Bob Trahern, IRRV President 2007-8

Bob's final blog update!

2008-10-06T03:38:00.000-07:00

It is Sunday night and I am sitting down to write my final blog entry having just watched the x factor which has determined the “final 12” to will perform every Saturday night now through to Xmas (how sad am I!)

Having arrived back from Manchester late on Friday afternoon, I have spent the weekend mainly in work as I prepare for life post Presidency sorting out my desk and collating some final thoughts and reports on the conference that will enable us to build on what was an incredibly successful week albeit it lost a little of its shine with our Deputy Chief Executive, Gary Watson’s admission to hospital on the eve of the conference opening.

Not that you can keep a good man down and he kept David, Caroline Hopkins, Paul McDermott and I on our toes all week with his missives and lists delivered from his hospital bed in Manchester which ensured that to most the conference glided like a swan across the water as along with the rest of the staff we paddled furiously beneath the surface. But in adversity, I always say this brings the best out of revenues and benefits people and whilst it was with great sadness that Gary could not be with us in person during the week, his spirit kept us going enabling us to deliver a great event but more of that later.

Just as a quick update, Gary had a minor operation last week and was transferred to another hospital closer to home yesterday (Saturday) where he is being held whilst some monitoring of his progress is taking place. I know from the number of people asking after him at conference and who wanted to sign his many cards how popular and special Gary is to everyone and we are all hoping that he has a speedy recovery. The biggest problem we are having with him is his insistence on trying to answer his e mails but it was great that he was able to follow the performance awards from his bedside on the live link we had put in place across the website on the Performance awards evening. This had an incredible 2000 hits in the first few hours of results being announced. See the IRRV website for all the latest pictures from the night

And so to my exploits in my last two weeks as President

Monday 22 September 2008 – Saturday 27 September 2008

I returned to Luton on Monday morning to check in just before 6pm (very Déjà vu) but again not without incident as I only narrowly made the check in time by minutes by underestimating the very early M1 Monday morning traffic. However, arrived in Berlin and after a short taxi journey met up with David where we make the short walk around to the Canadian embassy built almost in no mans land near Checkpoint Charlie and the former wall to attend a 2 day event hosted by IPTI (International Property Tax Institute) that concentrates on advising the Canadians around how the invited countries deal with the issue of our equivalent of Central List payment in lieu. It is bizarre but the embassy stands in a square where all the other buildings are in fact false fascias over scaffolding as Germany faces the problems of rebuilding the city whilst still faced with another 26 years of paying off unification debts. Unfortunately any time to sight see was lost by arriving a day late but what little I see of Berlin (primarily the dunkin doughnut shop and a big square with more false buildings in than real ones) is incredibly impressive.

After a full day in session, I have a quick meeting back at the hotel with David before taking in what is best described as a “German Berni Inn” for dinner before hitting the sack. The following day, is another full day in session giving an impromptu 45 minute paper along with David and Paul Sanderson from the VOA (It’s a good job I have kept my NDR knowledge very current through my tutoring role). A local Berlin dinner of one of my favourites, liver and bacon and another strudel, I decline the offer of a cultural tour of Berlin as I am up early for a morning flight back to Luton enabling me to get back home for lunchtime and a full afternoon and evening doing some proper work and some IRRV work in advance of the conference.

Thursday sees me catch the train to London as I have an early morning meeting at Doughty Street with Gary and David before we head off to London Bridge to a lunch as guests of the ATT (the Association of Taxation Technicians) returning late afternoon to conclude our morning meeting before getting changed into black tie and a dinner in Kensington as guests of the Institute of Internal Auditors who are celebrating their 60th anniversary at their conference. Back to the penthouse at Doughty Street by 11.30pm, I am up early at 6 and start my slides for my Presidential address the following week. David arrives and as the staff pack up the 43 boxes to be driven up to conference in a lorry by Gary (he is a jack of all trades), I leave with David as we are attending a tripartite event with the VOA, LGA and ourselves to spend a day discussing how we develop improved links and services between Local Government and the Agency. It is a well-attended day and is very productive with some very useful output that will be worked on over the coming months. Another mad dash from the venue to Euston sees me catch my train literally by seconds to avoid having to wait an hour for the next one. There is definitely a theme developing here having now nearly missed a plane and train in recent days. In just before 7pm, its fish finger sandwiches and I am absolutely shattered so am in bed by 8’ish after a long soak in the bath.

Up early, I am first in the queue at the barbers even beating the pensioners, collect my suits from the dry cleaners and pick up a new dj. I have ordered before nipping into my mum and dads to confirm arrangements for the following week. Back at home, I go into work for 3 hours and tie up some things that need doing as I prepare for my final week out of the office at conference. Home and a quick shower, we are guests at Dave West’s wedding (CAPITA) in Coventry where we are on the same table as last year's President, Allan Traynor and Dee, and Judith and Ray Keech. You can never escape the Institute wherever you go! Knowing what a busy week lies ahead, we leave the party by 9pm, take in the x factor recorded from earlier in the evening before collapsing into bed.

Sunday 28 September 2008 – Sunday 4 October 2008

We have a busy Sunday morning finishing the packing and trying to remember everything for the week (both in Manchester and at home) as we have Council meetings in advance of the conference and finalise arrangements to get Louis up to us on Thursday as he, my mum and dad and brother and wife are joining us for the Performance Awards event. All I can say is it’s a good job we have a 4 by 4 with all the stuff e need to take and whilst J finishes the necessary jobs, I nip into work to do some absolutely last minute things for the week ahead. We stop off on the way up to Manchester at the NEC where the “Place in the Sun” exhibition is being held as we prepare for life post presidency and something to do once we have some free time to enjoy !!!!! (which is going to be a real novelty) and 4 hours later, head up to Manchester and our base at the Midland Hotel arriving by 5pm.

We kick off the event with a nominations meeting to elect the new junior vice president who will be National President in 2010/11. We only have one candidate to consider so the meeting is not too long and it will be great that Kerry McDermott from Pembrokeshire CC, one of my closest friends in the Institute is elected. His journeys in his year are definitely going to be “challenging” as it takes him 60 miles or so before he even hits a motorway from his base on the beautiful coastline of Wales so blog entries should be entertaining planes, trains and automobile stories.

Along with fellow Council members, we have dinner in a local Italian restaurant before leaving at a very reasonable hour to prepare for the Monday of meetings and the pre conference golf competition sponsored by IBS. Before meetings kick off at 8am, I check my e mails of the golf start times, traditionally around 2pm to find to my horror it has been changed to 11am so after the first hour and a half on the commercial services committee I make my excuses, jump in a taxi and am on the first tee for pictures (in the rain) at 10.45am. Posing for the pictures, I take a right handed stance for Andrew, the photographer who insists on me hitting the ball. Call it beginners luck, or sods law, but my right-handed drive goes straight as an arrow and about 150 yards plus. My proper left handed drive whilst going somewhat further is sliced to the left but somehow I manage to find the edge of the green in 3 and sink the long putt for an opening par! The rest of my golf matches the weather, in and out but we have a great time with Ray Dart from Halton BC playing incredibly well to take the spoils for the third time in his career (although it must be his 25th annual conference he has attended). Return to the Midland, to hear that Gary has been rushed into hospital having had problems in the night (he has not been feeling too good for months but as anyone who knows Gary he has kept battling on to ensure the show this week went on and has really suffered in silence) but he is in the best place and I have some impromptu meetings with David and Caroline to plan the week minus a very important player on our team and begin to work out who will do what. In essence, Gary is so organised it proves easier than we think as everything is meticulously labelled sometimes more than once !

J and I settle for a quiet night in with room service necessary as I still have to finish my paper for the next day (nothing like being prepared). I rise at 6am for breakfast and prepare for the day ahead that starts with my final act as President in my council role by chairing the Full Council meeting which starts at 8am. At 10am, I attend the traditional Association Reps meeting which takes longer than normal (lots to talk about) resulting in me going straight to chair the Annual General Meeting in the main conference hall at 11.30am and the start of the conference week begins in earnest.

Before I know it, I am opening up the conference delivering my key note paper which I am really pleased goes very well and then chair the rest of the afternoon sessions before opening up the conference and awarding the golf prizes. With David, I jump in a taxi and head up to the hospital to see Gary who is in good spirits and having already given David a long list of “things to do” earlier in the day, we get another two long lists of things to do (typical Gary Watson!) and why he is so important to the institute.

Back by 7.30pm, a quick change and I join CAPITA at the Hard Rock café for their traditional Tuesday night out to open up the conference week for delegates. Again in bed by a reasonable hour (two nights running and at conference unheard of) I get up early to answer some e mails before having a breakfast meeting in my room with David, Caroline and 2 of the IRRV staff to discuss the day ahead, as well as things to do (including Gary’s lists). It is a much longer meeting than usual for obvious reasons but finishes just in time for me to catch J’s session in the main hall which I promised her I wouldn’t attend (but I am glad I did as she did great) before joining David, Fraser and Caroline in the Great Central Hall to run through the visuals for the Thursday night and agree operational things now it is possible for the first time to translate the laptop images into reality. We agree a number of changes before I am back in the main hall where I chair the late morning session including Steven Timms MP who has responsibility for welfare reform in the DWP which also involves him presenting the £1,500 Gandlake bursaries to the three successful applicants. I then escort him around the awards village where he is genuinely interested in the 4 benefit finalist teams and having posed for pictures, he leaves with his entourage by 1pm. I grab a sandwich on the move and meet up with David and Colin Thrower, chair of the awards panel at the hotel where we sign the finalist and winners certificates for the Thursday and grab the opportunity to discuss a few more details about the following night in Gary’s absence. The three of us then do the now traditional walk round the Performance Awards village for photographs and conversations with each of the finalists who as ever have put in a massive amount of effort to demonstrate their excellence. They truly are all winners in terms of what they are achieving and this year sees the village busier than ever.

Afterwards, I head back over to the GMEX to check on progress before taking in a meeting with one of our key sponsors who we have a longstanding meeting booked with. Before I know it, I am showered and changed and heading out to the Students Graduation event sponsored by Rossendales at 6.30pm which takes place in the nearby Raddison hotel. It is a night I always look forward too as a delegate so as President it is even more especial as I have the honour of awarding the new corporate members and individual prizewinners with their certificates before we sit down to a very enjoyable meal and dancing till late. We leave in torrential rain for the short run up the road and I am soaked by the time we get to the Midland where we catch the last 50 minutes of an ABBA tribute night sponsored by Inform 360 degrees which is another packed event. IRRV delegates certainly know how to enjoy themselves and means my first late night on the week as we get to bed just gone 1pm.

Up at 6.30am, the breakfast meeting starts at 7.30am (and more lists from Gary) and sees us finish just after 9am and straight into a meeting with the organisers of the night which involves agreeing some further tweaking. Along with Caroline, I head off to do a tour of the exhibition which due to the number of exhibitors which is great news has to be undertaken in two parts as we have to break to again approve the changes we agreed in the morning.

Breaking by 1pm, I meet up with afternoon speakers, Gerald Ratner and Dave Moorcroft and agree how they wished to be chaired and they both deliver great sessions that are very well received by delegates. My dad who has arrived with my mum for the evening even asks a question! J takes Louis around the exhibition and he cleans up on all the stands with x-box games on and walks off with 3 prizes.

Finishing at 4am, I return to the G-Mex for a walk through of the night with sponsors and iron out some last minute issues which means I do not get back to the hotel until 6am and after another quick shower and change (again another constant theme and a good job I haven’t got much hair to wash), I am back at the venue to kick off the drinks reception at 6.30pm and pose for pictures with all the finalists and my table which is finished just as we are called to dinner.

The night passes in a blur as I take on the role as host and the musical entertainment of the IDMC gospel choir and “Now 80’s” (some of who used to work for me) ensure a brilliant night is had by all. The food and venue provide the perfect support act to the real stars on the night, the finalists (see website for pictures) and at 2am when it is all over for another year the dancefloor is still packed. The bar is heaving back in the Midland and we finally get to bed just gone 3pm, but chainless having passed the baton over to Julie Holden at the end of official proceedings on the night and I know she will have a brilliant year.

So on reflection, In total I have done 108 days of official IRRV activity according to my timesheet at work and have worked enough hours in the days I have been in or whilst out e mailing off site to cover 66 days of them. I have also used 25 days of my annual leave. With the weekend working I have undertaken during my year and that brought forward days, this has amounted to 68 days so I end the year still way in credit but very thankful to my employer, NWBC for giving me the opportunity to fulfil all these engagements and work incredibly flexibly in what has been the highlight of my working and professional career.

David set me 36 things to do at the start of the year (although the list seemed to grow) and most have been completed or started so I hope that my year will have made a difference and whilst I am a little sad it has come to an end, I have achieved everything and more I set out to achieve and my body is definitely telling me it is time to slow down and get life back to normality whatever that means!

Not that I rest for long as Friday morning sees me up at 7am as I have foolishly agreed to do a paper on the shared service morning we ran which is well attended and received before packing the car and bidding farewell to Manchester. Home by 4pm, we unpack before both falling asleep for a few hours after what has been a very hectic last few weeks (possibly year).

Saturday sees J up and she takes her mum and sister to Birmingham shopping for wedding outfits whilst I get into work for 10am and put in a long day which I repeat on Sunday so I can turn up to work on Monday ready to start my life again post Presidency.

