Message from Chief Executive, Alan Russell, April 2024
Alan Russell celebrates a significant milestone and provides an update on health and wellbeing, our support for colleagues with caring responsibilities, voter ID and living our values.
I hope you're enjoying some of this Spring sunshine and the lighter evenings again at this time of year as we look ahead to the Summer and some exciting events.
Renfrew bridge arrival
I was delighted to see the first section of the new Renfrew Bridge arrive this week, as we create what will be the first opening road bridge across the River Clyde.
We are leading the delivery of the £117million Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside project as part of the Glasgow City Region City Deal, which will see the new bridge connect Renfrew with Yoker and Clydebank and open up work, health, education and leisure opportunities on both sides of the Clyde - bringing thousands of additional jobs, new investment and developments to the riverside.
The project will be transformational for the local area, wider Renfrewshire and the Glasgow City Region and it outlines the council's continued ability to deliver nationally significant infrastructure projects successfully.
The first section of the bridge has now been installed on the Renfrew side of the river at Meadowside Street, by civil engineers GRAHAM ahead of the north section of the bridge arriving next month, where it will be fixed into place at Dock Street in Yoker.
The bridge, and its new connecting roads and active travel routes into Renfrew, out to the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS), next to Glasgow Airport and across the water to Yoker train station and Clydebank, will offer fantastic opportunities for communities and businesses on both sides of the river and I look forward to seeing it continue to progress towards its projected opening in the Autumn.
This is a hugely significant project for the Council and the area, and I want to pay tribute to the City Deal and Infrastructure teams who have worked diligently with teams from across our council, external partners and Scottish and UK governments to deliver it to this stage.
Have a look at the video below, we couldn't have asked for a better weather day - all down to the wonderful planning, I'm sure!
Paisley Food & Drink Festival, Friday 26 to Saturday 27 April
All eyes are on the forecast yet again for this weekend's Paisley Food & Drink Festival. This is the ninth year of this gastronomic event which continues to be so important to our local economy and I'd like to thank everyone involved in continuing to deliver this popular highlight in our event calendar. If you haven't yet been in the town for this showcase of local produce, street food and live entertainment, then you must get involved. You won't be disappointed.
Discover what's on and plan your visit (Paisley.is website).
Remember if you are working in Renfrewshire House, there are access and parking restrictions as well as the ongoing building works in the car park which will further limit the first come, first served spaces available. There are a number of alternative car parks nearby or please consider alternative public transport if you can.
Online health & wellbeing sessions for staff
Next week, we welcome back holistic health expert Ruth Devlin to host two interactive RenTalks sessions on gender-related health and wellbeing. Our RenTalks programme has been very popular with colleagues with a wide range of topics offered throughout the year. Please take the opportunity to join one of the sessions and I would also encourage managers to allow colleagues time to attend.
Thursday 2 May
10am -11am: Women's Health & Wellbeing with Ruth Devlin & Dr Rebecca Smithson
2pm - 3pm: Men's Health & Wellbeing with Ruth Devlin
To sign up for a session, respond to the email invite or contact Fiona Sinclair fiona.sinclair@renfrewshire.gov.uk
Plan and book your next RenTalks session (Renfrewshire Council website).
Mental Health Awareness Week
Mental Health Awareness Week 2024 will take place from 13 to 19 May, on the theme of "Movement: Moving more for our mental health". Movement is important for our mental health, but so many of us struggle to move enough. I'm a firm believer in the benefits of exercise and good nutrition but can only really fit it into my life very early in the morning. If I miss it, I really do feel the difference.
Your Mental Health First Aiders
Throughout the awareness week we'll also introduce you to some of the 70 trained mental health first aiders who are available to all colleagues right across the council. With their new purple lanyards, a friendly listening ear and lots of knowledge about where you can get the right help for your own situation, they can make a huge difference when you're not doing ok.
Improving our support for carers
In May, our HR & OD team will share our latest improvements to the support we offer to colleagues who are also caring for someone who is frail, ill or has a disability. As an exemplary Carers Positive employer, we provide registered carers leave and wide-ranging support and resources including our Carers Connected forum and access to the Digital Resource for Carers platform. To enhance the provision, we are simplifying the registration and application process, expanding eligibility criteria, and introducing access to support from day one as a council employee.
Full details on any changes will be announced on our latest news webpages supported by a dedicated RenTalks Session and the next Carers Connected event on Tuesday 21 May at 11am.
UK General Election Voter ID
As the Returning Officer for Renfrewshire, I want to make you aware of an important change for voters in advance of the upcoming UK general election which must take place before the end of January 2025.
For the first time in Renfrewshire, following the introduction of new legislation by the UK Government, every voter will need to provide identification (ID) to be able to cast your vote.
Accepted forms of ID include a passport, driving licence, older persons or disabled persons bus pass and Young Scot card. You will be able to use expired ID if you are still recognisable from the photo.
Anyone who does not have one of the accepted forms of ID will be able to apply for free ID online (GOV.UK website) or by completing a paper form.
However, if you have any questions you can speak with our election team or the Electoral Registration Office for support.
Living Our Values Recognition
Congratulations to Lisa Carrigan, Ellen Pyra and Sarah Conway who each accepted their invitation to this year's Royal Garden Party on 2 July at Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. As was the process in 2023, I offered the places to those nominated for Living Our Values and the guest names were selected at random.
You can read their living our values stories on our staff news pages (Renfrewshire Council website) and if you've noticed a colleague, or team, who is making a difference in any department or service, please consider a nomination for living our values (Renfrewshire Council website). I look forward to reading your stories in the coming months.
And finally, a huge well done to everyone involved in our phenomenal Paisley Halloween festival, which last night topped the Best Large Festival category at the E Awards in Edinburgh. Such a well-deserved accolade for one of the biggest free-to-attend events in the UK and testament to the hard work of our talented team!
Thank you,
Alan
Published Friday 26 April 2024
Message from Chief Executive, Alan Russell—Friday 27 October
