Gill Kneller
Tackling transformation in East Hants
East Hampshire DC's focus is on making services easily accessible digitally, says Gill Kneller. 'We know this is how the vast majority want to do business with us and we are redesigning processes so they can do that.'
We need Government to recognise district councils could help them fix the system
Hampshire CC's finances are having indirect impacts on East Hampshire DC and its most vulnerable individuals, says Gill Kneller.
Clarity is my one wish
Clarity from the Government on the three fundamental topics of finance, waste collection changes and housing numbers is would make critical differences to how councils are able to strategically plan services, says Gill Kneller.
Partnerships are the key to creating healthy environments
Districts have a responsibility to support health services and provide the kinds of environments and opportunities in which good health comes naturally, says Gill Kneller.
Uncertainty has made me very certain about the value of some things
East Hampshire's elections revealed a hung council. Chief executive Gill Kneller says 'what stood out was that to navigate the uncertainty, communication is absolutely essential'.
It's time to formalise districts' health role
When it comes to influencing the determinants of health, Gill Kneller believes districts are already part of the solution – but could give greater support if they had a formal statutory role in Integrated Care Systems.
The National Planning Policy Framework could be a move in the right direction
East Hampshire faces a double whammy of issues on centrally-imposed housing targets, says Gill Kneller - the targets themselves and a reduced area to build them. It finally feels like the Government has listened to concerns, she adds.
An affordable green solution to homelessness
East Hampshire DC has the UK's first state-of-the-art housing pods. Gill Kneller says she's proud of this new way of providing emergency accommodation and hopes that many others just like it spring up across the country.
Ensuring East Hampshire’s future is a green one
Gill Kneller says that to mark the anniversary of the COP26 climate event East Hampshire DC has launched the council's first-ever ‘Green Team’ – a group of officers tasked with ensuring every department is focused on sustainability.
The harvest of our community farm will be a widespread one
East Hampshire DC's community farm plan will create an opportunity that brings its corporate strategy to life and makes it relevant to residents on a day-to-day basis, says Gill Kneller.
We can’t take the pain of dementia away, but we can make it easier
East Hampshire DC's second 'dementia festival' day and its directory aren’t big budget items and aren’t directly providing healthcare – 'but they are directly helping people in our communities', says Gill Kneller.
There's a story alright, but perhaps not the one you were expecting
Where scale and inter organisational efficiency were once the answer, now innovation and place-based transformation are the keystones of where East Hampshire DC and Havant BC go next, says Gill Kneller.
Let's take our chance to get things right on the health gap
Ten years after Professor Marmot’s initial report the health gap has grown, says Gill Kneller. Along with other partners, local councils have a key role to play in connecting with communities to turn this curve, she believes.
Avoiding a local climate disaster
COP26 may be a global event to tackle climate change, but we need local action too, says Gill Kneller.
Ongoing channel shift is the future
'I think we need to focus on putting more time, effort and thought into our digital channels and only help customers in person when they really need us', says chief executive of East Hampshire DC and Havant BC Gill Kneller.
Our response to COVID was delivered through collaboration, not in isolation
The pandemic has opened up many opportunities for Hampshire DC and Havant BC to work alongside partners from the health service and ensure better outcomes for residents, says Gill Kneller.
On-demand democracy delivered to your door
Gill Kneller has 'always felt that democracy not only needs to be happening but needs to be seen to be happening for our communities to be truly interested in it.'. That is why keeping virtual meetings is critical, she adds.
Our chance is now on climate change
The penalty for not using our new pandemic mindset doesn’t bear thinking about, says Gill Kneller. 'With climate change, there won’t be another chance. Our chance is now', she adds.
Could the Planning White Paper's digital first approach be applied more widely?
Thanks to the pandemic, this year's Planning for the Future White Paper is on-trend, says Gill Kneller. She wonders where else its digital-first approach could be applied 'and what bigger opportunities are there that we could embrace?'
Our council's culture is thriving remotely
With her councils' staff working from home, Gill Kneller says she has 'seen a burst of creativity with staff finding solutions to challenges and embracing completely different ways of doing things - along with different ways of connecting'.