Building Communities, Transforming Lives
Transcript
Montage of places in Barking and Dagenham: a view of Barking Town Centre, Barking Station and Dagenham Civic Centre.
Interview with Rob Whiteman, former Chief Executive of London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.
Rob Whiteman
"Welcome to Barking and Dagenham; a borough with a proud history and a flourishing future. Welcome to a council which puts the needs of its' residents first and foremost and knows that staff have an important role to play in delivering excellent services."
Image of a member of staff walks into the reception of the Civic Centre Dagenham and is directed to her appointment by the receptionist.
Interview with the receptionist.
Receptionist
"I think its really rewarding to work for Barking and Dagenham Council."
Image of cleaner polishing the corridors of the Civic Centre.
Interview with the cleaner.
Cleaner
"I feel proud for the work we do."
Interview with Mickey Neale, Group Manager - Transport Waste and Street Scene Services.
Mickey Neale
"To public good public services gives me the same satisfaction as it would if, for example, I was a doctor because you can make an impact on people's lives."
A refuse worker drives along a street in Dagenham, collecting refuse.
Interview with Jeannie Terry, Head of John Perry Children's Centre.
Jeannie Terry
"Generally the services in Barking and Dagenham are first class and I'm not just saying that, it's actually true."
Interview with Rob Whiteman.
Rob Whiteman
"The borough is undergoing a huge transformation and we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a vibrant and flourishing future for all."
Street scenes in Barking Town Centre market.
Market trader
"Two boxes a pound, strawberries, come and have a look."
A building site for a new school premises transforms into a completed building.
Narrator
"Regeneration of the borough is at the top of the agenda for Barking and Dagenham Council."
Street scenes of new residential developments in Barking, including the Tanner Street estate.
Narrator
"Over 25,000 new homes will be built in the borough over the next 20 years, creating new communities where people will want to live. This award winning development in Tanner Street has been built to provide accommodation for key workers."
Scenes of the building of Barking Learning Centre.
Narrator
"We are improving educational and training opportunities for residents. New initiatives include the Barking Learning Centre which the council is building in partnership with Barking and Dagenham College and the University of East London."
Scenes of the exterior of the Castle Green Centre and a child running into the entrance of Jo Richardson Community School.
Narrator
"And we have recently completed large-scale developments for the community, like the Castle Green Centre and Jo Richardson Community School."
Interview with Andy Buck, Head Teacher of Jo Richardson Community School.
Andy Buck
"Our students are really proud of this building and I think it's no wonder, it's a fantastic building, it gives a strong message that the children matter, that their education matters and that their future matters."
Children work attentively in a classroom at Jo Richardson Community School.
A mother and daughter enter John Perry Children's Centre and are greeted by Jeannie Terry, the head of the John Perry Children's Centre.
Narrator
"We believe that the services that residents can receive in these new developments are just as important as the buildings themselves and in Barking and Dagenham we treat customer service with the utmost importance."
Interview with Jeannie Terry, Head of John Perry Children's Centre.
Jeannie Terry
"John Perry Children's Centre opened in March 06."
The mother drops her daughter off at the centre.
Jeannie Terry
"We have full day care for working parents, so parents typically might come one morning, drop their children off and then go off to work and then come back and pick them up."
Interview with the mother, Ade Layole, a resident of Barking and Dagenham.
Ade Layole
"Before Abby joined John Perry's Child centre I was anxious about how I was going to, like, cater for her, like childcare and hold down a full time job, so my main worry then was looking for a secure place for Abby when my Mum went back to Nigeria. It gives me peace of mind because I know Abby is happy with other children here. She's is happy with the staff and the staff like her and she likes the staff as well."
Interview with Jeannie Terry, Head of John Perry Children's Centre.
Jeannie Terry
"We also have a range of additional services which are aimed at supporting the family in the early years, so we have parent toddler groups and maternity services, health services, child minding support groups and a range of activities around promoting play and communication in the early years."
Children play together in the John Perry's Children's Centre playground.
Narrator
"The John Perry's Children's Centre was short listed for the Prime Minister's Better Public Building Award because of the way we worked with a wide range of partner organisations and potential users to ensure we would meet their requirements."
