Monday 12 November – Wednesday 21 November 2007

Sorry if you have been logging on for a weekly update of my adventures but my slot last Sunday got replaced by a “friendly” family game of cards.

To be honest most of last week (the weeks are starting to now merge into one) was spent at work. The time sheet says 63 hours and it certainly felt like it.

Spent most of Monday doing committee reports and catching up.

Tuesday: I gave a presentation to a County Council scrutiny board updating our joint work with the County which is well advanced in terms of enhanced two tier working as part of our Warwickshire Direct customer service delivery model. On the 1pm train to London where I met with John Cremin who is working with us on our shared service feasibility study with Coventry (The CANWE project). I meet up with David and Gary Watson in the early evening to discuss Gary’s transition from Council member to Deputy Chief Executive on 1 January 2008. Back home to do a few hours before hitting the hay.

Wednesday: Another full day in the office agreeing next year’s budget and service delivery plan amongst other things.

Thursday: An early management team at 8am is followed by a series of meetings most of the day. Met up with an old work colleague for lunch (a rare treat...note to self: must do this more often). A very late finish as I hadn’t done any preparation for the following days association meeting where we hosted 40 odd other Councils for the day. Finish at midnight and back in work by 7am (very sad!)

Friday: People start arriving at 9.15am as the last slide is just about finished, the pull ups erected and coffee cups arranged. A well-attended day sees us celebrating our success with others (see IRRV website/West Midlands Association for slides) followed by a meeting of the Warwickshire Revs and Bens group. Its Children in Need day, but because of the event I didn’t dare dress down or up as people were visiting. It doesn’t stop Andy “Rodriguez” Jones from Warwick DC turning up for the meeting in “poncho and sombrero” (watch this space for the evidence). I must be less reserved next year.

A quick shower then out for a curry with 45 of the staff to celebrate our LGC and IRRV wins this year (not that we need much of an excuse). I promise myself an early night as I’m shattered. Turn in way after 1pm meaning the early Saturday morning at work is more “elevensies” before leaving early evening picking up a chinese on the way home. The study is full of bags of Xmas shopping so looks like Julie has given the plastic a good workout today.

Sunday: my mum and dad are coming for dinner today so on a three line whip to be back from work by 1pm. A quick catch up with David in the evening and I do my slides for the CRM conference.

Monday: Another day in the office before meeting up with a few fellow Council members to discuss a few institute issues over dinner at the Chesford Grange in advance of the CRM conference.

Tuesday: Kick off the CRM conference (we are going to rename it next year because it really is less technical and more about celebrating excellence in customer service delivery) before driving over to Kettering to attend the launch of their joint NVQ assessment centre with 3 other Northampton authorities. A great event meeting the people who are involved both assessors and students before getting back on the road to get back to the Chesford for a West Mids exec meeting late afternoon. A bit of a false start as we get confused on the room we are using and have to start the agenda again when we realise our mistake as we have exec members sitting in two different rooms. Doh! Just time for a quick shower before hosting the drinks reception with our key sponsors Gandlake and a very enjoyable dinner. In bed before midnight (I’ve learnt from last Friday) as am up early to catch up on a few e-mails before a power cut hits the hotel

Wednesday: I have never had breakfast by candlelight and never with another man as I meet David for a breakfast meeting with a rep of the hotel.
Present the first paper of the day before facilitating a session with David for Councils impacted by the forthcoming Local Government reorganisation

A quick lunch before driving back to Warwickshire for the second half of an event facilitated by the IdeA discussing LAA commitments with stakeholders from across our borough. For once I am home at a normal hour. As I have to organise tea as Julie has a late committee meeting, it’s the chip shop for tea for Louis and I. A night watching the match is soon less attractive as England go 2 nil down inside 15 minutes so get my expenses out to do with one eye on the tv. Whilst not a huge football fan (more into the odd shaped ball) I am patriotic and it is disappointing to see us lose. On the train early so not too late out of bed.

Signing off as I have just arrived in Euston as I am at Wimbledon for a lunch hosted by the Institute of Clerks of Work.

Quality video 2!

And here's a longer video from Annual Conference too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOPCLsG_kOs

Quality video from Annual Conference!

This blog started with a poor quality video from Annual Conference - so here's the link to a much better-quality video of Bob's first speech as IRRV President in Brighton :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPzE9vWnmM8

Tuesday 6 November – Sunday 12 November 2007

Up early on Tuesday morning before driving to Abertillery where I share a morning with Steve Thomas, Chief Executive of the Welsh LGA speaking to a well attended South and West Wales association meeting on the impact of Shared Services. Things are starting to move on this front in the area and following the meeting, I arrange to meet with Steve and his colleagues to discuss many of the issues raised in discussion early in the New Year

A frustrating drive back sees me stationary on the M50 for more two hours (but it provides a perfect opportunity to get up to date with e-mails and some Government Connect reading) before arriving back to work just as most are leaving all ready to start the night shift !.

On Wednesday, I am back in Wales but this time go on the train to Newport for a midday visit to the Distance Learning Centre based at the university. I meet David Magor off the train who suggests we take the short walk to the college. What he failed to mention was up a 1 in 3 hill carrying my overnight bag of 3 days, dinner jacket, presidential chain and laptop Arriving at the top where the oxygen definitely appeared thinner (my excuse for being out of breath) we arrived for a very interesting session looking out their e-learning technology. This will totally modernise our current distance-learning offering and a decision will be taken by the Full Council at our January meeting how to progress this. We leave to catch the train into London arriving at Doughty Street with an hour to spare giving us just enough time to change and get to the Rating Surveyors dinner.

