Operational and Technical Experience
Sarah has successfully managed many different services. Specific examples include
- Partnerships: Sarah initiated enduring partnerships in health (Christchurch, New Zealand), regeneration (Brighton), and tourism (Greenwich) as well as strengthening and improving pre-existing ones, such as the Castle Point Regeneration Partnership or the key relationships in Southend.
- Project Management: Sarah has led a wide range of projects, ensuring high standards of management, delivery and accountability, including completing the £35m Brighton Dome and most recently delivering a robust and affordable business case for the biggest health investment in New Zealand's history.
- Strategic Planning: at Merton, the Core Strategy was changed from a stalling process to a dynamic policy, agreed by all parties for consultation. Sarah also managed the politically complex South London Waste Plan for the borough, personally working with members and the public.
- Strategic Transport: At Merton, Sarah laid the foundations for the new London transport programmes from 2010, ensuring that all partners understood the importance of transport to the Council's regeneration ambitions
- Third Sector funding and resources Sarah has managed grant programmes (at LB Hounslow, Hertfordshire CC and Brighton & Hove and LB Merton), applied successfully for major resources (as in three successful Invest to Save Bids, and the £40m Investing in Communities Programme in South Essex) and delivered grant funded partnership projects, such as the Brighton Dome
- Regeneration: At Southend, Sarah resolved long-standing problems on major initiatives such as the five year, £20m improvements to the High Street and starting a two-Council approach to planning and improving the Airport. At LB Merton, she moved forward key projects despite the recession, and at Brighton she led a series of high-profile projects and developed a community based City regeneration strategy.
- Cultural services: At Brent and Brighton, Sarah managed large leisure contracts, in-house libraries and museums and innovative arts development, all being reegnineered to deliver savings, alongside moves to collaborative procurement of these services. At Southend, she project managed the preparation of Chalkwell Hall for the arrival of internationally important cultural agency Metal
- Sports and leisure development: at Brighton & Hove Sarah managed a respected sports service, including the proposals to regenerate a major sports centre. At Merton, she managed the procurement of a new leisure centre contract, using an innovative output specification
- Highways and network management: in two London boroughs and one medium city, Sarah has successfully reduced costs and improved performance, alongside improving modal shift to public transport and bicycles
- Housing: Sarah managed housing services in several urban areas, and most recently supported RB Kingston-upon-Thames in reshaping their housing service to meet new challenges
- Waste and recycling: in Southend, Sarah introduced change which improved recycled waste from 9 to 26% in a few months, while at LB Merton she oversaw successful changes which improved performance and reduced cost
- Parks and open spaces: at LB Brent Sarah introduced the first whole sale move to sustainable bedding and display planting while introducing significant savings
- Asset and property management:Sarah wrote the first Asset Management Plan for Southend, commended by the Audit Commission in their annual letter
