hamlyns as well Ann battled to overcome some festival will return again as giving her own show; award- pre-competition nerves: “I found winning celebrity chef Alan Coxon, this experience very, very nerve- this year – this time to Tesco’s Donna Knight and the racking but I’m glad I did it to celebrate its 10th birthday. north-east’s own Two Fat Laddies promote school cooks throughout – Sandy Greig and Robert Bruce. Aberdeenshire Council _ to show Saturday, June 6, will mark a how good we are and how anyone decade since Taste of Grampian Taste of Grampian will also feature of them out there could do this as was first launched and organis- a craft marquee, children’s fun good, if not better, than me. ers of this year’s event have put together a feast of food, fun educational area, a motor show sponsored by the Press and “Watch the programme to see and entertainment to mark the Journal, dancers, magicians, how well we have done – I can’t occasion. Inverurie Pipe Band, the Garioch give too much away but it wasn’t Fiddlers and a wine tasting area. all plain sailing and I’m sure there The event will see food and drink A host of new attractions are also will be a few moments to cringe at producers from all over the north- planned for this year, including a when it is televised.” east give the public the chance to taste and buy their produce. champagne bar. Taste the Nation is already airing In addition, it will host the finals of on ITV and will continue to the Two well-known celebrity chefs competitions for SWRI members, end of April. Be sure to tune in will also be appearing at the primary and secondary schools and keep up to date with Ann’s event. Phil Vickery is returning and school cooks. progress. after making a huge impres- sion on his previous visit and the Taste of Grampian will take place Don’t miss our feature on Ann’s nation’s ‘favourite French chef’, at the Thainstone Centre in role at Westfield Special School on Jean-Christophe Novelli, will be Inverurie. For further information page 19. appearing for the first time. please visit www.tasteofgrampian. Other demonstrators this year co.uk include Fi Bird, who will be show-

SQ | 8 On your marks

Alison Hogge, for Run Michael O’Sullivan, Sarah MacRitchie and Daniel Harrington warm up for Run Balmoral Balmoral How often do you say The team, Planners on the Run, are For further information on Run looking to defend their title at this Balmoral please visit www.runbalmo- to yourself “I really need year’s event. Team member Daniel ral.com to do some exercise”, Harrington said: “This is a really good event, and we thought it’d be a useful Another council employee currently in and then never actually team building exercise. training is Caroline Tough, from Law bother? and Administration, who will be taking “We did well last year, and are hoping part in the London Marathon on April A good way to ensure that you to do the same again. We’ve picked 26. Caroline will be running on behalf actually stick to your plan is to sign up a charity to support this year to give of the British Heart Foundation to to take part in an event, ideally one ourselves a little extra motivation. raise money for nurses working in that requires training. We are hoping to raise money to go Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen and Moray. to Aberdeen Foyer, a local charity Saturday, April 25, is the date for the working to prevent and alleviate youth This will be Caroline’s fourth marathon twelfth annual Run Balmoral event, homelessness and unemployment.” having previously run in New York, held at the scenic Balmoral Estate, Amsterdam and London. She said: and the council is offering free places Here are some top tips from last “I am training like mad come rain, for employees to encourage them to year’s winners: snow or shine, but I am really looking take part. • Make sure you have the right forward to marathon day, and that gear, particularly trainers post race glass of wine.” _ There are still places available for the • Run within your limits don’t 5k race. Anyone entering can do so push yourself too much at the as an individual or as part of a team beginning and then struggle with with four members _ with a trophy up the rest of the course _ for grabs to the fastest team. • Run with a team mate you can motivate each other Last year a team from Planning and • Remember to stretch before and Environmental Services took up the after your run challenge and clocked an impressive winning time of 87 minutes and 47 seconds.

SQ | 9 Fewer cards leads to charitable donations

Ever wondered how much money is spent by Aberdeenshire Council employees giving Christmas cards to colleagues?

