You have really made a positive impression in the last two weeks and personally you have really helped me by adding some structure, good ideas, experience and a calm assurance to the Green Shoots programme and to Strategic Improvement more generally
Robert worked for Kent County Council from 1998 to 2010. In this time Robert moved from social services policy and review roles to head the service policy function for environment, regeneration, highways and planning services. Driving organisational and cultural change across services and agencies became a major part of both the above roles and in 2007 (after a short spell as 'Caretaker' Managing Director of Environment & Regeneration) Robert moved to a corporate director-level role. He was responsible for:
- corporate performance improvement (inc. CPA and CAA)
- improving the effectiveness of the Kent Partnership (county LSP)
- developing and reviewing the sustainable community strategy and the delivery of the LAA
- setting corporate standards, driving internal co-ordination and innovation in relation to community engagement and customer feedback
- embedding equality and diversity in service delivery
Before working for KCC, Robert worked for District Councils and in the voluntary sector.
Summary of Achievements
- Developed the first city-wide community consultation process between voluntary and community groups, local residents and the local authorities in Nottingham.
- Created successful multi-agency forums, led by elected Members, which improved service planning and the identification of need.
- Wrote Kent-What Price Growth? which set out KCC's response to Government's Sustainable Communities Plan, costing the scale of the physical and social infrastructure required.
- Played a leading role in Kent's successful PSAs and LAAs.
- Created the successful and award-winning East Kent Empty Properties partnership.
- Developed and managed the Social Innovation Lab Kent working with residents and frontline staff to redesign services and develop new projects.
- Led KCC's CPA Corporate Assessment and the transition to CAA.
- Led the creation and implementation of Pic N Mix project - providing information to the public - which won the Microsoft Innovate 08 award.
- Played a key role in the Kent Total Place Pilot.