I was hoping to visit Gary on Sunday but his transfer to Romford was delayed by a day so will have to wait until next weekend to see him but we will keep the website up to date of his progress most probably via Julie's blog.

So as I sign off my final blog entry, it has been a pleasure to share my year with you and will be a fantastic keepsake of what has been an incredible year for me. To share it with J has been great and without her, I could not have done everything I have done as she has kept the house, Louis and day-to-day stuff going to enable me to work hard and play hard. It is now time for us as we prepare for our forthcoming wedding in January and a well-earned 3 weeks honeymoon. She is my rock in every way.

Not that I won’t be doing any IRRV stuff as college courses start again and with Gary’s absence, I will do as much as I can along with the other staff and rest of Council to ensure he can make a speedy recovery without the worry of what’s going on back at HQ (this will possibly be the biggest challenge of all keeping him away). Gary, I know you will be reading this and along with David, you have helped make my year very special and thank you both for your hard work and support.

So my year has been about “Reaching for the Stars” and I have achieved everything and more I hoped for when I set out on my journey last year in Brighton. Keep reaching for your own stars and hopefully I will see you all very soon.

Take Care,

Bob

Now the Immediate Past President of the IRRV

And some more photographs from Awards Night!

2008-10-06T03:00:00.000-07:00

Some further photographs by the Digital Paparazzi from a superb Awards Night last Thursday, including Bob, plus one of Julie and Louis

Bob presents the Performance Awards 2008!

2008-10-04T13:26:00.001-07:00

Gospel Singers in action at the Performance Awards!

2008-10-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

Bob oversees the Performance Awards Set Up!

2008-10-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

There will be photos and an update from Bob soon on the blog about IRRV Annual Conference 2008 and the superb finale at the Performance Awards & Dinner, which took place on Thursday evening. Meantime, here's a short clip below of Bob overseeing set-up arrangements for Thursday night's activities, and (above) a video of the superb gospel singers in action!

Bob's penultimate blog entry!

2008-09-21T10:09:00.000-07:00

It’s 21 September and I am sitting in the study typing my long overdue blog entry. Nothing unusual in that you might think other than the fact I should be in Berlin by now as I enter the last 10 days of my presidency. To cut a long story short, having left home at 5am to get the 7.45am from Luton to Berlin, I stood in the easijet queue only to discover to my horror that although I had a passport with me, wasn’t mine. As a result, I have had to delay my journey to one of my final events of my year which is attending the IPTI conference being held at the Canadian Embassy until tomorrow.

So having taken in the final day of the Ryder Cup, I will drive myself this time (J had to come back to fetch me this morning) at 3am (or in 13 hours time to be more precise) back to Luton to try again. Thankfully no tv cameras were following the crew so I will not be needing to relive this unfortunate but embarrassing gaffe which I cannot blame anyone but myself for !!!!

Oh well, having confessed all I shall pen my penultimate entry in my blog in what has been an incredibly busy but great last month

Monday 19 August 2008 – Sunday 24 August 2008

I drive with J up to Manchester where we have a meeting about the Performance Awards night and iron out hopefully the last remaining issues. The venue is great and hopefully it will live up to what has become one of the most looked forward to night in the Institute’s calendar. I am sure no one will be disappointed and as at yesterday numbers stood at just under 900. Back by 4pm, I nip into work to do an early evening shift picking up Louis from his weekly rock band session on the way home

I have a full week of meetings at work over the week including a partnership one in Coventry on the Friday, and it is my last real working week of any great substance before I finish in the first week of October so it is plenty of early starts and late finishes which works out well as I come home each day to see the progress the decorators who started this week are making on painting the whole house from top to bottom.

However, its not all work and no play and on the Wednesday along with a few of the guys from the facilities department at work, we knock off at 5 and have a round of golf at the local club. I will definitely be joining next year when hopefully I will have more free time than I know what to do with and my handicap will hopefully improve !!! With my partner, we win the match (and the drinks) on the 18th in torrential weather (hardly a balmy summer's evening) as promised

Saturday is spent sorting out a few things for the wedding, and making a few visits to the family to prove I am still alive and we take everyone out for a meal in the evening to celebrate Julie’s mums birthday. Having earned sufficient brownie points, I go into work all day on the Sunday determined to get on top of everything before taking Louis and his mate out for a meal to celebrate his forthcoming birthday that we will miss as we are out of the country.

Monday 25 August 2008 – Thursday 28 August 2008

Monday is spent sorting out a few things in readiness for the charity event I start at the end of the week and sorting out my tax return and talk I am giving at the Scottish Conference the following week in Crieff. Whilst the Council is closed on the Tuesday, I go in for the day as J is in work and to get out of the way of the decorators.

Spend Wednesday and Thursday in a variety of meetings, one with a rep from the Tell Us Once project, some in pulling together ICT strategies going forward and others with members leaving fairly late and my out of office messages updated as I am not around for the next two and a half weeks (albeit I do nip on the Friday after playing the first round of four on my charity tour of Ryder Cup venues at 4pm as I failed to get everything done as I needed).

So to my second Charity Event of the Year which proved to be absolutely brilliant and will raise another £3000 or more for the air ambulance.

Friday 29 August 2008 – Monday 1 September 2008

Played over 4 days and courtesy of the the very kind support of sponsors, Equita, Paul Sharpe and I led our rival teams which changed each day around the country playing past and forthcoming Ryder Cup venues over 4 days in 3 different countries starting on Friday 29th August 2008 at the Belfry situated in Bob's own North Warwickshire area, on Saturday 30th August 2008 at the Celtic Manor near Newport, on Sunday 31st August 2008, at West Lancashire on the North West coast and concluding on Monday 1st September 2008 on the Kings Course at Gleneagles.

Although not part of the event, I also played on Tuesday 2nd September at the Crieff Golf Club at the Institute’s Scottish Conference Golf Event which takes place on the day before its 2 day Scottish conference.

The Friday as is always the case in North Warwickshire was balmy and warm, and the Mayor and management of the Belfry came to see us off at 9.30am resplendent in our team colours for the day of white and green. See the pictures. The course played very long and tough being set up for a forthcoming professional tournament which made the going tough for some and impossible for most. In some parts the rough was so high we weren’t just searching for balls but also Paul’s and my playing partners, Barry Powell and David Magor !. The other four ball of Steve Glaze and last year's President Allan Traynor for Team IRRV and Rob Andrews and Paul Ellicott faired little better looking at the result of the game

In true Ryder Cup style we were playing for the honour of winning a point (and a drink) across two games and after a hard fought first day, honours were even at 1 point each with the results as follows with Mr Sharpe taking the bottle of champagne for the best stableford score of the day

Day One - The Belfry

Sharpe/Powell(B) v Trahern/Magor : Lost 3 & 1 : 1

Andrews/Ellicott v Glaze/Traynor : Won 7&6 : 1

Day Two, saw us descend on the Celtic Manor, just outside Newport on a gloriously hot day where IRRV donned the green and Equita, the Red to celebrate being in the principality. David Magor was stood down for the day (at his age, 4 days golf is beyond him) and Alaln Traynor and myself were joined by Andy Cummings who bid the highest pledge of £200 for the place at the annual association golf day in Worksop and Paul Ellicott, playing for the IRRV this time who had won his place by donating money via the website. Paul was joined by his colleague Paul Walker, and Roy Jones, who won his place via the raffle at the Equita golf day and John Hewitson, Chairman of the Association reps and a fellow West Midlander who won his place in the raffle at Worskop.

As is always the case, no two days are the same in golf and I gained revenge for the previous days defeat by partnering Allan to victory over Paul and John. The other game with my big hitters (who had tucked into two monumental fry ups before the start) Andy and Paul failed to turn weight and carbohydrate advantage into success

Day Two - The Celtic Manor

Sharpe/Hewitson v Trahern/Traynor : Won 3&2 : 1

Walker/Jones v Cummings/Ellicott : Lost 2&1 : 1

I found the fresh air of Wales to my liking and walked off with the best score of the day and with the game poised at 2 points each, it was all to play for a the mid point stage. Back home by 9pm, a long soak in the bath and it was up early to pack up the car for the last two courses and everything needed for the Scottish Conference.

Day Three and Sunday brought rain and a lot of it although skies cleared a little as we drove up the M6 to Liverpool and West Lancs golf club which we had been threatened would be a challenge as the winds blew in off the Irish sea. Call it luck of the Irish but half an hour before our lunchtime tee off time the skies cleared, the rain stopped and the winds were bought a mild breeze, as benign as you could hope for.

Sunday saw me partnered by fellow Council Member, Dave Chapman who was a rock on the day and Paul by Graham Sayers, from the Lancs and Cheshire Association. The second fourball saw the dreamteam of Magor and Traynor take on Richard Mason, from the Lancs and Cheshire Association and Dave Powell, Barry’s brother, who won the opportunity to play at the Worksop raffle.

In what was a nip and tuck game, Team Equita in Blue got the better of Team IRRV in red, by winning the day one and a half to a half with there never being more than one hole either way between Paul and Graham and Dave and myself and after 18 holes we shared the spoils. Richard Mason produced the form in the second game bringing Team Equita home 3&2 meaning that Monday still meant the trophy could go either way. Graham Sayers walked off with the bottle of champagne for good measure.

Day Three - West Lancs

Sharpe/Sayers v Trahern/Chapman : All Square : 0.5 : 0.5

Mason/Powell (D) : Lost 3&2 : 1

Leaving the club at 8pm, and having completed the 5 hour drive up to Crieff via Burger King and Edinburgh airport to drop Allan off to pick up his car, I’m afraid the early mist didn’t give way to the sunshine the course deserved and we teed it off in torrential rain, with IRRV wearing the blue of Scotland and Equita, the white of the St Andrew's Cross.

The King's Course at Gleneagles of all the courses we played exceeded even our highest expectations and I was joined in my team by David McLaughlin, partner at Scott and Co who kindly donated the two tee off times and went into battle against Paul who was joined by Richard Mather from Birmingham CC who won the opportunity to play by winning the raffle at the Equita golf day.

The second fourball that went off half an hour before we did had the rain for the first 7 holes which saw Allan Traynor joined by Colin Naylor who won the opportunity in Worksop and Mike Corless form Equita by Richards wife, Denise

By hole 4, the sun had peeped through giving way to some unbelievable scenery making the halfway house refreshments taste all the better. In another unbelievably tight game, the game between Paul and Richard and David and I was halved on the last in a game that once gain never saw more than a couple of holes between the two teams and a well fought for half point meaning it was down to Team IRRV to bring the spoils home in the other game to square the match.

However, it proved a step to far and Mike and Denise proved too good on the day (and there is no truth in the rumor that Mike Corless insisted in playing off the reds to keep his partner company). We did have the consolation of David McLaughlin winning the individual prize on a countback from Richard Mather.

Day Four – Gleneagles

Sharpe/Mather.R. v Trahern/McLoughlan : All Square : 0.5 : 0.5

Corless/Mather.D. v Traynor/Naylor : Lost 4&2 : 1

Final Score

Team IRRV 3 points

Team Equita 5 points

What an experience and we shared many tales over a glass or wine or two long into the night.

My thanks to Equita for their sponsorship of what was a great event (Paul can we do it again next year please even though I am not President!) and it is still not too late to get involved. You can still donate money and may win yourself the opportunity to win a fabulous stay at the Forest of Arden Golf Club

How can you donate money?

I would ask that you donate a minimum of £3 (more if you can spare it) by pledging the amount via the website www.justgiving.com/bobtrahern.

Alternatively, if you do not like to enter debit card details online, you can send me a cheque payable to R Trahern at 7 Walnut Drive, Mancetter, Atherstone and I will raise one cheque at the end of my presidential year to my chosen charity, the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance which is a fantastic course (oops I mean cause !)

By supporting me and the air ambulance, as a special bonus you could win yourself a night for two at the luxurious Forest of Arden Hotel in the heart of North Warwickshire by guessing the total number of stableford points that will be scored by the 2 teams over the 4 days (i.e.) 32 players will on average score anything between 15 and 36 points each, therefore achieving a minimum of 320 points and a maximum of 1152 points. Just make a guess at a number between these two figures and who knows, you could be lucky!

For a £5 pledge, you can have 2 guesses and for £10, five guesses. Whoever guesses the nearest or is spot on (in the event of a tie we will select one person out of a hat) will win. Guesses should be sent to me at bobtrahern@northwarks.gov.uk and will be announced at the IRRV conference on 2 October.

Many thanks in anticipation of any support you can give.

Tuesday 2 September 2008 – Friday 5 September 2008

Up early on Tuesday to put the finishing touches to my paper for Wednesday and do some work in terms of answering e mails, the weather was dry for the pre conference golf competition sponsored by IBS held at Crieff. Well into the groove, my game held together and although blowing up on the last few holes (the 86th to 90th fairways were obviously a step too far), my 32 points saw me take home 3rd prize to cap off a great 5 days for me

As is traditional the stories of putts missed and made were discussed long into the night at the local curry house before rising bright and early the next day to open up the conference with a paper majoring on the current issues facing Scotland which are dominated by the Local Income Tax debate.

The conference as always is very well attended and I take in the performance awards village where all Scottish entrants are sharing their good practice and have the very enjoyable task of presenting successful students with their level 3 certificates. See picture of all candidates below.