A very enjoyable evening followed hosted by Jerry Schroader, RSA President as his top table guests (see picture below, I must learn to sit up straight). I make the lonely walk back to Doughty Street just before midnight to the penthouse flat available to me on the top floor.

Thursday morning sees me doing my morning chores in the flat before going through my diary commitments with Rachel, David’s PA before having a very productive meeting with BACS with whom we are developing work initiatives on a number of fronts to launch early in the New Year (another watch this space). In the afternoon we cut across London to visit an “as yet” secret venue which is provisionally booked for the Annual Drinks reception in July 2008. Contrary to popular belief, it will not be at Stringfellows ! (More of this when I can say more – it keeps you reading in the future this way).

We meet up with two past presidents, Allan Traynor and Carol Cutler in the evening to prepare for the following days interviews for the post of Deputy Chief Executive at the IRRV before a reasonably early night and early next morning (you’ve guessed it catching up on e-mails).

Friday is spent interviewing and we make what will definitely be an excellent appointment for the Institute in Gary Watson. Known to probably all of you, as a very active member of the Institute his knowledge and skills will mean he will be a tremendous addition to HQ staff if a sad loss to the National Council when he takes up his new post in January.

Saturday is spent in the office all day catching up and hopefully getting in front of the forthcoming weeks workload. My votes for “Hope” are keeping them in the “x factor”, Something Different are growing on me but I still think Rhydian will win.

An early Sunday stint sees me at the office by 7.30am before arriving home just in time to entertain the future in-laws for Sunday lunch before a nice friendly game of cards in the afternoon. Catch up with my expenses, booking travel arrangements for the coming months (it’s the way to get ridiculous deals) and a quick call into David before preparing myself for a relatively strange week where I will be in the office most of the time. Best remove the cardboard cut out from behind the desk!

Hope to see you all at the forthcoming CRM and Customer Excellence conference we are running next week (20 and 21 November at Chesford Grange, Kenilworth). Its still not to late too book.

Rating Surveyors Dinner picture - see above!

Monday 29 October – Monday 5 November 2007

Another busy week and I cannot believe I’m over 3 weeks into my Presidential year already

Monday involved taking a Level 3 student for integrative case studies at Keele before undertaking a quick look round the university in preparation for the April revision course where we intend to run a series of events around the core revision course programme (watch this space for further information).

On Tuesday, I was back in North Warwickshire looking at how as a Council with local partners we can best address the issue of growing debt and social exclusion in the borough. The day is a huge success with over 25 attendees, many from outside the Council representing the CAB, Credit Union, welfare rights agencies, tenants, older people and the local PCT. The day facilitated by David Magor involves a normal day for me as AD in a small borough with the days duties ranging from giving a presentation on strategic direction and facilitation of group discussions through to serving coffee and doing the washing up! (and I am not joking) It’s an early start (as I had to write my slides for the morning) and a very late finish as David and I drive down to Cornwall in the evening for a meeting the following day with representatives from the Councils affected by the forthcoming Local Government Review.

Wednesday goes well and following discussions we arrange to hold a day for all affected LGR Councils at our forthcoming CRM event on 20 and 21 November (see website for further details). I drive directly to Swindon where we are running our block release course arriving just in time for dinner and meet the students who are partway through their first week of three on the course.

Thursday morning sees me kicking off with two sessions of Business Rates having got up early to catch up on some work before setting off in the early afternoon arriving back at work just in time for a local Association executive meeting. Amongst other things we agree the date of the West Mids dinner dance (put it in your diary, its 17 May 2008) and we agree a full programme of meetings that will see us through to the summer including our first (an open day of how we do things at North Warwickshire on 16th November 2007). If you want to come, please e-mail JaneHayward@NorthWarks.gov.uk to register or for further details of what’s included. Turn the lights off as I finish work very late

Friday sees me nearly miss my flight to Glasgow at 7am (teach me to read the instructions on check in times more carefully) and I meet David Magor off his flight from London having caught up on a few e-mails and phone calls (what did people before mobile technology was invented). We attend a very nice lunch hosted by the President of the Association of Chief Estate Officers at City Chambers in Glasgow before getting a delayed flight home to Birmingham finally sitting down to a well deserved glass of wine at 9pm.

Saturday was spent all day in the office catching up and hopefully getting in front of the forthcoming weeks workload before spending an evening with an old school friend. Into work for an early Sunday stint putting in another full day as I am again out of the office for a further 3 days next week.

Monday - In work for a Management Team catch up and a day of meetings around the budget, savings and the customer access strategy. A quick visit to the Forest Of Arden Hotel at lunchtime where I am hosting a IRRV Council round in April as my in borough venue is squeezed in. Leave work gone 6pm for a drive down to Abergavenny where I am staying overnight in advance of a morning meeting giving a paper on Shared Services to the South and West Wales association. A table for 1 with only the blackberry for company is a solitary experience !

Oh well time to sign off from my hotel room in Wales having just caught the end of Dragons Den. I am really enjoying every minute of the role (I just hope I have enough stamina to keep this pace up!)