An Innovative Intervention to achieve fast yet sustainable results: Janet Wademan has been asked to share her Organisational Development Knowledge with the Local Government Sector

Janet Wademan, van Helsing's Managing Director has been invited to share her business process improvement expertise with the Welsh Local Government sector.

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council is setting up an Advisory Board and has called upon the services of leading change agents to give advice and direction to improve their performance. Janet will contribute a minimum of 24 days of work to the Board over the next 12 months and is likely to be asked to contribute further on specific initiatives associated with ICT, communications and branding.

Professor Wademan has been an avid advocate of Continuous Improvement since 1989 and has first hand experience of its benefits in the defence, aerospace, systems engineering and health sectors. The appointment provides an opportunity to share experiences and good practices from a diverse range of sectors with the local government sector.

The establishment of the Advisory Board was recommended by the Wales Programme for Improvement (WPI) following a review of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council in 2003. Setting up of such an Advisory Board under the WPI is the first time that this has happened with an Authority in Wales. The expectation is that a constructive partnership based on a full and open recognition of problems remains the best way forward for achieving the necessary improvements both quickly and remain embedded corporately for the longer term.

The Board comprises 8 members that include the Chief Executive and leading Councillors at Blaenau Gwent, a senior trade unionist, a peer Chief Executive from an exemplary Authority, a peer Councillor and the Welsh Local Government Association. The Audit Commission Wales, Social Services Inspectorate Wales and Welsh Assembly Government will act as Standing Advisors to the Board.

The Board will oversee Blaenau Gwent's improvement programme supplementing strategic guidance to the leadership of the Council. The Board will meet monthly and is eager to work with the Council to deliver sustainable improvements in all areas of the Council's business over the coming months.