The evening is spent in traditional Scottish style with Scottish dancing after a great meal before retiring to the bar and going to bed much too late as I need to be on the road by mid morning in order to drive the 380 miles or so home as I need to repack bags as J and I are attending the IAAO conference being held in Amercia which traditionally is one of the last events in any Presidential year.

Friday 5 September 2008 – 16 September 2008

This year the conference was held in Reno in Nevada and we decided to add a few days onto the end of the event to take in the sights and sounds of Las Vegas. When I booked the flights, I always make sure I get the best deal when not always thinking through some of the logistics. So in order to get the 10am direct flight on Virgin from Gatwick, we are at Coventry bus station by 3am to get the earliest flightlink down to Gatwick, then a 11 hour flight before we had a planned 5 hour wait at the other end before boarding a planned 90 minute flight to Phoenix then changing to fly to a further hour onto Nevada. In the end because of delays having waited at LV airport for 6 hours we ended up going via San Francisco and arriving in the hotel in Reno just gone midnight, or some 32 hours later !!!! Not that you would know it was midnight as the place is packed with people playing the one arm bandits and tables. Straight to bed for the two of us and we spend Saturday afternoon crashed by the pool in nearly 100-degree heat. Alright if you go as tanned as J, less good if you go a initially a shade of pink like me !!

Sunday, I am up at 5.30am and on board a bus with 50 other Americans to play in the pre conference golf match (you can see a theme developing here). We arrive, and my hire clubs are all packed on the buggy and as good as what I carry at home. In England if you rented any left handed clubs, I dread to think what you would get. 10 minutes on the practice range, we head off in the buggy for the shotgun start and even at 8am it is creeping up to the mid 70’s. Played as teams in a better ball format, my American partners have great faith in me as I chip in for a two on the par 3 signature hole located on an island surrounded by a great lake for which a hole in one carries a holiday to Hawaii (somewhat better than we are used too). I never quite reach the dizzy heights of that start again as the weather crept up into the 90’s until the last hole when I put my tee shot to 10ft 6inches on the 187 yard par 3 12th and win the nearest the pin competition. I make it onto the leader board back at the bbq held at the conclusion of the golf (see picture) and win a signed photograph of Shaun Micheel ! (I didn’t know him either but apparently he won a major in the states 3 years ago).

Back by 4pm for a refreshing dip and we meet up with David and Liz who arrived during the day and attend the drinks reception in the evening at a car musuem.

The conference starts on the Monday with the national anthem and opening sessions at 8.00am (perhaps we should introduce that here) and over a 1000 delegates choose from a mind-boggling number of plenary sessions to attend over the following 3 days. I attend a variety stretching from valuation to the imaginatively titled session “How to get the best out of your flip flop staff”.

We are joined by fellow Northern Ireland IAAO and Council member, Alan Bronte and are invited to a number of special events laid on by the IAAO president and for international guests where we are joined with our friends from SUMA in Spain who are also at the event giving a paper.

We leave Reno on the Wednesday afternoon having had a great time and arrive in Las Vegas by night flying in over the views of the millions of lights that line the strip.

Our time in Vegas is short but we cram as much in as possible although gambling is not one of them betting only 3 dollars on the one cent one armed bandits. We visit all the big hotels, take in some shopping and do a day at the Grand Canyon but in truth after such a busy and hectic year, I take the opportunity to relax by the pool and catch some rays. Leaving on the Monday afternoon, we arrive back in Gatwick early on Tuesday morning and on time only for our flightlink bus to be delayed (sods law).

Back home, bags are unpacked and we try and sleep off the effects of any jet lag (unsuccessfully) as we are both back at work on the Wednesday

Wednesday 17 September 2008 – Sunday 21 September 2008

My car is collected for a pre-arranged service first thing and I am in work by 9am as I have to prepare for a meeting of the portfolio group for which I am the lead officer. Thankfully I am bang up to date with my e-mails as I was answering them on my right arm, the blackberry when away. The rest of the day is spent catching up with various managers and staff and my boss in terms of a monthly meeting we have.

Spend most of Thursday in Coventry agreeing actions and milestones as our shared service arrangements are now beginning to bed in before returning to work.

Friday is similarly spent in a series of meetings before I come home to take in the real Ryder Cup which has started today in ernest.

In early on Saturday to get some minutes written and some documents I have promised by deadlines before getting home mid afternoon for another 8 hours in front of the tv, the last match finishing just gone midnight leaving me four hours before getting up again for what was my abortive journey to Luton. Serves me right for packing my bag during commercial breaks but one thing is for sure I won’t do it again and my bag is ready to go in the morning, with the correct passport correctly stowed away.

Oh well better sign off. It’s now 4pm and the singles matches will start shortly. Just time to send in this to Fraser (sorry for any spelling mistakes, I haven’t the will to read the 7 pages I have typed) and a few other e mails into work.

Hopefully see you all in Manchester (and for some of you at the pre conference golf event at Reddish Vale on the Monday !!!!!)

Take Care,

Bob

Latest photographs ... bit of a golfing theme!

2008-09-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

Bob's Letter from America!

2008-09-10T12:03:00.000-07:00

Bob is in the USA on IRRV business just now but he'd like everyone to know that the Charity Golf (President's Challenge sponsored by Equita) was very successful.

It is not too late to donate to the charitable effort ... the winner of one night break to be announced at IRRV Annual Conference.

And some further photos from Scottish Conference ...

2008-09-10T10:56:00.000-07:00

Slightly higher quality than the last lot (the professional photographer took these!)

Above : Bob addresses Conference

Above : Bob and Hillary Kelly (Scottish Association President) with successful IRRV students who were presented with their certificates at IRRV Scottish Conference 2008

Above : Bob with Scottish Performance Award Winners (Argyll & Bute Council) in the Scottish Awards Village

Some photographs from IRRV Scottish Conference 2008

2008-09-07T02:43:00.001-07:00

Above : Scottish Conference in session!Above : "Achievement for Scotland" Awards Village set-up
Above : Bob officially opens the Conference Exhibition

Above : During Bob's speech opening the Conference Exhibition

Brief video of Scottish Conference Ceilidh!

2008-09-07T02:37:00.000-07:00

A couple of recent photographs!

2008-08-20T12:23:00.000-07:00

Above : Julie and I and David Sabacchi from the VOA who tutored me in valuation many years ago !
Above : Roger Messenger (Chair of the Valuation Faculty Board), Mary Hardman (VOA and Fellow Council Member) and me

Bob's latest update!

2008-08-20T12:16:00.000-07:00

Monday 21 July 2008 – Sunday 27 July 2008

After a couple of hours in work on the Monday, drive up to Crewe where the West Mids team are playing its annual match against our Lancs and Cheshire counterparts. On what is a hard fought afternoon played in good spirit and good weather, we come second out of two which levels up the score at 4 of all the games played over the last 8 years.

Tuesday is spent in work in the morning, and at a CRM partnership meeting in Warwick in the afternoon before returning to work for a late session into the night.

My diary for the rest of the week or so will be a little vague as I am out and about with David undertaking performance award inspections which is something I look forward to every year as it gives me a chance to visit the some of the best examples of good practice in the UK and learn. As I write, the panel has recently met in London to agree the finalists which does see a few Councils we visit being eliminated at this point proving the rigour we attach to the visits and proves that to make the final is a massive achievement. As such I will not expand too much on where we have been but needless to say over the 10 days of visits I have driven over 2,500 miles (and all without a sat nav!)

Wednesday, sees me up at 4am to drop J and Louis at the airport as they are off to Spain to see our grandson but me regrettably staying behind in this very busy year for me. Don’t go back to bed and do a few hours e-mailing before setting off to a Midland location for an early meeting and Lincolnshire in the afternoon. We travel in separate cars as I need to return to home for a late evening meeting which means I don’t get to bed much before midnight and am back up again by 4am as I need to travel back up to the North East for two further visits meeting up with David just in time for breakfast at his hotel.

Travel back home early evening in the 80 degree heatwave we are experiencing (sods law as am stuck in the car) arriving back at just gone 9pm and straight to bed as I am up for an early morning in work before leaving at lunchtime for the long journey down to Canterbury for the South Eastern dinner in the evening. Call into a local college on the way in Coventry we are thinking of using for our IRRV certificate course from October. Having made excellent progress everything grinds to a halt on the M25 behind caravans and lorries heading for Dover meaning I arrive at Broome Park as people are gathering for pre drinks. A quick change sees me joining them before a very enjoyable evening hosted by SE President Andrew Stevens and sole sponsor, Chris Rundle. It was lovely to be able to award a certificate of service to recently retired and SE stalwart Jim Coules. The evening ends with a casino night and for some a “ghost walk” around the old house which I pass on preferring a game of snooker with Allan Traynor.

Up at the crack of dawn I am away to avoid the holiday traffic and get me home early where I spend the day partly working, partly relaxing and doing a quick house tidy as I am away when J returns on Tuesday. Up nearly, I do some reading for the forthcoming week’s visits before David arrives just after midday and we repack my car and set off on a long 9-hour but picturesque journey to Scotland. They save us some dinner to put in the microwave before I hit the sack.

Monday 28 July 2008 – Sunday 3 August 2008

Up early, we do our visit before driving 3 hours around the lochs of Scotland to our hotel and an early evening game of golf. We do two visits on the Tuesday both to Councils north of the border before driving back south arriving at our next destination in Lancashire just after 9pm. A quick late dinner and we are up early the next morning for our final visit before heading across to Rawstenhall where we get our heads together, agree our thoughts before meeting up with Dave Chapman for a game of golf in the evening as we are guests of Rossendales in their golf day on the Thursday.

The golf pretty much matches the weather, mixed, although my team celebrate its afternoon success over dinner before we set off on the journey home arriving back in the Midlands by 11pm, I work from home on the Friday before spending the afternoon with my sister and her kids who shortly go back to the USA after their 4 week annual holiday in the UK.

Pop into work for half day on the Saturday and the rest of the weekend just catching up on day-to-day run of the mill stuff be it institute or other.

Monday 4 August 2008 – Sunday 10 August 2008

Back into work on the Monday through to Wednesday catching up with a series of meetings both in and out of the office with a number of partners which are wide ranging from evaluation of a couple of pilots we have been asked to get involved in by the DWP, developing and costing some outreach customer service options and catching up with my managers to catch up on where we are in terms of service plan commitments. They have been truly magnificent to date in running their services without my constant drive (or is it interference)

Thursday is spent in a series of meetings in London with the SIA and DWP before catching up with Gary to sort out some conference details. I walk up to Waitrose in the evening for a sandwich, some ice cream and strawberries (you can see I go for convenience over cordon bleu when it comes to fending for myself) and I spend a night in front of the television as I am “shattered” (gone are the days of real hard living stuff!).

After an early morning meeting on Friday, the performance awards panel meets for most of the day. See the special section of the website announcing the finalists for Manchester 2008. Congratulations to everyone who has been taken through as a finalist, and I look forward to seeing everyone in Manchester . Back on the train by 5pm which is delayed part journey for a few hours allowing me to catch up with e mails and some reading.

Spend Saturday in work and sorting out a few jobs I have not had chance to do around the house and in all honesty being a real couch potato as I enjoy a weekend of sport with the Olympics, cricket and golf all featuring.

Monday 11 August 2008 – Sunday 18 August 2008

On the early train down to London for a series of meetings initially with the MoJ and in the afternoon to finalise the syllabus changes to next years certificate course and 3 days of internal meetings and working from home for a morning as I have to wait in for a Reebok engineer to call to repair the exercise bike recently delivered which hopefully will see me lose some of the extra weight I have put on over the last year in time for the wedding ! .

Friday is spent in London working against that agenda by hosting staff from the VOA for a lunch hosted by the President each year which is a very enjoyable affair. See pictures courtesy of Paul Sanderson who is never without his camera.

Less than 6 weeks to go and counting.

If you haven’t already, get your booking in for Manchester as it promises to be better than ever with the programmes all confirmed so hope to see you all there.

Also if you feel inclined it would be great if anyone wishes to sponsor me in my last charity event of the year which starts on the 29 August and incorporates 4 days of golf on some of the best courses in England, Scotland and Wales along with Equita who are sponsoring the event. It will only cost you a minimum of £3 so read on

By making a minimum donation of £3 could see you win an all expenses night away at the very luxurious Forest of Arden Golf Club in Meriden including a game of golf and dinner for 2. A great prize worth over £350.

To date through various events and the very kind support of EQUITA on my final event, we have already raised over £5,000 which will keep the air ambulance which wholly relies on charitable donations to serve the busiest networks of motorway in Europe going for just over a say. It is a great cause so hopefully you will dig deep my following the instructions below

IRRV /EQUITA CHARITY GOLF CHALLENGE

Following the sinking of the IRRV raft in my first attempt to raise money for my chosen charity, the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance in July we raised over £1500.

A successful IRRV Association golf day at Worksop Golf Club raised over £1,000 and the raffling of an England signed cricket shirt (won by Mike Shaw), raised over £600.

The final leg of my charity fundraising will see me team up with one of the IRRV leading sponsors, Equita who are again supporting the President of the day in their aim to raise money for two charities, mine and the “Big C”, in memory of Brian Dale.