A number of teams throughout the council have clearly thought about this and last year decided against sending Christmas cards. Instead, they gave the money they would New website raises profile of have spent to charity.

influential local writer Employees in Personnel were able to raise enough money to buy gifts from Oxfam which will Since its redesign last The improved features include videos benefit people in underdeveloped and e-books, which are becoming countries. These include a goat year, the award winning an increasingly prominent part of the couple to provide milk and fertilizer, Aberdeenshire Council website. Included for the first time eight school textbooks for children website not only has a new are e-books of the draft manuscripts in countries where schoolbooks are of George MacDonald, the Victorian scarce and health check-ups for look – it also has many writer from Huntly best known for people in remote communities. improved features. fantasy stories that act as metaphors for the human condition. His work Housing and Social Work The new design was launched in greatly influenced later writers such as employees at Woodhill House November after ICT and employees C.S. Lewis and Tolkien. collected money instead of sending from other services had transferred Christmas cards to all their col- the existing website content to the MacDonald’s manuscripts, gifted to leagues, which raised around £50. new design. the Brander Library in Huntly, were transferred into e-book format and Admin Assistant Alison Garrow Public response to the changes has added to the website as reference also requested items for a been positive, with the new look material for scholars around the Christmas hamper and sold raffle attracting particular praise. This world. The online collection was tickets raising another £138. The appreciation has resulted in the site launched on the anniversary of total of £188 went to the Children becoming one of the most visited MacDonald’s birthday at a ceremony 1st charity. local authority websites in the UK. in the Brander Library in Huntly. In Transportation and Infrastructure As well as the new design the website The council’s web team is always employees raised £175 within includes some new items such as on the lookout for new features to Woodhill House for Grampian improved promotion of features and promote on the site so if you have an Society for the Blind and online mapping. These changes idea why not drop them an email at employees at Cape House in were in response to detailed usability [email protected] Banff collected £170 for Macmillan testing and customer feedback. Cancer Support.

SQ | 10 Exciting year of events planned for Homecoming 2009 Events to mark the year of the Homecoming officially got underway on Sunday, January 25 – Burns Night.

SQ | 11 Another key event during Homecoming is Portsoy’s Scottish Traditional Boat Festival.

Now in its 16th year the festival is playing its part in the Homecoming programme by adding two extra days (now July 2 _ July 5) and looking to attract visitors from overseas. Initial interest has been very encouraging.

With its unique combination of beautiful boats, craft demonstra- tions, non-stop music, song and dance, delicious food and drink and a host of other activities for Homecoming Scotland 2009, • Wordfringe across Aberdeen visitors to take part in, the festival which marks the 250th anni- City and Shire (May) provides a wonderful weekend of versary of the birth of Scottish • at Cornhill, colour and entertainment. author and poet , Aberdeen, Oldmeldrum, will encourage people of Scottish Braemar, Aboyne, Ballater, Full details of all Homecoming descent, as well as those who love Drumlochty, Stonehaven and events throughout Aberdeen City Scotland, to come home in 2009 Tomintoul (June _ July) and Shire are available at to celebrate Scotland’s unique • Clan Fortnight (July 18 _ www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/ position as the home of Burns, August 3) homecoming golf, whisky and so much more. • Turriff Show and Lonach Gathering and Games at Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen Strathdon (August) City Councils have organised a • Day and International year-long programme of events Beating Retreat by the Gordon designed to appeal to both local Highlanders Reunion (August) residents and international visitors • Doric Festival (October), alike. • SOUND Festival (November) • Aberdeen’s Winter Festival More than 120 Homecoming Programme (December) events have already been confirmed as taking place throughout Aberdeen City and Shire. Highlights include: SQ | 12 Spring is a great time to Go think about making some changes to benefit our health, economy and environment. green With over 14,000 employees at Aberdeenshire Council small changes really can add up to this a big difference, so take a look at these ideas and try some for yourself, or even better, get all Spring your team involved. GO GREEN THIS SPRING

Fact: Fact: The council target is The council target is to reduce our energy to reduce business consumption by 2% mileage by 4% by each year 2010.

