Less than a month into the top job at Perth and Kinross Council, Karen Reid said she has already been “humbled” by the passion she has seen for improving the region.
Leaving her 10-year post at the Care Inspectorate, the new chief executive already has big plans to make Perth the best city in Scotland in every field, from education to staging festivals.
In her first interview since taking over as chief executive last month, Ms Reid said she hopes more major events like the Biggest Weekend and Taste of Perthshire Food Festival will pull thousands of people — and pounds— into the area, while first-class schools, health and social care will make them want to stay.
“I’ve been absolutely humbled by the commitment people demonstrate in terms of making this a great place to be for everybody, no matter their age and stage of life,” she said.
“I have a real burning ambition to create an offering in Perth and Kinross which has something for everyone, in every segment of our community.
“Perth and Kinross is absolutely the heart of Scotland.
“It is 90 minutes from Glasgow and Edinburgh we have mountains and sea and something for everyone. I want it to be the beating heart of Scotland.
“Events are critically important for a vibrant economy and these are the things we want to continue to build upon. We want to see things like the Biggest Weekend become a regular occurrence, with different events for different people.
“People will come to Perth and the surrounding area because there’s so much to do and they will go home saying great things to their friends and family.”
With a background in both health and social care and the third sector, as well as a stint as chief inspector of education, Ms Reid also wants to see the best possible frontline services in Perth and Kinross.
Starting her career in local government in South Lanarkshire almost three decades ago, she is passionate about reducing inequalities.
“Some of the same challenges I saw remain, in terms of reducing the poverty-related attainment gap and reducing child poverty,” said Ms Reid.
“We also have an ageing population in Perth and Kinross so we know that we need to think differently about those services.
“I want us to have the best possible place to grow up for children and young people. Our education and children’s services are undoubtedly the best in Scotland and I want that to continue.
“I want to see us providing fantastic opportunities in terms of care for older people, to be the leading health and social care partnership in Scotland and for our economic growth rate to continue to grow.
“I want it to be a place people want to come to live, work, have children and grow old.”
It is an ambitious ambition in times of shrinking budgets, but Ms Reid is confident being assertive is the way to make best use of finances.
“The fiscal constraints are going to be particularly challenging but if we allow ourselves to be driven by financial settlement we will only contract what we currently do,” she said.
“What we actually need to do is be ambitious and look at how we use the funding we receive to a better effect. We need to maximise the resources we have and that is the biggest challenge.
“We need to look at the resources we have, what we want to achieve and how we put them together. There is a great opportunity to do things differently.”
Although there is work to be done, Ms Reid said after overseeing all 32 Scottish councils at the Care Inspectorate, Perth and Kinross is already one of the best.
Next month she will be moving into the area from St Andrews to make sure she is fully immersed in the community she will be serving.
“This was the only external job I applied for in my 10 years at the Care Inspectorate and this was the only local authority I wanted to work for,” she said.
“I’m absolutely loving it, it has been the best career decision I have ever made.
“People have been so welcoming and the opportunities are phenomenal. I’m absolutely delighted and humbled to be the chief executive.”
The V&A effect
Culture and tourism is a huge part of the new chief executive’s vision for the future of Perth and Kinross.
But with thousands of people flocking to Dundee to visit the new V&A museum, Ms Reid is not worried the Fair City will lose visitors to its neighbour.
“Absolutely not,” she insisted.
“I think what Dundee has done is absolutely fantastic.
“I think there are opportunities for us all. When people go the V&A in Dundee, the likelihood is they will come to Perth and Kinross and hopefully Angus too, and experience all of what Tayside has to offer.
“When you look at Perth and Kinross tourism we have a lot to offer that is very different to Dundee. They complement each other very well.
“When you look at our culture, heritage and the mixed land, it’s a very different offering from other cities and there is something for everyone to enjoy.”