This will involve two teams of 4 players one representing Equita and one, the IRRV playing past and forthcoming Ryder Cup venues over 4 days in 3 different countries starting on Friday 29th August 2008 at the Belfry situated in Bob's own North Warwickshire area, on Saturday 30th August 2008 at the Celtic Manor near Newport, on Sunday 31st August 2008, at West Lancashire on the North West coast and concluding on Monday 1st September 2008 on the Kings Course at Gleneagles. Although not part of the event, Bob will also play on Tuesday 2nd September at the Crieff Golf Club at the Institute’s Scottish Conference Golf Event which takes place on the day before its 2 day Scottish conference.

How can you donate money? I would ask that you donate a minimum of £3 (more if you can spare it) by pledging the amount via the website www.justgiving.com/bobtrahern.

Alternatively, if you do not like to enter debit card details online, you can send me a cheque payable to R Trahern at 7 Walnut Drive, Mancetter, Atherstone and I will raise one cheque at the end of my presidential year to my chosen charity, the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance which is a fantastic course (oops I mean cause !).

By supporting me and the air ambulance, as a special bonus you could win yourself a night for two at the luxurious Forest of Arden hotel in the heart of North Warwickshire by guessing the total number of stableford points that will be scored by the 2 teams over the 4 days (i.e.) 32 players will on average score anything between 15 and 36 points each, therefore achieving a minimum of 320 points and a maximum of 1152 points. Just make a guess at a number between these two figures and who knows, you could be lucky!

For a £5 pledge, you can have 2 guesses and for £10, five guesses. Whoever guesses the nearest or is spot on (in the event of a tie we will select one person out of a hat) will win. Guesses should be sent to me at bobtrahern@northwarks.gov.uk and will be announced at the IRRV conference on 2 October.

I know the credit crunch is biting but please sponsor us whatever you can afford.

Many thanks in anticipation of any support you can give.

July thus far ...

2008-07-20T02:58:00.000-07:00

Monday 30 June 2008 – Sunday 6 July 2008

The sun is shining for the President's Golf Day being held in Worksop (home of Lee Westwood) having got up at 5am to get 4 hours in before hitting the M1. It has been organised by Paul Haste of the Northern Counties and has been supported by 8 associations, many putting two teams in and 14 sponsors, a total of 80 players. My golf certainly doesn’t match the quality of the event or the weather but a great day is had by all (Northern Counties pretty much clean up the prize table with their teams winning the main prizes and Philips the sponsors' prize). What is more important is again it brings together practioners from all over the country and we raise over £1000 for my charity as I raffle and auction off some places for my golf event with Equita at the end of August (see www.justgiving/bobtrahern) for details and the July edition of Insight on how you can get involved and give.

Having had a day of fresh air, cannot sleep so work until the very early hours and Tuesday is a long day in the office combining meetings, a telephone interview for Insight before giving a presentation to Members in advance of the evening's committee meeting on the work and forthcoming challenges for the division. The shared services report confirming our collaboration with Coventry goes through as the last item on the evenings business which means a 10pm call into the chippy on the way home.

Hold a series of staff meetings on the Wednesday confirming the next steps from here and hold another with Members considering a number of outreach opportunities around customer access as part of phase 3 of the Council's access strategy before again working into the evening catching up on e mails.

Thursday and I have needed to send my apologies to the East Anglian Association where I was due to address their AGM prior to an afternoon's racing at Yarmouth before a dinner in the evening. Unfortunately, I have to be at work for a couple of last minute organised meetings that cannot be avoided but these things happen. I am just pleased that I was able to do an afternoon's meeting earlier this year for them and David is more than an adequate replacement for me.

Spend Friday morning working from home before J and I get an afternoon train down to London where we are having a weekend in London prior to the Council round that starts on Sunday evening for some of us. We meet up with Darren Kelk from Rossendales and his wife Laurah outside the Aldwych Theatre as we take in a nights “Dirty Dancing” before taking in Chinatown for a late meal and heading back to Doughty Street where we are staying.

Up early, I work from HQ in the morning catching up on some e-mails before meeting up again with Darren and Laurah for a few lunchtime drinks before we head off to see Lee Mead in Joseph. Spend the rest of the night humming the songs as we take in dinner at a local Italian.

Spend Sunday morning reading my council papers before we head over to our hotel near Lords which we are using as a base for the council round. Spend the afternoon watching some of the tennis final from Wimbledon as the weather is hardly barmy for the time the time of year. Meet up with David, Gary and a few other Council members down for an evening meeting looking at the budget !! Although the tennis final in the background brings a fair degree of distraction as the mens final goes to 5 sets. After a late dinner we are up early on Monday for a number of pre meetings before we kick off with the formal round of committees.

Monday 7 July – Sunday 13 July

The rain is pretty bad and I make a quick dash over to Lords at lunchtime where we are holding the Institute's annual reception in the evening which is planned to be partly open to the elements. Rain check taken, we decide to go ahead on the promise the weather will improve. As we hold the last meeting of the day, the association reps meeting which concludes at 6pm, the thunder clatters in the distance and the rain at times is torrential. At 6.40pm it finally stops allowing us to make the quick walk up the road to Lords where as we access the pavilion rooftop the sun finally breaks through and stays that way until about 8.30pm but long enough to enable the reception with steel band playing in the background to be held and photographs to be taken. Attended by nearly 250 supporters of the Institute, we raise over £600 from the raffling of an signed England cricket shirt won by Mike Shaw and the photos on the website accessed via http://www.irrv.net/reception2008.asp reproduced by kind permission of our fellow Council Member Richard Guy, who was the photographer on the night as well as our official photographer, Andrew show that everyone had a great time. Back at the hotel, networking continues and it is great that one of our very talented past presidents, John Roberts, plays the hotel piano long into the night knocking out request after request.

Up early Tuesday, meetings kick off before 8am with another run through the ideas for the Performance Awards evening before chairing Full Council at 9am which agrees amongst other things the education changes we hope to launch at the annual conference. Realise about 10.30am that David and I have hardly eaten anything for 2 days so nip around the corner to a local café for cheese on toast before we head over to Lords again where I am hosting one of the things I have most looked forward to in my year, hosting the 20 past Presidents and Honorary Members in the historic setting of the writing room in the pavilion. It is great that Jim Barnfield, now in his 80’s and a West Midlands man can be there and one of the pictures I have taken on the day and shown above shows me with Jim, Alan Causer, and Barry Wheeler, all former West Midland past presidents.

We have a number of photographs taken on the day following a guided tour around the ground and musuem which should provide great memories not just now but in many years to come. I potentially have quite a few of these lunches to look forward to in future years and hopefully I will be around long enough to enjoy them !! Following a lovely lunch, the day is topped off by the opportunity to meet a number of the England players out practicing in advance of the test match and getting a few autographs including Alec Bedser who was having a lunch to celebrate his 90th birthday in the Long Room. It proves grown men are just as excited as little boys when it comes to meeting some real sporting heroes.

Head back on the 6pm train, J picks me up and we go and watch Louis at the local athletics club in an evening bathed in sunshine (sods law). Wednesday sees the rain return and I spend it in Birmingham in a series if meetings before returning just in time for the Full Council meeting at night which is another late one finishing off just after 9.30pm but it allows me to catch up with all the e mails that have accumulated over the last day or so.

Off early to drive down to London on Thursday, I spend nearly 30 minutes searching for my tax disc which amazingly flew out of my drivers side window as I set off up the A5. More amazingly I find it in the hedgerows !!! Arrive just on time for the first of my performance award inspections this year. After the visit I have a quick meeting with David before making the short car journey to Hanbury Manor where I am staying overnight prior to a day playing golf with Experian. Get a lot of work done both in the evening and in advance of the round which along with my team sees us going close to winning although more importantly we managed to just about stay dry which cannot be said for all.

Spend Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning in the office catching up before getting home in time for my sister and her kids who are over from the States for a late afternoon playing a few games and introducing my 8 year nephew and 10 year old niece to the virtues of cricket. Not sure they quite got it but at 154 not out I retire to take in some of the early evening sunshine with a glass of wine.

Monday 14 July – Sunday 20 July

Following an early morning working from home, I catch the train down to London as along with David we host a 25 strong delegation from South Korea who are on a tour of Europe looking at different valuation and tax models. We spend an interesting afternoon in simultaneous translation mode which seems to successfully bridge the cultural divide. Back on the early evening train, I catch up with some institute work on the education strategy.

Spend the day in Coventry, initially meeting up with David Moorcroft about his address at conference before having a few meetings at the council , visit the local college that may be a new venue for our education courses and give a presentation to 44 potential new members employed at the council who are interested in our qualifications.

Wednesday sees me in early as I am covering the reception as many of the staff are out on strike. Having dealt with two blocked toilet reports, a benefit case and a burst boiler, I escape to a meeting with the credit union and spend the rest of the day in the office leaving just after 7pm reasonably up to date.

In and out on Thursday, I spend Friday working from home first up followed by a series of meetings off site in Warwick and one to the Air Ambulance who I am supporting this year. An early finish allows me to catch up with some of the golf on tv although my bet for the Open “Mr Jimenez from Spain” disappears without trace in the wind and rain and with it my fiver!

In work most of Saturday, I catch the final couple of hours of the golf which I repeat on Sunday having driven over to Sue Williams Lee, our regional president first thing to drop off some pictures from our dinner dance and other stuff as she is chairing an exec meeting tomorrow which I cannot be at as I am at an annual event with hold with the Lancs and Cheshire association every year which involves going on a course.

The blog back up to date, I sign off. J is off to Spain next week for a few days to visit her son and our grandson whilst I am out and about on performance awards visits, in and out of work and at the South Eastern dinner in Canterbury on Friday

A couple of extra notes, and as we continue as an Institute to embrace the latest trends, I attach a missive from Tracey Crowe who will be standing for Council this year who is appealing to all surfers to sign up as follows:

"At the annual reception it emerged there were quite a few of us on 'facebook'.

"I have therefore set up a group called 'IRRV members on facebook' - it is a closed group so only IRRV members who request to join/or are invited by a member can join. If you want to mention it on your blog that's cool - any IRRV member who is on facebook can go to the link (but not go into the pages) and they can request to be added - the request then comes to me via email."

Secondly, earlier in the year, I laid down the challenge of having a photograph taken with Insight in the most unlikely places following my xmas card shot taken in Florida. I have just had my first entry but as you set off on your holidays and weekend breaks I am sure there are many more potential entries to come in. Go on join in and who knows you may win a prize I will offer up for the best one. Closing date : 15 September

Keep up the good work and enjoy the rest of the glorious summer we are having (hopefully it will be an Indian one)

Bob

Some photographs from the Annual Reception ...

2008-07-20T02:48:00.000-07:00

Above : What is the collective description of a gathering of Past Presidents, a Pride ?

Above : Bob, Julie and his mum and dad at the Lords reception
Above : With Jimmy Anderson

Above : With Ryan Sidebottom and Billy Jenkins from Northern Ireland
Above : With Monty Panasar at Lords. My bowling tips obviously served him well !!!

European Valuers' meeting in Warsaw

2008-07-20T02:44:00.000-07:00

Above : At the European Valuers' meeting in Warsaw chaired by our own Roger Messenger. We are photographed outside the former King of Poland's summer residence.

Above : By the English bear in a square in Warsaw .

26th May through to 29th June!

2008-07-01T00:59:00.000-07:00

Monday 26 May 2008 – Sunday 1 June 2008

Bank Holiday Monday and Tuesday is spent putting two long days in at the office writing reports and keeping on top of e mails whilst Wednesday is little different although the morning is spent in a meeting in Coventry finalising the arrangements that will go into a formal proposal for Members to consider on 1 July. In the afternoon I have meetings with the Credit Union and my portfolio holder and other lead members around forthcoming customer access and post office closure issues guaranteeing another long day and night in the life of a Local Government officer.

This is again repeated on Thursday with other key meetings with the CAB and the Management Team before getting home to pack in readiness for a three-day visit attending the TEGOVA general assembly in Warsaw. This is a meeting attended by most of the European nations chaired by our very own Roger Messenger.

J and I arrive in Warsaw in the afternoon taking in a late lunch at a streetside restaurant where eating traditional polish fare of a pizza we meet up with David and his wife Liz who are on there way back from visiting the Old Town. Never one to miss opportunities we catch up with some institute business over a coffee before enjoying a absolutely lovely evening dining in the former King of Poland’s summer residence (the floating Palace) wandering amongst the peacocks pre dinner before we are serenaded by a string quartet playing Chopin over a dinner starting with more traditional Polish fare of royal herring (have to say I’m more of a pizza man), However the rest of the menu is excellent as is the company as we are joined by Junior Vice President, Geoff Fisher and his wife and Tambet Tiits and his wife (no cheap jokes here please. As well as a leading valuer in his nation, he is a former Olympic wrestler)

Saturday is spent all day in the meeting attended by representatives from over 25 nations sitting behind their national flags discussing the key issues around developing common valuation methodology. Interspersed with presentations ranging from the UK’s David Tretton to sessions for the purists around the impact of land tax in Russia, the highlight of the day is the election of officers which takes on Eurovision song contest dimensions. The upshot of all is that Roger is returned to the chair for 3 further years.