SQ | 13 Reduce Energy Reduce Waste

The Carbon Trust estimates There are many ways we can that we can cut up to 20% of reduce, reuse and recycle the our energy use by making a few waste we generate at work. Good simple changes: waste management saves money and resources, and reduces • Switch off electronic clutter. equipment at night and only turn on when needed • Use Requip on Arcadia to find • Don’t leave computers or offer surplus equipment or monitors on standby • Use electronic communica- – power-down tions and filing: try not to print • Maximise the use of natural documents or emails light, using blinds to reduce • Set print default to double glare sided if possible • Switch off lights when you • Reuse envelopes for internal leave a room and only use mail lights when needed • Take your own mug or bottle • Make sure your heating is to work instead of using dis- working properly: report any posable cups Want to get more involved in faults • Recycle items whenever greening your workplace? possible A Green Champions scheme will Reducing Travel be launched shortly so look out for Procurement or ‘Green the details. Often a bit of forward planning Buying’ can save a lot of time, stress and If you would like to find out wear and tear on our cars. Try a It’s easy to forget that the goods more about sustainability in the more sustainable form of transport we buy in our day-to-day business workplace or have questions such as cycling, walking or public have an impact on the environ- on any of these topics, please transport and think before jumping ment. So think before you buy: contact: in the car: • Do you really need the item? Fiona Graham, Sustainability • Only travel if you have to and If yes, check Requip before Co-ordinator, by emailing fiona. set a team target for reducing buying new [email protected] or mileage • Consider the ‘life cycle’ of calling 01224 665516 • Try phone or video-conferenc- the item; best value does not ing, or use Glow Meet (within always mean cheapest Or schools) • Choose items made from • For short journeys, walk or recycled material and which Dianne Sutherland, Sustainable cycle. A 15 minute walk is can be recycled Development Officer for good for your heart and can • Buy local _ with food aim for Education, Learning and Leisure use up to 90 calories seasonal by emailing dianne.sutherland@ • For longer journeys, use the • Request ‘Fair Trade’ aberdeenshire.gov.uk or calling train or bus • Buy wildlife-friendly and 07760 368496 • Car share whenever possible – native plants to brighten your www.carshareaberdeenshire. surroundings Don’t miss the article on the com is free and no-obligation Staff Travel Survey on page 25. All entries to the survey will go School Travel Plans promote into a prize draw to win up to sustainable and active travel to £100 of Marks and Spencer’s school, with many cross-curricular vouchers. links _ see www.aberdeenshire. gov.uk/schooltravelplan

SQ | 14 Project Officer Dave Ramsay at the DVD screening at Cineworld Father of the Bard project hits the silver screen

As you may remember The 30 minute documentary was Skills such as digital photography, from the last issue of SQ, screened to an invited audience of DVD production and even Scottish 160 guests and senior officials. cookery all had to be learned by Aberdeenshire Council and the project team. the Heritage Lottery Fund From the comfort of their seats, (HLF) have jointly funded the audience followed the project Dave Ramsay, project officer, said: team’s work and got a glimpse “This has been a fantastic experi- a project to find out more of what’s to come throughout the ence. Making the documentary about the life and times of year. has given us a taste of the issues William Burness, Robert we need to address for the rest of Burns’ father. The documentary followed the the production. project team as they move through the planning and filming “The generous gesture of support Part of the project, which is process, and the approach and sponsorship through the use working with people with learning towards the DVD launch in May of Cineworld was a unique and disabilities across Aberdeenshire, 2009. fitting showcase for the work to is to create a DVD biography of date.” Burness and in January a special The film charts the progress made screening of a documentary about as they find filming locations, plan the progress of the project was their schedule and learn a variety held at the Cineworld complex at of other skills to aid the production Aberdeen beach. of the DVD.

SQ | 15 Connect with Colin Mackenzie on his new Blog Chief Executive Colin Mackenzie has set up a new blog called Connect that will allow Aberdeenshire Council employees to keep in touch with him. Colin will be posting on Connect River Dee salmon fishing regularly so he can keep you updated with what is happening around the council and let you season officially opened know what he has been working on. The Salmon fishing season Economic Development, within the More importantly though, Connect officially opened on the Transportation and Infrastructure will give you the chance to tell service, is currently providing a Colin what you think about working banks of the River Dee at project grant along with Scottish for the council and ask him any questions you have. Potarch in February. Enterprise to help improve the commercial operations on and You can do this by clicking on the Aberdeenshire Council guests economic sustainability of the ‘leave a comment’ link that will included Councillor Jill Webster; River Dee freshwater fishery. appear at the top of each post. Christine Gore, Director of You’ll also be able to vote in a Planning and Environmental Aberdeenshire Council also different poll each month. Services; William Munro, manages four separate beats Kincardine and Mearns Area on the River Don and access is You can subscribe to Connect to Manager; Les Allan, Marr Area readily available to visiting anglers receive an email alert every time at a reasonable cost. Colin adds a new post. Manager; Brian Watt, Environment Team Leader; Judith Cox, You can also find a link to Connect Environment Planner; and Robert Further information is available at on the Arcadia homepage. Armstrong, Senior Business www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/parks/ Development Executive, Marr and fishing Kincardine and Mearns.