Graphic text page:
'The centre shows how collaborative working, an rethinking how a school and children's centre could work together, can produce a refreshing local landmark' - The Prime Minister's Better Public Building Awards
Children play in the playground of the John Perry Children's Centre.
Narrator
"The Council is in the process of building 11 more centres like this one, across the borough."
Scene of Vicarage Field Shopping Centre, with Job Shop on the 2nd floor.
Narrator
"We constantly look for new ways to help residents lead full and independent lives. This Job Shop offers residents a large range of services to help them back into employment. We often work in partnership with the voluntary and community sector."
Scene of the exterior of a housing development.
Narrator
"And we are one of the leading providers of direct payments to people who need support, so that they can choose the services that will help them live independently in their own homes."
Denise Cole is supported by her personal assistant in her living room. She breathes oxygen through a tube and crosses the room in a motorised wheelchair.
Interview with Denise Cole.
Denise Cole
"I have muscular dystrophy, which also affects my breathing. The reason I choice direct payments, was I wanted to be more in control of who came into my house and who worked with me. You are given the money by social services and you can employ your own Personal Assistants and it gives you control of how you want to spend the money in the hours that you give them. Barking and Dagenham Council are striving to make live better for disabled people in the borough."
Interview with lollipop lady on a Barking Street.
Lollipop lady
"Barking and Dagenham always listens to the residents needs."
Interview with Bobby Green, Learning Coordinator, Flexible Learning Programme.
Bobby Green
"They asked all of the local community what they think and I believe they hear it."
At the Contact Centre, Lee, one of the contact centre workers, answers a call.
Lee
"Hello and good morning you are speaking to Lee how can I help you?"
Narrator
"Listening to residents is an important part of getting services right. When residents said they wanted it to be easier to get in touch with us we set up the Contact Centre."
Many people are working in the contact centre. On the wall is the contact centre's telephone number: 020 8215 3000.
A refuse vehicle drives in to the Frizlands Lane Refuse and Recycling Centre.
Narrator
"While we aim to constantly improve our performance as a Council, we also want to help our staff achieve their personal goals."
Interview with Mickey Neale, Group Manager - Transport Waste and Street Scene Services.
Mickey Neale
"It's my job to listen to the public, to make sure that we are responding to their wishes. It's also up to me to listen to my team as well."
Images of the Frizlands Lane Refuse and Recycling Centre.
Mickey Neale
"The Frizlands Learning Centre came into being because I knew there was a need for literacy and numeracy classes for the staff here."
Interview with Chris Taylor, Area Manager Transport Waste and Street Scene Services.
Chris Taylor
"I have worked for the council for about 20, 21 years. I started off as a road sweeper pushing a barrow."
In a classroom at the learning centre, a teacher writing 'A cleaner's work is hard' on the whiteboard.
Teacher
"So that's the 2 uses of the apostrophe."
The class listens to the teacher.
Chris Taylor
"The Frizlands Centre has changed my life. Up to maybe 6 years ago I could not read or write at all. I mean, now I am a manager of the council. I can sit down now and open letters and read them myself without anyone else having to do that, so for me it has changed my life."
Interview with Mickey Neale.
Mickey Neale
"From the initial one classroom, offering one course, we now run, I think its 7 or 8 courses across literacy, numeracy, IT."
Interview with Chris Taylor.
Chris Taylor
"It's completely different to being at school. It's relaxed, you know, you can be yourself. It's good."
Interview with Mickey Neale.
Mickey Neale
"The aspirations are that the courses to be made available to other members of the public, marginalised groups etc, so that everyone can benefit, not only the people that work here but the families and also fellow residents of the borough."
Montage of street scenes from Barking and Dagenham.
Interview with Rob Whiteman.
Rob Whiteman
"Barking and Dagenham has come a long way in a short time by listening to what its' residents want and the hard work of all colleagues. This area is changing fast and everyone who lives and works in the borough has a vital role to play in creating a flourishing and vibrant community for all."
Images of Barking and Dagenham and the people that work in the borough.
Graphic text page:
'Building communities, transforming lives'
Barking and Dagenham logo.
Narrator
"Barking and Dagenham, building communities and transforming lives."
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