The evening is spent very informally enjoying some of the best desserts imaginable and Roger being given the biggest birthday cake I have ever seen to celebrate the passing of 50 years (or as he put it the 29th anniversary of his 21st birthday) and being entertained by a traditional Polish dance troupe. This was followed by a “sort of” euro karaoke of folk songs from a variety of Baltic nations which in all honesty seemed like they had the same melody ! The British contingent definitely stayed quiet on this one however back at the hotel by midnight, Geoff Fisher led the evenings singing with what seemed to be some common ground of Abba songs and tunes from the Sound of Music although J and I departed by then (although without the “so long farewell Auf Widersein goodbye send off)

Sunday, David and I meet for a breakfast meeting before we are joined by J to finalise the Institute’s education consultation paper contents. We meet in the Old Square for lunch wandering back in brilliant sunshine before arriving at the airport only to find our plane home is delayed two and a half hours and instead of flying out of the newly built terminal we are flying out of the pre 1970 prefab with no duty free, a café selling only 2 types of drink and hot dogs and with only 200 chairs for the 500 people in the departure lounge! Maybe a glimpse of the Poland I was expecting but it has to be said its exceeded my expectations, been a really enjoyable 3 days and we will definitely return to explore more in the future maybe during next years international conference.

Monday 2 June 2008 – Sunday 8 June 2008

Monday is a day of meetings kicking off with an early one with the Chief Executive, some ICT training on a new corporate system and an afternoon getting on top of things as I am out the rest of the week. Finish my presentations for the week ahead leaving the office last in what is becoming a habit this year turning the lights out as I go.

In very early on Tuesday having been up since 5am and on the road by 11am as I give a presentation in Bristol to the Northgate User group at 1.30pm before getting back in the car arriving in Hampshire at a hotel we may use in the future. Spend an evening catching up on some work, on the phone discussing some conference details with Gary Watson before leaving very early after an express breakfast to arrive at Fontwell race course by 9am where the Wessex association are holding their AGM.

Following a mornings meeting where David Airey and I split the two papers, I stay for the first two races, getting a winner in the second and I quit whilst ahead as I need to get back to the office before the M25 gets too busy and arrive by 5pm to put in a night shift !

It’s a very long day on Thursday and in all honesty I am grateful when we cancel a planned meeting with Coventry in the afternoon as it allows me to get completely back on top of things.

In early on the Friday, I join Equita at the Forest of Arden for an afternoon on the golf course and along with my teammates we enjoy a victory as well as raising over 600 pounds for our joint charities in the evening.

Saturday morning sees J’s dad, brother, brother in law and me out on the Coventry canal (road testing or is it raft testing) the sea worthiness of the raft we are using in Stratford. Built by Julies dad we venture out with only 2 oars and a combined age of over 200 years (we should know better – see the pictures) but it is a success and having avoided two barges we return to the bank safely. Game On for the 22nd !

Do some shopping and visiting in the afternoon before spending Sunday partly in the office and the rest soaking up the sunshine in the garden.

Monday 9 June 2008 – Sunday 15 June 2008

After an early start, hold a couple of staff meetings on Monday to update on shared service proposals and performance levels and finish the day off with an evening meeting with the board of the credit union.

Up Tuesday, I pack for the 3-day presidential visit to Belfast before popping into work early for some meetings before leaving early afternoon to drive to Birmingham for the short flight to Belfast. The evening is spent as guests of John Gandley, owner of Gandlake who are sponsoring the following days Northern Ireland conference.

The Northern Ireland conference is a great success and having presented my paper in the morning, spend the next few hours working in my room before rejoining the conference and the final papers of the day. Catch up on some e mails before we head into town as I am hosting members of the Northern Ireland association and speakers in a local restaurant. J flies in and joins us just in time for dessert.

Up for a breakfast meeting on Thursday before we head off as a delegation (David, Julie Holden, Pat Doherty, J and I) to meet with senior officials from the LPS who administer the billing collection and processing of benefits for the whole of NI (some 720,000 dwellings). As civil servants many are fairly new to the R&B discipline and we have a very productive meeting sharing experiences and ideas in a meeting co facilitated with Alan Bronte, our NI Council Member.

The afternoon is spent on the Belfast eye looking at some of the new developments springing up across the city and J takes advantage to visit some of the latest retailers to set up in the city and helps support the countries GDP! The evening is spent at the now traditional yacht club venue for the association dinner which celebrates their 40th anniversary of the association.

Friday and having had an early meeting with David, we enjoy 18 holes on the fairways of Royal Belfast and a one hole victory before meeting up with J and Liz for the trip back to the airport and then home spending two full days in work on Saturday and Sunday catching up on the weeks events.

Monday 16 June 2008 – Sunday 23 June 2008

Down in London for a number of meetings at HQ with Gary and David around the conference I am met at the end of the street by loads of police and have to be personally escorted to the door. Why ? Well Mrs Bush is in town with another president, some guy named George and she is visiting the Dickens museum also located in Doughty Street !!! What a waste of public service resource for what turns out to be fleeting visit (Members will be pleased to know that I don’t get such treatment). In the afternoon, we are joined by a number of reps from the associations who run IRRV courses to discuss the provision of next years certificate qualifications and some proposed changes to the syllabus to be recommended at our next Full Council round in July. Gary and I meet up with one of the speakers lined up for the annual conference to give them a brief in the early evening before grabbing something quickly to eat before we head back to Doughty Street and continue with our meeting from earlier in the day.

Gone are the days of hard and fast living on the town and having concluded our meeting about 10, we retire to the flat on the top floor and spend the next hour or so looking at some of the archives stored in the flat which cover the last 80 years or more of the Institute. The 1930 annual dinner looked a rip roaring affair and the conferences of that era were wholly male dominated from the black and white memoirs !!! We even seek out one D L Magor’s and P K Doherty’s student records which confirm they were both fellow prize winners. I proceed to have a very good night’s sleep but Gary is woken in the small hours of Tuesday morning by the sound of clanking cups. Assuming it was me washing up he is perturbed to look across to my bed to find me fast asleep ! Bravely or foolishly, he investigates only to be confronted by a large west Indian gentleman in marigolds. Apparently the IRRV’s normal cleaner is off and he is standing in for her. I don’t know who is most surprised but that’s London for you, a real 24/7 city.

Tuesday morning is again spent in a number of meetings including taking in lunch with Tim Savill from the Audit Commission. Heading back home, I get into work by 5pm to clock in for the late shift finishing by 8pm before getting my golf stuff sorted for an early start.
Out by 5 30am, I arrive at the Grove situated just outside London, do some work in the car park before grabbing some breakfast and joining CAPITA colleagues for an enjoyable 18 holes (I win again somehow) before making the long journey across to Wales to arrive just in time for the main course at the pre conference dinner hosted by the IaIn Marshally and Nigel Morse as respective North and South Wales presidents. Deliver my paper in the morning and stay until lunch before heading back along the same single track out of Wales I went in on arriving back at the office for what is now becoming the familiar “4 hour twilight shift”.

Friday, sees J and I back in London initially to assist in running the capping workshop organised by the LGA for all affected Councils before heading across the road to the House of Lords for a lunch reception hosted by fellow Council member, and past IRRV President, Tom Dixon who is the current President of the Rating Surveyors Association. It is a great do hosted in a great venue before we meet up later for a couple of sociable drinks in a local hostelry before heading back home on the train.

Saturday sees me spend another day at the keyboard (although I don’t mind as its peeing it down outside) having first got up to watch the 2nd test between England and New Zealand (we lost) before making final preparations for the raft race the next day that we are doing for charity.

Sunday is brighter but much windier and having collected the low loader from the Councils depot at 7am I pick up the raft arriving in Wasperton by 9am to a field full of other deluded souls prepared to row as we find against the tide and what seemed an 80 mile an hour wind to try and row the seven and a half miles into the centre of Stratford

Well needless to say we didn’t quite make it as my final posted captains log records and the pictures below show.

“On a what was a very blustery day rowing against the tide and as difficult what seemed an 80 mile an hour hoolee, my final captains log will say "we sank"

As they said in Belfast "The Titanic was ok when it left us" and that is the case with the IRRV boat but in our post race inspection, the diagnosis of the sinking was put down to a punctured barrel and gave Mr Watson and Ms Cutler sitting above it a pretty uncomfortable ride. At one point, we were actually going backwards up the river despite all rowing forwards and having lost 3 men overboard into the River Avon at different times and despite attempts to lighten the weight by taking off Messrs Stewart, Traynor, Watson and the captain off, we were still sinking and fighting a losing battle. As such, in true British style we reboarded and despite our best efforts the raft went down and the captain was last to leave ship reappearing covered in mud. Mr Traynor lost a big toe nail in hauling the raft to safety so the team literally gave blood for the cause which with your help we have raised nearly £1000 and in spite of us not finishing we hopefully can increase on this figure if you still feel we deserved it. Needless to say if our luck had matched our effort and enthusiasm we would have finished but as they say "you learn more from failure than you do success" (horrible management cliche) and I am sure we will be back again with a six barreled raft having learnt from the North Warwickshire raft that skippered by Steve Barber and rowed by all my revenues and benefits staff plus Justine from Bristows finished the 7 and a half hour race in a magnificent time of just over 5 hours in the most difficult conditions the race organisers have experienced in its 25 years.

They were truly magnificent as demonstrated by the pictures on a raft built by the depot and I am sure they are feeling the pain today but have the satisfaction of completing it.

Thanks to everyone's support on what was a brilliant day

If you still want to donate you can do, the NWBC team did it for the organisers sponsors the Princes Trust and they will be coming around work with a bucket later (emptied of any water out of the River Avon). If you haven't donated, please give whatever you can to what was a brilliant team effort

As for the IRRV team and its management team of the great and good in revenues and benefits, it was a case of "better to have tried and failed than not try at all" and donations can still be made via the following website to the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance if people want to support remotely

http://www.justgiving.com/irrvraftrace

Some pics of the day are attached which we will all remember for different reasons but the key winner is the charities and if you still wish to give you can do so by accessing the above website. All donations very gratefully received.

Having retrieved the sunken raft from the riverside having driven across a few fields to bemused looks from a few sheep and fisherman late on the Sunday afternoon, I have a long soak in the bath to contemplate how it all went so wrong !!!!!

Monday 23 June to Sunday 29 June 2008

In early on Monday, for a day full of meetings and explanations but contributions generously keep flooding into the website. I leave late afternoon for a meeting with former Olympic runner and British Athletics CEO, Dave Moorcroft who lives near me and is to speak at the Manchester conference before making the long 6 hour drive to the deepest depths of Cornwall picking up David Magor en route as we are running a unitary workshop for them the following day.

Having stopped off for something to eat, we arrive in Camborne by midnight to get up deliver the 60-hour workshop before getting straight back on the road by 4pm and home by 9pm (a 600+ mile round trip in 24 hours – oh well at least it was in a car and not a raft !).

Spend a full Wednesday catching up on e mails as my only day in the office this week before repacking the bag as I am away again but not off to Glastonbury where most of the people on the same train are heading but a combination of Reading, London and Newbury.

Thursday is spent at the Madjeski stadium where the re-launch of the Thames Valley association takes place. I install Jon Dearing into the chair, deliver a paper on the institutes future education strategy before dumping the car and getting the train into London as along with David we are guests of Civica at the MJ awards. Good news though is that the police authority have escaped being capped so that’s one less thing to worry about in August.

Up early after a very late but enjoyable night, we head back to Reading before driving onto Newbury for a meeting with Gandlake, who are key IRRV sponsors this year before a frustrating journey home bumper to bumper up the A34. Pop into my mum and dads to pick up a rug I have ordered from e bay before popping into work for a late one which I repeat on both Saturday and Sunday. Very sad !!!!!

Oh well, another busy week ahead and as it’s the inter association golf tomorrow so I best get off and get my golf stuff ready.

I launch my next charity event tomorrow so it’s a case of watch this space next week.

I am determined not to leave my updates so long next time. I am getting older and the grey matters setting in so recalling everything is getting ever more challenging. Oh well only 13 weeks to go and as I enter my last quarter it looks no less busy.

Remember the closing date for nominations for council elections is only a few weeks away so please whether a corporate or technician think about standing. Details can be found in last months insight and on the website.

Take Care

Bob

Latest photos - see update above for explanation!

2008-06-30T16:01:00.001-07:00

Bob in Belfast - 2

2008-06-14T05:04:00.000-07:00

Bob at the Northern Ireland Conference (above) with Senior Vice President Julie Holden, John Gandley of conference sponsors Gandlake and Leo O'Reilly, Permanent Secretary, Department of Finance and Personnel.
On a tour of Belfast (above) Bob & Julie with David & Liz Magor.

Bob (above) relaxing during a very busy schedule in Belfast.

Above : High up on the Belfast Wheel!

Bob (above) with IRRV Council Member for Northern Ireland, Alan Bronte.

Bob in Belfast - 1

2008-06-14T04:59:00.000-07:00

Some of the IRRV party on the Belfast Wheel

Latest Updates!

2008-05-27T00:43:00.000-07:00

Monday 5 Monday – Sunday 11 May 2008

It’s a Bank Holiday Monday and its baking hot outside for a nice change. Not that I plan to enjoy it as I spend the morning at work before nipping across to the venue for our dinner dance on 17th May in Telford along with J and meet up with Sue Williams Lee, the West Mids President to finalise arrangements for the evening itself.