New Director of Housing and Social Work named

Ritchie Johnson has been Born in Shetland, Ritchie’s first role in the north-east of Scotland named as the council’s was with Gordon District Council new Director of Housing in 1989 as a housing management and Social Work. trainee. He went on to become a housing Ritchie, 41, was previously the officer and, after a spell as planning service’s Head of Strategic co-ordinator for Scottish Homes, Development (Housing and Ritchie took up the role of devel- Community Care). The post of opment manager for housing with director was formerly held by Chief Aberdeenshire Council in 1999. Executive, Colin Mackenzie, who He started in the post of Director in moved to his new role in December. early March.

SQ | 16 Some surprising services on offer from Aberdeenshire’s Registration Service

SQ | 17 Amongst other things, they’ve seen a bride arrive in a golf trolley and had rings flown into the wedding ceremony courtesy of a bird of prey.

customer suggestions provided source of material for family You may be these meet legal requirements. historians. surprised to learn These days employees can be Registrars at full-time offices of the range of asked to officiate at marriage cer- have access to digital images of services available emonies in some unusual places. all births, deaths and marriages Recently they have officiated at certificates from 1855 to 2006, from Aberdeenshire ceremonies at Dunottar Castle, censuses from 1841 to 1901 and Huntly Castle, Insch Golf Course, Old Parish Records. Council’s on Bennachie and at Fraserburgh Registration Service. lighthouse museum, to name a This allows anyone interested in few. They have even solemnised a researching their family tree to Local registrars’ offices, of which marriage at Peterhead Prison. access and print details of any there are 15 in Aberdeenshire, birth, death or marriage which employ highly skilled registrars Amongst other things, they’ve took place in Scotland during this of births, deaths, marriages and seen a bride arrive in a golf trolley period. Civil Partnerships employees. and had rings flown into the They administer registrations, wedding ceremony courtesy of a This has led to the service being provide guidance, and capture the bird of prey. recognised as a valuable ancestral essential information required to tourism outlet for Homecoming record life’s vital events. Although probably not a well- 2009. known fact, the service can also These employees are also all help trace family trees. For further information on the available to officiate at civil cere- Registration Service please visit monies and are expert at providing Most offices maintain burial www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/ advice to customers on their ground records for local cemeter- registrars or contact Maureen choice of marriage vows, ring ded- ies and those records, combined Shearer by calling 01261 813313 ications, music and readings to with registration records and the or emailing maureen.shearer@ make their day really special. They wealth of local knowledge from aberdeenshire.gov.uk will also happily consider individual employees, make an excellent

