Vice President's Page

 

Richard Crouch  
Head of Human Resources and Organisation Development at Somerset County Council

Tel: 01823 355074
Email: rmcrouch@somerset.gov.uk

 

I have had a tremendous and varied career to date and one perhaps a little unusual for the PPMA.  How many Vice Presidents I wonder have also been agriculturalists, engineers and college Vice-Principals? Thankfully, I’ve also been a general public sector manager, an OD Manager and for the past five years, a HR & OD Director at Somerset County Council.  Crossing such sector boundaries as well as professions has though supported me well  in seeing the ‘HR world’ more from an ‘outside in’ perspective and the changes facing the HR and OD profession seem to require more and more of this.

 

I’ve been fortunate to have been involved with the PPMA for a number of years, the majority of which as the Network Lead for Leadership and OD.  I’ve enjoyed this role immensely as its given me license to really bring out my quirky side ....something all OD managers will resonate with!

 

The PPMA is one of those organisations that not only grows on you but ‘sucks you in’ if you’re not careful.  It’s an organisation run by members for its members and one of the best networks I know. We in the public sector are so fortunate to have such a great network to draw on, to bounce ideas off or to share concerns, tribulations or scary moments.  As more and more of public sector activities are delivered by those outside of it, it will be important that our colleagues employed by such organisations also benefit.  It is for this reason that I am fully supportive, with the other Principal Officers, of widening our network, for the benefit of public service provision and the very public we universally serve.

 

This is an exciting time for our profession and for the PPMA. Our Members are never short of ideas and in this perhaps we are too innovative as it places great demands on our capacity to deliver.  So...as a rallying call....if you want to contribute in making a real difference in the profession and in the delivery of public services nationally, get yourself involved!