Up early Tuesday morning to beat the traffic that gridlocks around Birmingham between 7 and 9 arriving in plenty of time for the Lancashire and Cheshire AGM in Bury where Clare Jenkins takes over the chain from outgoing Council Member, Angela Storey. Following a very nice late lunch with the rest of the association executive, I play a round of golf with Messrs Chapman and Shang who I have known since my days of studying before heading back down the M6 to arrive home by 9’ish.

Another early start Wednesday sees me on the road by 5.30am to ensure I get to Harrow on time for a ministerial visit they are having from James Plaskitt, DWP Minister, who is down there to announce an extension to the VRA pilot of which my authority is also a pilot. There is loads of TV and press interest and in a full morning, I also attend the local college along with Carol Cutler to meet their latest intake of new trainees (many who have been long term unemployed or had enforced changes in career) and are being taken through an intensive training programme. After a quick photo shoot and chat, we enjoy a lovely lunch before I am back on the road, roof down as the great weather continues and get back into work for 4pm eventually leaving just before 9pm to get home just in time for the apprentice and to do my packing.

Thursday sees me up early for a 5am start at the laptop getting in work for 7.30am when the doors open and a number of meetings with the Chief Executive and auditors all before heading up to Worksop for a meeting and discuss the forthcoming inter association competition on 30 June. Leave by 6pm for the drive across the Pennines arriving in Llandudno where I meet up with David as we are both in town for the following days North Wales AGM. He has been looking at future conference venues in the North West with Gary and we have an impromptu meeting locking up the guesthouse at the request of the owners who go to bed at 11pm and continuing our discussions over breakfast the following morning.

The North Wales AGM is well attended and we have some really good discussions following my address before we retire to a course for an afternoon’s golf with 8 of the executive. The good weather finally breaks as the mist comes in off the sea (this doesn’t happen in the Midlands) but we get round, enjoy a quick meal in the clubhouse before I make the 3 hour journey home.

Saturday morning, I pop into work for a few hours before we drive over to Birmingham for some lunch and to see Tommy Steele in Doctor Doolittle. It is the first time I have ever left a show at the interval as Tommy has definitely seen his best days and the most productive part of the day is getting some card for the association menus we need to print. Saturday night is spent with a nice bottle of wine before retiring to bed early following a very energetic week.

Sunday is spent in work in the morning before visiting both sets of parents in the afternoon which gives me the first opportunity to inspect the raft that Julie's dad is building for the forthcoming raft race we are doing for charity on 22 June. All I will say is Fred Dibnah has nothing on Julie’s dad. The night is spent catching up on some IRRV work I need for the following day for a meeting I am having with Equita around my other charity event of the year.

Monday 12 May – Sunday 18 May 2008

In with the cleaners again and another day involving a series of meetings, including one with the representatives of the “Tell Us Once" team from the DWP working through lunch before leaving mid afternoon for a meeting with Paul Sharpe and Barry Powell from Equita where we finalise arrangements for the charity golf event I am doing with them from 29 August to 1 September (more of this later) before returning to work for another late shift.

Spend a very long Tuesday at work mainly in meetings and catching up with the events of recent weeks before driving up to Yorkshire on the Wednesday to attend a training event they are running and their AGM where Lisa Rawson is installed as President taking over from Alan Fane. Get home by 9.30pm (thank goodness for Sky Plus as "The Apprentice" has started!)

In very early again as I have to leave for a planned afternoon meeting in London with all the association reps. Well that was the plan as after a four hour shift I get to Nuneaton only to find that major problems on the railway mean the main West line is shut and I have no alternative but to return to work. Everything works well in the end as I am able to join the meeting by teleconference for a meeting where we make some very positive progress. The unexpected afternoon of work extends into the evening and I am very grateful for this unplanned opportunity. Home and having written the 114 name cards for the Saturday night dinner places I retire to bed

Friday involves a series of meetings in the morning before heading over to Rugby for a meeting with reps from Coventry, Nuneaton, and the hosts to finalise the regional fraud proposals we are to recommend to board. Back into work for a few hours to put a slide pack together for the keynote address at Collection and Enforcement as David rang me in the afternoon to advise the minister had needed to pull out before collecting the menu cards from the print room for the following days association dinner J and I have been responsible for organising.

Up early Saturday and nip into work for an hour after packing up the car with everything needed for the evening. J takes Louis off to a music festival he is playing in and Gary Watson joins me to drive over to Telford for 11am in time to get everyone off for the golf by midday. Despite a couple of late cry offs we have an enjoyable if slightly damp game and by the time we get in J and Sue have arrived and with the hotel laid out the room which looks great. This is the first time we have used this venue and I am sure we will be returning. Nothing else to do but have a few social drinks with arriving guests. The evening is a great success and we attract more people than ever before and the dancefloor is still full when the music stops at 1am. We have raised over £500 for Sue’s charity and we finally leave the the bar at 2.45am and there are still plenty of people up.

A lie in for us sees us up and at breakfast for 10am and me in work by 1pm for the afternoon on the keyboard arriving back by 5pm. As President I am a member of the Performance Awards Panel for the first time this year (a nice change from entering) and my crate of over 100 entries arrived during the week which all needs reading and scoring. Hence I spend the rest of the night and until 2am the following morning wading through the first 6 categories before retiring to bed as I need to be up and away by 7am as I have been invited to play golf at the Celtic Manor on Monday.

Monday 19 May – Sunday 25 May 2008

Up by 5.30am and after only 3.30 hours sleep, I am back on the road by 6.45am and arrive just outside Newport by 9am and which is very close to Caerleon where we held the National Revision course for many years. Spend the next hour and a half making a few calls and completing the 7th category in the car park before spending a very enjoyable afternoon looking out across the beautiful South Wales countryside and my golf improves as the round develops. Unfortunately, I cannot stay for the dinner in the evening as I have to get up to Harrogate for the Collection and Enforcement conference so away by 5, I get home by 7 as the traffic is good, unload and repack and am back on the road by 8.15pm arriving at the hotel just before 11pm. Meet David and Gary in the bar for a quick catch up and although I promised myself I would not have a late one, get talking with exhibitors and delegates and finally retire just before 4 having put the Civil Enforcement industry to rights !

Up early, and irrespective of what time I go to bed, I complete my next category in my room before opening up the conference with the key note address following the ministers unfortunate late withdrawal. It seems to do down well and having chaired the remaining morning sessions spend the afternoon completing my final PA category, write a few ideas for the speech in the evening and catch the last few sessions of the day. The Formula One night sponsored by Equita is a great success and I am sure the photos will prove this as again the dancefloor remains full pretty much all night and well into the early hours. We launch the charity golf event that will see me play 4 Ryder cup venues over 4 days but more of this in insight in July. For the first time, I would think fish fingers have made it into a conference dinner menu as a surprise starter but it is a lovely touch from Equita and shows someone reads my blog ! It is another late night networking opportunity in the bar but again I am up with the larks, this time to work on the annual reception invitation list which needs a review this year so invites can be issued.

Spend the morning visiting all the exhibitors (30 or so) and having my picture taken, visiting the nearby Harrogate centre with other members of the conference sub committee which shows real potential before catching the last few sessions. At 4pm, the doors are locked and the PA panel starts. Chaired by Colin Thrower, it involves 5 of us comparing notes and debating a long list for visits from which a shortlist is then drawn up of finalists. It promotes some interesting discussions and opinions but we are generally in agreement and by 7’ish we have broke the back of 6 categories breaking to take in the football match for most whilst I catch up on my e mails of the last few days with one eye on the score. It only gets interesting for me when it gets to penalties and having reduced my outstanding e mails to 15 from 75, I retire to bed satisfied and early for the first time this week

The following morning after a breakfast meeting sees the panel conclude its work by 2pm and Gary, David and I make a second visit to the Harrogate centre which looks a real contender for the 2010 annual conference. Leaving at 3.30pm, although I hit traffic on the way back, am home just gone 7pm and after a few hours catching up with J spend a few hours finalising the invite list to discuss with David who I am with the following day.

On the early train with J, we arrive in London where we have a meeting in Whitehall with the Tell Us Once team before hosting them for lunch with other senior DWP officials which is a really nice event. Back to Doughty Street, we agree diary commitments over the coming months before retiring to the penthouse (or the flat in Doughty Street) as J and I are staying overnight to take in a few shows. Quality time together in this very busy year is a premium so we have a really great night taking in Les Miserables which is fantastic. Anything that can keep my attention for 3 hours without my mind wandering or me fidgeting has to be exceptional

Spend a few hours in the morning catching up on e mails before we venture into the West End, book a couple more shows for when we are down next in early July and some lunch before going to see Jersey Boys, based on Frankie Valli and the 4 seasons. Again this is a real foot tapper and whilst not as intellectually stimulating as Les Mis is very good, a real “feel good” show. Away for a long journey back as due to essential repairs we have to go home via Leicester which involves an hour coach journey, this gives me the opportunity to do a Powerpoint presentation for a forthcoming talk as the train is pretty quiet.

Spend all morning on Sunday at work before arriving back by 2pm as my mum and dad come for lunch. Spend the night booking travel arrangements for forthcoming trips on the internet before spending an hour in front of the TV as I have only just got round to watching last week's "Apprentice" having been so busy of late

Bank Holiday will see me in work Monday and Tuesday so I better sign off and go to bed ! 20 weeks to go and loving every minute of my year

Bob

Bob - charity presentation

2008-05-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

Bob handing over the IRRV awards success cheque to the Mayor of North Warwickshire, Cllr Wendy Smitten, for her chosen charity.

Saturday 14 April – Sunday 4 May 2008

2008-05-03T10:27:00.001-07:00

First official day back in after Keele and having dropped my car off for a service in the morning, the day is spent in a variety of meetings with suppliers, my managers and the third sector. The garage ring to say the car will not be ready to pick so arrange for it to delivered the following day so my planned reasonable finish ends up being 8pm as I pick up Louis from his rock music school on the way home

Tuesday sees me on the early train to London spending the morning in meetings at HQ, followed by a meeting with DWP on the Tell Us Once project before finishing off the day by speaking at the London and Home Counties AGM where I present amongst other things the initial proposals around the new education startegy. It is a good turnout and it is nice to see an election from executive member places. Arrive home by 8.30pm to find car has not been delivered.

Wednesday morning I have arranged to pick up Leslie Dunn from Coventry for a countywide Revs and Bens meeting in Stratford via the garage who are very apologetic and my compensation is a free valet! on a free Saturday which looking at my diary will not be easy. Get to Stratford just in time for what is a very productive meeting before spending the afternoon in Coventry in a series of meetings discussing the shared service progress and meeting the Audit Commission who are on site. Return to Atherstone for an evening meeting making it another rather late finish as I again leave after the cleaners.

Thursday morning I am in work early at 7.30am to meet some work deadlines and finish my slides for the East Midlands AGM where Alistair Townsend takes over as President from Roy Thompson. Do a presentation with David before heading off late afternoon with Mark Fearn, Barry Powell and Rob Andrews for a game of golf and the first opportunity to use some new golf clubs. In by 9’ish to some supper and get on with some work.

Spend Friday in work all day finalising corporate end of year information. We again have achieved some excellent results as a team and I have to update various protocols we follow at this time of year around risk and training plans.

Spend all day Saturday in work getting back up to date and in front of actions before we attend a 50th birthday party of one of Julies work colleagues at night and a couple of hours on Sunday morning before meeting up with Allan Traynor and two others for a game of golf at the Forest of Arden in advance of the Council round of meetings that start in the evening. It is tradition to hold a round of meetings in the Presidents of the days patch so this is very much home from home for me

Week Two

Meet David for a breakfast meeting followed by our normal round of Council meetings throughout the day before hosting a dinner which incorporates a barn dance that is a huge success. It was a lovely opportunity to recognise all those people who have helped me get where I am and so family, old work colleagues as well as some of the members and staff from North Warwickshire make for another very memorable night.

Up early for the full Council meeting we pass some key decisions around governance and moving the education strategy forward before we finish by lunchtime for an afternoon on the golf course kindly sponsored by Gandlake which I manage to win which makes it all the better. Back home by 8pm, I don’t last too long before I fall asleep !

Having gone to bed early, I rise even earlier than normal and do an hour or so before getting into work by 7am and have a meeting with my director, host a visit from a Cornish authority up to look at our One Stop Shop and Contact Centre and prepare some information for the afternoons shared service board meeting. A really productive meeting agrees a positive way forward on a number of collaborative fronts before finishing off the rest of the day tying up some loose ends getting in by 6pm. Just before I leave I flick through Opportunities to find myself and other Keele tutors exposed for our Spice Girls antics with evidence in the form of a short video loaded onto their website. Thankfully the piece should not be career ending and hopefully demonstrates again that we certainly must have buried the traditional grey suited image of a Council Member for good (see also pictures attached) Its Wednesday night and J’s birthday so we nip out for a family meal before settling down for the Apprentice, possibly the only programme of the week I make a point of watching. Do some institute work before hitting the sack but my mind is racing overtime and I end up getting back up again at 2pm and hitting the e-mails that have accumulated over the last three days. My apologies to anyone who got missives from me at some very strange hour but eventually go back to bed by 5pm.

