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!)
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!)
