Merry Christmas from everyone at APSE

Well that was another year to remember! 

As we approach the close of 2021, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you all for your support, in what has been yet another difficult year for local government.  

Many of us hoped that with the close of 2020 we would start to recover from the health pandemic. However 2021 has proved in many ways to be an equally challenging year. We know from our work with our member local councils that the resilience of our workforce, across all levels has been challenged and tested. 

I am pleased to say that we were able to continue all of our APSE services, and indeed some new services to our members during these challenging times.  It was truly remarkable and uplifting to see so many of you in person, when safely possible, at annual seminar, performance networks seminar and during some of our Autumn events.  Whilst we have been able to communicate over Teams or Zoom calls, and this will no doubt continue where appropriate in the future, it is a poor second to being able to sit down with a coffee as part of our network and truly share, not just business intelligence, but the emotional journeys of each other; how we have developed innovations, addressed problems and developed solutions, in the network of APSE built upon trust, respect and most of all friendships. 

I for one look forward to a return the face to face opportunities that our networks thrive upon, and I know that many of you feel the same way.

So as we turn to the seasonal festivities I am sure we will all be crossing our fingers for a better 2022.

In the meantime thank you for all that you have done and you continue to do as we said in our poem last Christmas ‘Councils Matter’. 

So here is our little APSE Christmas Card to wish you and yours the best for the upcoming season, and as ever for the APSE ‘choir’ we note that Gareth Malone is never around when we need him…… we will try harder next year! 

With best wishes

Paul O'Brien 

APSE Chief Executive