SQ | 18 Insight into Ann Ruxton’s job

SQ | 19 Q+A

Have you always had an interest We’ve also held after school cookery Ann Ruxton in cooking? classes for primary one pupils and Absolutely. Before I started working their parents, to encourage parents Unit Supervisor from at the school I gained experience in to cook along with their children and Westfield Special cooking by working in various hotels introduce healthier options. and also helping my mother out School, Fraserburgh with the cooking in shooting lodges, I nominated my work and good which is a completely different style of practice as a school cook to be part cooking to what I do now. of a group of five other school cooks and head teachers to represent Ann Ruxton works as Unit Supervisor What does an average day in your Scotland to highlight our whole school at Westfield Special School in role involve? approach to healthy eating. I was Fraserburgh. Her role involves A lot of the day is spent doing prepa- successful and as a result attended providing the school meals for pupils ration work – ensuring that we are a celebration lunch in London at and employees at the school. able to serve up meals on time for 30 Clarence House with Prince Charles, hungry kids and the other employees the Duchess of Cornwall and Jamie See page 7 for details on Ann’s at the school. Oliver. I had the chance to chat with involvement in the ITV programme them all after lunch and even received Taste the Nation. What’s the most satisfying part of congratulations from Jamie himself! your job? When did you start working at the It’s very pleasing that we are able to Before going down I made up a folder school? try out some new initiatives with the of all the initiatives we have started at I started working in school dinners pupils and teach them about food the school. Prince Charles was very around 1994 as a relief catering and healthy eating. interested, as were the School Food assistant. I enjoyed the work so when Trust who asked me to forward a the job of unit supervisor at Westfield For example, the older kids at the copy of my folder to them and Jamie Special School came up I applied, school used to have a garden where Oliver. The School Food Trust has and I started in the post in January they grew potatoes and other veg- actually used this on their website. 1996. etables that they would take into the kitchen for me to cook. You must have seen some changes at the school over the We also have taste and try days, years where we introduce some foods the When I started here we had 76 pupils may not get a chance to try at children on the school roll and two home. This has been very success- _ other kitchen staff. Now there are 30 ful we have questionnaires for the children with myself and a catering pupils to fill in with what they liked or assistant working in the kitchen. disliked, then we make a chart of the It’s a great school _ the staff are all results and put it up on the wall. dedicated to their work and it’s like a big family atmosphere, which is great for the kids.

For further information on school catering please contact Michael Padilla-Lamb by calling 01467 627510 or emailing michael. [email protected]

SQ | 20 ACHIEVEMENTS

Aquarium nets top Reaching Out Project picks tourism award up Best Team award at COSLA Excellence Awards

A community-based initia- Education, Learning and Leisure received a bronze award for the tive aimed at regenerating Aberdeenshire Special Technology two Aberdeenshire com- Service (ASPECTS) in the Service Macduff Marine Aquarium netted Innovation and Improvement category. a prestigious tourism award at the munities scooped the Best _ end of last year the Association Team award at the COSLA Under the category of Promoting of Scottish Visitor Attractions Best Excellence Awards in St Sustainability, the Transportation and Visitor Experience 2008 award. Infrastructure service achieved a Andrews. bronze award for its project on school Nominees were judged on the type travel planning. of experience they offer to visitors The Reaching Out project, and how they monitor and improve developed under the umbrella of the Personnel and ICT was rewarded this experience over time, with the Aberdeenshire Community Planning with a bronze award in the Securing a aquarium fighting off competition from Partnership, is best known for the Workforce for the Future category for three high quality visitor attractions in establishment of the ‘Hot Spot’ in its work on improving inductions for to pick up the award. Peterhead and utilising the ‘Link-Up’ homecarers. building in Fraserburgh. The reward was a free place on the Finance was rewarded for a new initi- Scottish Enterprise Tourism Executive Both projects provide a focal point ative aimed at increasing the number Seminar in Nurnberg, Germany, which for groups and volunteers to meet of pupils benefiting from free school was attended by the aquarium’s and the initiatives are a ‘one-stop- meals, gaining a bronze award in the Education and Marketing Officer. shop’ for information and advice on Advancing Community and Citizen a range of issues, including housing Well Being category. matters, money, health and wellbeing, Housing employees steps to employment and educational Finally, the Huntly Aberdeenshire safe and sound opportunities. Towns Partnership was successful in the Community Planning and Local It was a night of success for Democracy category. Ten employees from housing Aberdeenshire Council as well, as have recently gained a the authority picked up five bronze certificate in personal safety awards for a series of successful awareness after completing initiatives. a training course at Banff and Buchan College.

The course included training in dealing with conflict, safety and travel, personal safety and the law, Internet safety, dealing with tenants and dangerous animals.

For the past four years the college has delivered a two day course to a number of Housing and Social Work employees, but due to demand the college developed the one day course specifically for housing employees.

SQ | 21 Success for employees who put Awards for quality and standard of public customers first conveniences

Aberdeenshire Council achieved success recently when the results of the annual Loo of the Year Awards were announced.