Back up and in work for 8.30pm, my day is spent in a variety of meetings and completing tasks which also involves an impromptu meeting with Lesley Dunn in Coventry as we develop the proposals agreed at the previous days meeting before returning to complete another reasonably long day before heading home for 7pm. This is one of the downsides to only living a mile from work you tend to stay late as you have no commute home! Before leaving organise a big cheque to be printed for picking up in the morning as it is the annual Mayors Golf day at the Belfry on the Friday and we have arranged to give her the £500 we won for being a finalist in two categories of the Institutes awards in October 2008. Go home and clean the clubs in preparation for the following days golf

Pop in on way to Belfry for a couple of hours as the CAPITA I am playing with are not due off until 9.50am. We have a really enjoyable knock around the beautiful countryside of North Warwickshire and despite not winning, the company and weather are good. Back at work by 4pm I put in a late shift finishing by 7pm.

Saturday morning sees us up and packed (J even goes to her sisters to get her hair done) and all by 9am as we drive up the M1 to attend the Yorkshire dinner. As is tradition, I have a game of golf on the hotel course (my 4th game in the week (it seems like buses all of a sudden having hardly played for 9 months or so) before we don the dj and chain for what is a great evening hosted by the Yorkshire President, Alan Fane and organised by John Clark.

Meet up with Dave Chapman and Mike Shang and partners for a leisurely breakfast before hitting the roads and getting back to go into work from 1pm to 7pm as I have a very busy couple of weeks coming up. My “to do list” is looking as good as it has done for months but one problem is I have managed to drop my blackberry down the loo so in short it is knackered and I leave a note for the ICT boys as a cry for help to see if another can be found for me.

Week Three

Monday is spent in London all day in meetings both with the Ministry of Justice officials and then with David and Gary on some conference discussions around bringing together a programme to go to market with. Type it up on the train home arriving back by 5pm allowing me to pop into work for a few hours until 8.30pm before going home to pack as I am away the rest of the week on work and IRRV commitments.

Rise early and on the road by 6.30am to allow me to get to Manchester for the second day of the Planning Professional Forum conference on contact centre activity. With 2 of my senior managers we give a 30 minute question and answer facilitated session and manage to coordinate meeting some people I deal with from the County Council who are in attendance which is really helpful considering the fullness of my diary. Unfortunately we are pipped to the post in the Public Sector Innovation in Contact Centre awards having got down to the last 16 nationally and mixing it with some of the biggest and most recognisable companies in the UK is a great achievement for us as a small council. It’s another certificate for the growing trophy cabinet and we have a great night dancing the night away

Wednesday morning, up early and work from my hotel room on some reports and e-mails before making the trip across the Pennines to a hotel in Lincolnshire we are considering using for a forthcoming conference. Spend the afternoon working (this time from another hotel room) before meeting up with Gary Watson and we spend the rest of the night concluding a number of things including the annual conference programme.

Up early Thursday for a breakfast meeting with the hotel and following a very successful meeting, managed to squeeze in nine holes on the hotels course which results in an honourable draw. Leave by 1pm for the journey up to Durham where we meet up for a very civilised early evening game of golf with a few sponsors and David Magor up for the following Northern Counties one day event and dinner on the Friday. 27 holes takes it toll and after dinner it is straight to bed but rise very early to send some e-mails and a 2 hour meeting with David (and all this by 8.45am) when I head across to the Durham CCC where a 90 strong delegate event is held. Deliver the first paper of the day on the challenges of Delivering Excellence in Customer Services before having to make an unplanned and worrying journey back to the hotel as I find to my horror that the crest on the presidential chain has come detached. I was warned by past Presidents that this can happen but thankfully it has fallen into the bottom of my travel bag and panic over I return to the event to catch some sessions on shared services, the particular issues of LGR impacting on Durham and a few other papers given by fellow Council Members before finishing off the day with a run through of the possible ideas on the future education strategy. Click on the headline above to view the presentation.

Return to the hotel for a quick change before returning in the evening to the same venue which has been bathed in sunshine all day for a dinner hosted by the Association President Christina Parkin for 100 people on a very relaxed and informal evening where we are entertained by Brendan Healey, a very funny local comedian. Back to the hotel by midnight for a nightcap before rising early for the drive home which I complete in record time and get into work by midday for an afternoon on the keyboard.

Its work for me over the weekend and bank holiday as my diary over the coming weeks is incredibly busy (but I am determined to do everything I can). 5 months to go and counting down

B

Photo Six!

2008-05-03T10:26:00.001-07:00

The Group

Photo Five!

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El Presidenti

Photo Four!

2008-05-03T10:22:00.001-07:00

Chris Bloodworth and Tracey Crowe

Photo Three!

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Dave Chapman

Photo Two!

2008-05-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

Ian Ferguson

Photo One!

2008-05-03T10:16:00.000-07:00

The tutors of Keele 2008 : (l to r) Louise Freeth, Allan Traynor, Dee Bough, el Presidenti, Tracey Crowe, Chris Bloodworth, Dave Hendy, Ian Ferguson, Phil Triggs, Dave Chapman, Gary Watson, Kerry McDermott

Saturday 5 April – Sunday 13 April 2008 – A KEELE WEEK SPECIAL

2008-04-14T15:26:00.000-07:00

I have tutored on the Keele course (previously held at Caerleon) for the past 13 years so a weeks intensive lecturing preparing students for the forthcoming June examinations is a normal part of my yearly activity but it is very special to be going there as National President.

After annual conference, it sees the biggest gathering of Institute members in the calendar year and this year over 250 people are attending the revision course and other events being held at the university throughout the week, which starts on the Saturday and finishes on the Friday afternoon.

Saturday morning is spent packing everything needed for the week which as well as the normal everyday items includes getting our expanding assortment of dressing up gear out of the garage for the tutors entertainment I am tasked with coordinating every year on the Thursday night which is "different but hugely anticipated by the students each year!" (but more of that later).

Having made the short journey up the motorway, it is not long before I am welcoming the students along with the course director, Gary Watson to the weeks events (with words of wisdom about the need to pace themselves for what sees them receiving 42 hours of tuition over the six days). I then get proceedings underway with two sessions of business rates (or three hours) with the level 3 certificate students from mid afternoon onwards.

Have dinner with the intention of having a quick shower before returning to the campus for the pre-arranged evenings quiz. Unfortunately the heavy schedule of a President and year-end activity at work in recent weeks has caught up with me and the quick power nap! turns into a good nights sleep but thankfully my fellow tutors of Dave Chapman, Dave Hendy, Ian Ferguson, Tracey Crowe, Louise Freeth and Chris Bloodworth keep up the tradition of tutors past by failing to win the general knowledge quiz

Up early Sunday refreshed from my unexpected 10 hours sleep, to deliver the remaining 5 sessions of business rates for my first group starting at 9am and finishing at 6.45pm. The night is spent in deep conversation over a few shandies getting to know new students before returning to our base with Messrs Magor, Watson and McDermott for what ends up being an impromptu meeting discussing the possible changes to the future examination of the Institutes qualification. Is this sad or keen!

Monday is spent in session with the second certificate group of around 25 students repeating the business rates sessions of the previous day (another 7 and a half hours) before dinner, a quick shower and back to the campus for a karaoke evening. The President declines the opportunity to sing having seen Messrs Bloodworth and Chapman break the machine with their version of love shack (or did the DJ pull the plug) and leaving before Chappers at the request of the students did an 8 minute meatloaf track which by all accounts pretty much ended the night on an all time low. Fortunately some of the students demonstrate hidden talents and some “x factor potential” whilst the tutors efforts are only suitable for “Cowell-esque” criticism.

Tuesday morning sees the conclusion of business rates for my second group with delivery of the final two sessions before breaking for what is a well deserved and needed rest. Some of the students venture into Chester for some retail therapy, some to the local Trentham gardens and others to bed after the initial 3 days tutoring and evenings networking takes it toll. Along with 5 tutors, a couple of the association reps down for the following days meeting and a couple of students, we head off for an afternoons golf which starts in sunshine, by the ninth had changed to a icy blizzard before concluding in spitting rain (the mood of the weather matched by my groups golf which is made up of Phil Black a level 2 student from Westminster and the Welsh wizard and newest member of the tutoring team Chris Bloodworth). The result is a closely kept secret akin to the election results in Zimbawe but needless to say without some fixing of the scores the President of the days golf would not have seen him lift any trophy. It is just fortunate we are here for our knowledge of Revs and Bens and not our golfing prowess.

Back in time for the themed night in the university restaurant (or canteen) taking us back to our school days, pink custard, treacle sponge and the Presidents favourite included on the menu “fish fingers” amongst other classic dishes. It’s all great fun before seeing most head for the bar on campus to watch the evening’s football. However, the most important result of the night see’s the National Council team of McDermott and yours truly whitewash the Institute staff (Messrs Magor and Watson) on the pool table six – nil before heading back up to the management centre where more of the association reps from around the country have arrived for the following days meeting. A few hours are spent discussing a variety of subjects over a few glasses of wine before retiring to bed and the second part of the week.

This year is very different for me as I am usually one of the tutors who teaches on all 28 sessions in the week but I am required to do other things Presidential which means getting involved in going around all the groups to speak to the students, open up and get involved in the management course, and other events we run at Keele as most key personnel are all on site. Wednesday morning sees us have a really good meeting with the representatives of the regional associations discussing two key issues, the future education strategy and with the changing face of local Government how we modernise our regional activity to meet the changing agenda and needs of our members. I kick off the management course immediately after lunch before setting some future dates in my ever full diary to take forward some of the agreed initiatives from the morning session.

I then with Sue Williams Lee, President of the West Midlands Association try and choreograph some moves for the entertainment we traditionally put on the Thursday night for the students, which this year is loosely based around the Spice Girls, as you have never seen them before. In the past we have taken off a multitude of acts that inevitably involves tutors putting their credibility and modesty on the line all in spirit of showing hopefully that whilst we are an institute who work hard we also like to have fun and means we certainly aren’t seen as “grey suits and elusive”. I am sure there will be photographs and I fear video, which will no doubt be loaded onto the worldwide web by now or over the coming days! I am afforded the luxury of a few hours off so catch up on some e mails for work before hosting a dinner in the grounds of the university for the students in the last year of their 3 year corporate qualification and people who are on the management course as well as a number of past presidents who are all giving and facilitating sessions on the management course which has again sold out for the third year running since it was introduced. We also invite Neil Garrett who has stepped down as a tutor this year following his retirement last week from the VOA after 19 years as a tutor on the course. The evening is an opportunity to recognise all that is good about the Institute and having concluded the evening with a short speech, I gather my dance troupe of tutors for an hours rehearsal starting at 11pm. Having had the afternoon off to prepare we have never been so organised before retiring for what is by now turning into an endurance test for most.

Up early Thursday I spend the morning delivering the two business rates sessions for the Level One students and during the mid morning break open up the NVQ day organised for the various regional centres whom have come together to share experiences. I spend my lunchtime in a meeting with the conference sub committee discussing amongst other things proposals for the 2008 Manchester conference, performance awards night and future conference venues for 2009, and 2010. Julie arrives mid afternoon with the rest of the outfits for the evening (the ordered union jack dress has not arrived) so she has had to come up with a few different options and having concluded a further meeting in the afternoon we prepare for the gala dinner held for everyone at the event by laying out the costumes to be worn, finalising the evening dance routine before heading back to write a few words for what was an evening that will be one of the highlights of my Presidential year.

Hosting a drinks reception, the evening is a fantastic evening with students having worked incredibly hard and bonded during the week, meaning that I am in demand for presidential photos (it is great to be able to mingle with them, show the chain and the speech is the easiest I have had to give all year as I can speak from the heart having been involved as a tutor on the course and hopefully it will inspire others to follow in my and other tutors footsteps in getting involved in the institute post their exams). By 10am we are off to change and run through the two routines we are doing one last time before hitting the stage at 11. The troupe of Messrs Hendy, Chapman, Crowe, Watson, Bloodworth, McDermott, Ferguson, Triggs and yours truly launch into “Stop Right There” and what has become the Keele Theme tune and my own favourite “Reach” which we have adopted for the last 10 years or so. What we haven’t got in talent we hopefully make up in enthusiasm and as always our efforts are incredibly well received by our students who see us in a totally different light. The evenings disco winds up in the early hours but everyone is up to kick off the last days tutoring at 9am on time.

I make a few visits into the various groups which as always and despite the full weeks exertions are fully attended before taking my position along with Allen Traynor, last years President, and Julie as a member of the judging panel to probe questions to those presenting on the case study scenario they have been working on over the previous two days. It shows that the course has meant a lot of hard work and in announcing a winner, which will see the team attend the annual conference, they are all winners and am sure have got a lot from the event.

All that is left is to help Gary pack the course office for another year. He puts in a lot of effort to run the event with military efficiency, which is not an easy task. I will be back in the autumn and next year as a Past President but it has been a truly wonderful week that I will never forget and as I have said will stand out as one of the highlights of my year in a year I have and will continue to do some very special things

Back home, the week catches up and I fall asleep waking just in time to catch the second day of the masters golf. Up early on Saturday I catch up with the weeks e-mails and spend the weekend preparing for next week both work wise, and what looks like being another busy IRRV week attending two association AGMs. Pick up some new golf clubs on the Sunday (hopefully they will hit in straighter than my last lot!) and nip in to my parents to prove to them I am still alive, as I haven’t seen them for quite a few weeks.

