More than 50 members of our management team came together at Grangemouth Town Hall to discuss the Council's financial position and a draft action plan created on the back of the employee pulse survey.

Welcoming everyone to the first in-person Leadership Forum in three years, Chief Executive Kenneth Lawrie reflected on what had been achieved during the pandemic and how new ways of working would help the Council address the financial challenge that lies ahead.

Kenneth said:

"We must secure and build on the changes that were made during the pandemic, and use the lessons learned to support our communities and economy and transform for the better. We cannot go back to where we were. The time is now, as the world is changing around us.”

Gratitude

With a follow-up Best Value report due to be undertaken later this year, he stressed it was essential the organisation could demonstrate progress in terms of its financial sustainability and how it is working more collaboratively to make difficult decisions.

He went on to tell attendees at the forum on 16 March that recurrent savings would be the primary tool to address the current financial gap and that significant savings had been identified by services, for which he was “extremely grateful”.

Enthusiasm

Closing his introduction, Kenneth said he was “optimistic” and “confident” that the Council would be able to deal with the challenges it faces because of “the exceptional work being done on a day-to-day basis” by employees.

And highlighted the widespread “enthusiasm, energy, commitment and passion” he has seen during his visits to teams, and that it was essential all staff embody the Council's values of being RITA (responsive, innovative, trusted and ambitious).

Kenneth said:

“It is important that we all take these values with us into the work that we do. As leaders, it will help us navigate the challenging path ahead and deal with our financial situation while also supporting our colleagues and teams who are doing great things for communities.”