Wales

Chair - Reuben Bergman
Tel: 01446 709357
Email: rbergman@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

Secretary - Anna Freeman
Tel: 029 20468640
Email: anna.freeman@wlga.gov.uk

Annual Report 2009

PPMA Wales’ Branch Chair, Steve Ralph retired from the Vale of Glamorgan Council towards the end of 2008, and the branch would like to put on record their thanks for his work over the years. They would also like to thank Ross Morgan, Head of HR at Anglesey County Council for taking on the role from 2009.

During 2008/9 Wales PPMA / HRD Network has continued to pursue the work programme developed during 2007/8, with the aim of facilitating a better understanding and integration of workforce issues in to all aspects of policy and practice within local government and the public sector in Wales. The liaison opportunities developed with the Welsh Assembly Government, with SOLACE Wales’ HR Lead, with the Trades Unions and with Public Services Management Wales (PSMW) have started to bear fruit.

A number of key projects and initiatives have been progressed over the year:

• The joint project to build capacity for local trades union representatives and managers to work together on change management and modernisation is being developed with PSMW as part of a wider capacity building ESF bid

• The Public Sector ‘People and Performance Strategy has provided the framework for the development of a cross public sector employers group to facilitate collaboration and advise the Welsh Assembly Government on the workforce agenda

• The Skills Summit 2009 has been run as a partnership between local government, PSMW and NLIAH, to include the wider public services in Wales.

• A cross public sector group aimed at promoting public services participation in Local Employer partnerships

The project to develop shared services for HR, Payroll and Training in South East Wales continues, with decision currently being taken at a local level on which authorities will take the model developed forward to implementation.

A number of events and training sessions have been successfully run over the year, including the annual Employment Law Update with John Anslow, courses for HR officers new to local government, a presentation from the UKBIA on the new points based system, a joint event with Solace Wales and a series of well-attended workshops on the HR Business Partnering model (with a follow-up workshop focusing on feedback and implementation for HRDs scheduled for March 09).

Five new members have joined PPMA Wales over the course of the year, mainly in an Associate or Corporate capacity.

March 2009