The awards have been identifying the best ‘away from home’ toilet Another batch of council Solutions Award: Donald Fraser, facilities in the UK since 1987. Manager of Archaeolink Prehistory Public convenience sites receive employees were celebra- Park; Kathy Kennedy, Organisational unannounced visits from autho- ting recently after they Development Analyst; Paula Paterson rised inspectors and are assessed achieved an Institute of and Heather Tough, both Employee against a wide range of criteria. Development Officers; Lynne Customer Service (ICS) Strachan, Consultation Co-ordinator; In the results, announced last award. Shirley Whyte, Administration Officer December, the council scored six four-star and nine three-star The ICS awards are a key element Innovations Award: Charles awards, finishing 11th in the top of the council’s customer service Armstrong, Director of Finance; 20 UK local authority public toilet strategy and are evidence of ongoing Graham Duthie, Principal Revenues providers. commitment to raising service Officer; Keith Newton, Area Manager; performance. Janet North, Development and Training Manager; Jacque Scott, Newtonhill Primary The council is keen to extend the Contact Centre Manager; Roger scheme to all employees who have White, Head of Policy leads the way regular contact with customers – both internal and external. To demons- For further information on the ICS Newtonhill Primary has awards please contact Frances trate the council’s commitment to been accredited, along employee development and improved Harrold, Aberdeenshire’s ICS Award Manager, by calling 01466 795123 or with its business partners customer service, all employees at the AMEC, with a prestigious council’s telephone contact centre are emailing frances.harrold@aberdeens- award from the Offshore currently working towards securing hire.gov.uk individual ICS membership. Contractors Association For any queries regarding the for their work in the Here’s the full list of employees who council’s commitment to customer Environmental Challenge achieved an award: service please contact Morag Black, Award. Customer Service Manager, by calling Communications Award: Joyce 01224 664538 or emailing morag. The award is recognition of the [email protected] Boyd, Relief Cashier; Jennifer Kane, school’s work on a number of Clerical Assistant; Diane Lipp, exciting educational and eco Clerical Assistant; Sharon Sinclair, projects which look at sustain- Development Services Assistant; able practices. Mark Cameron, Caravan Park Warden

SQ | 22 The work of the Visual Impairment Team In each issue of SQ If you would like your we will be offering team featured then an insight into the simply contact your work of a team from service representative within the council. In – details are on the this issue we’ll look at inside cover. the work of the Visual Impairment Team from the Housing and Social Work Service.

SQ | 23 It is now nearly two years since “Safe outdoor mobility instruc- Lesley also encourages everyone Aberdeenshire Council established tion is given to allow people with to go for regular eye tests at their its own Visual Impairment Team a visual impairment to regain local optometrist: “Eye tests are to provide services to people with their confidence and to provide now free for everyone and local significant sight loss, their families them with skills to enable them to optometrists (and not your GP) are and carers across Aberdeenshire. continue to visit friends, go to the now the first point of contact for They work in partnership with shops, appointments, or retain anyone with a sight problem as health and community care their employment when increasing they can detect a range of other teams and education to deliver an sight loss threatens their livelihood. health problems such as diabetes effective and integrated service. and high blood pressure. The team can also arrange access The team is made up of four to appropriate magnifiers via the “The early identification of social workers and a rehabilitation Low Vision Clinics at ARI and Dr glaucoma, which is usually symp- worker who will visit people in their Gray’s in Elgin, which is essential tomless, can be treated to prevent own home to provide a full as- to allow someone to continue to further eye damage and it is sessment of their needs and offer read their correspondence, news- therefore vital that those people advice, support and access to a papers and books, identify prices over 40 who have a close relative range of equipment to help them and read instructions. with the condition are checked retain their independence. every two years.” All the staff members are trained Team Manager Lesley Mackenzie in the eccentric reading technique explains the work: “Although the which can assist people with majority of clients are of retirement central visual loss to read again age, sight loss covers all ages and using hyperoculars (magnify- we visit infants, school pupils and ing lenses) and their peripheral those of working age. vision. They also provide ‘sensory awareness training’ to Housing If you would like to find and Social Work employees out more about the work on a monthly basis throughout of the Visual Impairment Aberdeenshire. Team, please contact Lesley Mackenzie on 01261 815784 or email lesley.mackenzie@ aberdeenshire.gov.uk

