Welcome to another Annual Report, writes Ann Marie Docherty. The year that I am reporting on [2006/07] was again a significant one for HASC. We implemented the plans that we had in place to continue with the next phase of the building development. By now you will be very familiar with the new layout of the building and I hope that you are enjoying it. It is quite a transformation from the days when HASC shared the building with the School – and it was used as the dining hall. Thankfully we managed to progress with the building work without any threat of closure or demolition this year. However, the Board needs to maintain an overview of the situation regarding the building to ensure that we are aware of any proposed changes that would affect the service we provide.
This coming year will present its own challenges for the board and staff. The challenges I see ahead for HASC are:
- Maintaining a sound financial base
- Identifying the next phase of the building development and securing funding to take this forward
- Continuing to meet the requirements of the Care Commission
- Meeting the requirements of the Scottish Social Services Council
- Maintaining a quality out of school care service
- Reviewing the overall staffing structure
- Recruiting new Board Members
The Board and staff have worked extremely hard again this year to ensure that the out of school care service we provide continues to meet the high standards that we set, whilst dealing with complex and difficult issues.
This year also saw the Board successfully introduce a succession plan for the office bearers’ positions. Each of the key office bearer posts had a shadow member assigned to it. The aim was to have a seamless transition from the current office bearers to the new ones for the year 2007/08. This has worked extremely well, with the “old guard” stepping down at the AGM.
With the Board members who joined over the last three years, I feel confident that the Board will continue to lead HASC effectively and embrace the opportunities that change presents.