SQ | 24 Tell us how you get between A&B to win £100 of M&S vouchers

As part of the ongoing As attitudes towards sustain- commitment to having a able travel, climate change and road congestion have changed, greener and more sustain- the number of people participat- able working community, ing in the survey has grown each the council has launched year. Last year over 1700 surveys were completed. This year if more its third annual Staff Travel than 2000 responses are received Survey. an additional prize will be made available. The survey helps the council to understand current travel practices If you want to help make a differ- and how these are evolving over ence, have your say and win a time. The information provided prize, then take five minutes out of is vital to ensure that new travel your day to complete the survey. initiatives are directed to the areas You can find it on Arcadia. If you where we could really make a would like a paper copy then difference. please email chris.menzies@ab- erdeenshire.gov.uk or call 01224 Anyone who completes the five- 664921. minute survey can be entered into a prize draw to win one of For more information on sustain- the £100, £50 or £25 Marks & able ways of travelling please Spencer’s vouchers up for grabs. visit www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/ You’d better be quick though as travelplan the survey closes on Friday, April 24.

SQ | 25 Grampian Police Aberdeenshire Division Command Changes Our partners in the Aberdeenshire Division of Grampian Police have recently made some changes at Command level.

Superintendent Bill Archibald has retired from Grampian Police after serving with the Force for 30 years.

Chief Superintendent Mark McLaren took up the reins Students enjoy benefits of work of Divisional Commander of Aberdeenshire Division based at placements with the council Inverurie Police Office on February 13 and is looking forward to the challenge. Different services Lukasz said: “One of the benefits of doing a work placement is that it Superintendent John Cummings throughout the council allows you to see the theory you learn will move from Support to Head of are currently benefiting in the classroom in practice. Operations within the Division. He from the work of university will also be based at Inverurie and “Working in an organisation like will take up a new role representing students undertaking Aberdeenshire Council allows for a Grampian Police on the Community placements. But it’s not unique experience. You interact with Planning Partnership Executive. people from every service and at all only the council which levels.” benefits, as the students gain valuable experience Over the course of his placement Director of Personnel Lukasz has been able to go on and ICT to retire and put the theory they’ve training courses to help with public learnt into practice. speaking and presentation skills, so that he can be involved in the work of Director of Personnel and ICT the team. Lukasz Wozniak, a third year Human Peter Hay will retire from the council at the end of April after 42 Resource Management Polish student “Working within the employee years in local government. Peter from the Robert Gordon University, is development and training team, you has been with Aberdeenshire currently in the middle of a 48-week are encouraged to get involved and Council since September 1995 placement within the council’s not just sit in the background taking and has served as a Director for all Employee Development and Learning notes. They have taken the time to of his 13 ½ years with the council. Centre. train me up and make me feel part of

the team. One of the reasons Lukasz chose to From May 1, the Personnel and ICT service will temporarily move study this course was the fact that an “Because I’m here for a year I’ve been into the Chief Executive’s Service, industrial placement is a core part of given the time to learn how things sitting alongside Corporate Policy the curriculum. work and build up my confidence. and Improvement and Corporate For the last few months of my Communications. We’ll have more His placement began in August 2008, placement I’m going to be delivering details in future issues of SQ. with his main focus being on deliver- training by myself; something I never ing training on personnel policies and thought I’d be able to do when I procedures throughout the council. started.”

SQ | 26 Guess the location, and win £50 1 2

3 ? 4

One of the features of Alternatively, you can send your SQ will be a competition name, address and a contact What do you phone number to: in each issue. The first think of SQ? competition will give SQ Competition you the chance to win Aberdeenshire Council What do you think of the new look a £50 voucher for the Corporate Communications Unit for the new employee magazine, Woodhill House Shire Quarterly? high street shop of your Westburn Road choice. Aberdeen Are there still some improve- AB16 5GB ments that you would like to see us make? Is there anything we’ve All you have to do is identify the All correct entries will be entered changed that you would like to see four Aberdeenshire locations in into a prize draw for the £50 return to the way it was before? these images. voucher. We would love to hear what you Email your answers to image 1, 2, The deadline for entries is 10am think so we can keep making im- 3 and 4 to communicatebetter@ on Friday, May 1, 2009 and the provements in the future. aberdeenshire.gov.uk with the winner will be published in the next subject heading SQ Competition. issue of SQ. Simply email us at communicate- [email protected] or call us on 01224 665585 to let us know.

Serving Aberdeenshire from mountain to sea _ the very best of Scotland SQ | 27