No doubt there will be photos to post from the week. If as a student you have any please e-mail me any you think I would like to me at work at bobtrahern@northwarks.gov.uk. Best sign off after what has been a fantastic week.

Lancashire & Cheshire IRRV Assocaition Dinner ... Photo Two ...

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Bob and Julie at the Cheshire IRRV Assocaition Dinner

Lancashire & Cheshire IRRV Assocaition Dinner ... Photo One ...

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One of the Angela Storey, L&C President with Roy Thompson, East Midlands, Sue Williams Lee, West Midlands and Alan Fane, Yorkshire President, Bob and partners

Monday 17 March – Friday 4 April 2008

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Week One

Monday to Thursday is pretty much a full week of wall-to-wall on site meetings at work ranging from potential partnerships and funding opportunities, evaluating products and signing off final letters and arrangements for the bus passes going out just before the end of March. My only journey out is for a visit to officers at Coventry CC calling into the first city centre IKEA store on the way back to the office having picked up a self assemble awards cabinet for installing at work (£35 and one for facilities to put together!)

Bills hit during the week so the contact centre is very busy justifying increases and hopefully taking DD instructions and money as we head into the last few crucial days to maximise council tax and NDR collection.

On Friday, we make the long seven hour drive up to Scotland staying over at one of the Q Hotels (a group we use for IRRV events) just outside Glasgow where I take the opportunity to see whether we can use it for any forthcoming events. It is too late (and too windy) to venture out onto the golf course which is part of the complex but in the morning set off in bright sunshine for the shorter one-hour drive to Scone in Perth where Dave Chapman is getting married on the Sunday. The threatened snow forecast becomes reality on the drive across meaning the planned afternoons golf game is replaced by some less energetic liquid refreshment before venturing out with Dave’s Rossendale colleagues for a Chinese in the evening.

Sunday morning again brings with it a heavy frost but by 10.30am it has cleared enough to venture out onto the hotels golf course for a friendly 4 ball in advance of the afternoon's events. Round in 3 hours we make it back for a quick shower and change just in time for a drinks reception in advance of the wedding which is a great day and evening.

Week Two

Before we know it we are back on the road early Monday for the drive home getting in by mid afternoon allowing time for J to repack as she is of to Spain with Louis for a few days (Tuesday) whilst I spend the day catching up with some institute work.

In early Tuesday, a day of meetings is interspersed only by the need to drop them off at the airport at lunchtime, the fridge suitably organised with all my dinners for the week.

In London on Wednesday at Doughty Street for a series of meetings, most importantly covering some changes to the Governance arrangements surrounding the election process that will be recommended at our next Council round in April. Back by 6pm I nip back to IKEA to get some missing screws and pop into see my very first boss on my way home as hopefully she will be able to attend a forthcoming dinner I am hosting in April. Back just in time to catch the apprentice enjoyed with one of the many pre-prepared meals J has got in for me (very sad!)

Thursday is an early start getting into work before the cleaner. After a very long day leaving after everyone else we have had the bad news today that the capping of Warwickshire Police could see us rebilling in the summer. Having despatched technical notes of what we are faced with to County colleagues it is another night of TV dinner but don’t feel too sorry for me as Friday is spent at one of the nicest events of the year for any IRRV President as I host a lunch at Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant which is located at Claridges. Attended by 20 or so other Presidents from kindred Institutes including John Butler this year's CIPFA President who was IRRV President in the 90’s as well as Julie, Geoff and Allan as Senior, Junior and Immediate Past President, it is a great event enjoyed by all.

Spend all day Saturday and early Sunday morning in work before picking up Julie and Louis from the airport. Temperatures have been on the chilly side in Calella and J returns full of cold so perhaps I did best staying home.

Week Three

The first week of April is possibly my last full week in and around the office for a few months as my diary looks incredibly full until at least June. Being in Keele next week at the Institute's annual revision course I manage to get my notes off for copying just on the deadline date.

Thankfully our national bus passes have hit over the weekend and the year end results in terms of collection and benefits performance have seen us maintain our consistent excellent performance for another year.

Tuesday is spent at the corporate management team we have monthly in the morning and with colleagues from 3 neighbouring Councils in the afternoon discussing our preferred options for a regional approach to fraud. Deadlines are set to conclude all our shared service work by July so it looks like a very full few months ahead for us all.

Spend Wednesday in and out of the office at meetings and Thursday hosting division wide staff meetings that I hold at least every six months. Nip out over a long lunch to pick up David's PA who has come up from London to visit the hotel where we are running the April round of IRRV Council meetings. All plans seem well advanced and arrangements are finalised to ensure everything runs smoothly. I also get chance to pop into the local fancy dress shop in Nuneaton to buy some essential props for the entertainment I am always tasked with organising at the students revision week at Keele. Watch this space in the coming weeks for the photos we do not manage to intercept from the night.

Friday involves an early meeting in Warwick discussing data sharing protocols with other Warwickshire partners before returning to the office leaving very late having got down to 5 unopened e-mails, a relatively tidy desk and hopefully everything I need for the weeks lecturing that starts in earnest tomorrow afternoon !!!!

I have now been President for just over 6 months so I am now on the downward stretch. I cannot believe how fast it is going but one good thing is I have less than six more months of Blog writing to do !!!!!

Monday 25 February – Sunday 16 March 2008

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Week One – 25/2/08

This is just about my first week where I haven’t attended anything in my official capacity as President although it was no less busy.

The start of the week saw me attend a whole series of meetings and 2 days of a 4-day Health and Safety course the Council is putting everything through (to my horror there is even homework!)

The Council Tax is set on the Wednesday night at Full Council which means Thursday is spent overseeing the preparation of the system for closedown on the Friday and interviewing for a management vacancy in our contact centre

I meet up with Barry Powell from Equita at a local Indian restaurant in the evening to discuss some ideas for my charity event which Equita have historically sponsored and been involved with (watch this space for an announcement in May). I still beat J home as Kettering spend a little longer setting their Council Tax than North Warwickshire !

Friday morning sees me pop into work early for an hour before heading the 20 miles up the road to the Belfry to meet up with fellow Council Member and stag for the weekend Dave Chapman. It is a real IRRV affair as along with Messrs Magor, Traynor, Bloodworth, Ferguson, Shang and Watson we head out into the wilds of the North Warwickshire countryside, many finding plenty of the local nature and water hazards as the golf falls along way short of the level of Revenues expertise on show. Interspersed with rain showers and a biting wind, we are happy to find the sanctuary of the club house for some liquid refreshment, prize giving (Fergie and his team take the spoils) before freshening up for a meal and then braving the hotels nightclub. Music from the 70’s and décor to match, we certainly weren’t out of place!

In bed just gone midnight (we are showing our age), wind wakes me up about 4pm (not from my fellow room mate Mr Watson or myself) but what seems a gale force strength outside. It is very sad that we get up early on Saturday to have a quick IRRV meeting over breakfast to discuss the forthcoming Keele programme before the rest of the stags join us prior to braving the elements (some of the strongest winds imaginable). It is a tough day again sweetened by the fact that on a day benefiting the bigger hitters, my team of 4 triumph against all odds. Year Ends gone well so spend a night in (I’m definitely feeling my age !)

Nip into work on Sunday to tidy some things up and bring my technical notes up to date with the latest CLG letters before spending the rest of the day doing basically not a lot

Week Two – 3/3/08

Again a light week as far as official IRRV activity goes as I complete my final 2 days Health and Safety training which involves an exam!, finalise some reports and budgets and the final amendments on enclosures for the bills. The latter end of the week sees the preparation of slides and organising ourselves for a visit by the Professional Planning Forum inspection team who spend 5 hours with us on the Friday judging our contact centre and one stop activity for their innovation awards to be announced in Manchester at the end of April 2008. Even though we have got used to preparing for award visits, it never gets any easier as the other departments in the Council come out in force to support what we are doing. We are pleased with the way it goes but being up against very stiff public and private sector competition we can only keep our fingers crossed.

The weekend flies by as I go into work for half a day on both Saturday and Sunday as I am out and about the following week and attempt to keep on top of everything at what is always a busy time of year for us all

Week Three – 10 March 2008

Catch an early train on Monday to London as I am lecturing NDR on the final week of the Institutes three-week block release course. It has had to be hastily moved from our usual Swindon base following some confusion over bookings involving the Cheltenham Festival. 8 or so hours of lecturing later interspersed by a sleep, I finish just before lunch on Tuesday and am back in the office by 2.30pm.

A number of the executive who are helping organise our Association dinner on 17 May 2008 (see West Midlands Association part of the website for more information) arrive at 6pm for a meeting at my Council offices to discuss arrangements. The dinner has struggled to attract people in recent years so we are going all out to make this abit different and making the price very attractive so hopefully people will support it.

After a full day at work Wednesday I attend a family celebration on the Wednesday night and spend Thursday in London as a guest of the President of the Association of Accounting Technicians at their annual lunch which is very pleasant. Back on the train I manage to get back by late afternoon and pop into work to catch up on some things I cannot resolve via my blackberry.

Spend Friday undertaking appraisals amongst other things and the evening trying to finalise arrangements for my honeymoon in January 2009 (thank goodness for trip advisor and the power of the internet).

Go into work Saturday morning to issue the calling notices for both the dinner and sponsor requests before driving up to Accrington in the afternoon on Saturday for the Lancashire and Cheshire Dinner Dance which as always is a well attended event. Under the Presidency of fellow Council Member, Angela Storey it is organised as always by stalwart Richard Mason from Lancaster who is finally standing down after 20 or so years of organising the event. The dancing stops about 1am meaning not such an early morning rise as normal to spend a lazy Sunday driving back and not much else (other than catching up on the blog!)

Monday 18 February – Sunday 24 February 2008

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Monday is spent agreeing the details of our interim Fraud partnership set up with Nuneaton and Bedworth BC and in staff meetings as we welcome Sally Roberts, a seconded member of staff from Coventry who is covering the Benefit Managers post whilst we explore whether we can work more formally with Coventry in a number of areas going forward.

On Tuesday, have my appraisal in the morning and spend the rest of the morning and early afternoon drafting some reports for a board in March. Nip over to the Belfry golf complex situated in our area during my lunch hour to discuss a sponsored idea I hope to hold in August. The meeting goes well so watch this space. Attend a board meeting at night which is through pretty quick which is great because I have an early start on Wednesday and have yet to finish the presentation I am due to give (nothing like being organised!).

Up at 5.30am, I am lucky there hasn’t been a hard frost overnight (so no need to scrape the ice off the car) as I misjudge how long it will take me to drive to the airport. Luckily I arrive with 5 minutes before check in for my 6.55am flight to Edinburgh closes. Picked up by Fraser at the other end gets me to Falkirk Council by nine’ish where I am going my paper at the Scottish AGM attended by over 70 members. The paper on being recognised for excellence links neatly with the launch of the Performance Awards 2008 (see website for further details and pictures from the day but my apologies for the absence of the Presidential chain. I decided against taking it as firstly I didn’t think I’d need it (I wasn’t aware I would be presenting successful students from December their certificates), secondly, getting it through security at the airport often results in being pulled for a closer inspection and most of all, it weighs a ton! Back to the airport by 3, I catch up on e-mails before arriving back in Birmingham by 7pm and just in time to catch Masterchef.

Spend Thursday at work before leaving at 4pm to get home, change into my d.j and drive over to Coventry to get the train to London for the CPFA annual dinner. Get some reading done on the train and arrive at the Warldorf near Covent Garden just gone 7pm for a very enjoyable evening with our accountant and audit colleagues. David arrives just in time for grace as he has made a mad dash from Bristol where he had been speaking at the Severnside association. The dinner attended by some 500 people is hosted by John Butler, the first person to have been both CPFA and IRRV president, and I get away just after coffee to get the 11pm train back to Coventry getting me home just past 1pm.

Friday is spent catching up on the week’s events and finalising shortlists for forthcoming interviews to fill our vacancy lists.

Saturday is my 42nd birthday and I like many other weekend when you are out of the office as much as you are in the Presidential year spending the day catching up on work and doing some IRRV work (very sad!). Not to say its all work and no play, a few of the family pop in bearing cards and gifts and J, Louis and I go out in the evening for a meal before getting in to watch the second half of the rugby (why didn’t England play like this against Wales!). Its now Sunday morning and my mum and dad are coming for dinner. I have been banished to the study to get out of J’s way while she prepares everything so once this is signed off, I am going get onto the internet and hopefully find some inspiration for my performance awards night entertainment Having come up with the Red Hot Chilli Pipers for last year it is going to be a hard act to follow in Manchester but hopefully we will rise to the challenge again. Hopefully you will think about entering your services for an award as it is truly a brilliant night to celebrate success and I know from my own and teams experiences it is something that you will never forget.

No institute stuff this week coming although with setting the Council Tax, the first two days of a 4 day health and safety course to attend, a day of interviewing and Dave Chapman’s stag do playing golf on Friday and Saturday no less busy.

More photographs from the IRRV Scottish Association AGM

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Bob with Hillary Kelly, Scottish Association President

Successful students from the recent IRRV Examinations with Bob and Hillary

Bob speaks at the IRRV Scottish Association AGM

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Video from Scottish Association AGM

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Monday 11 February – Sunday 17 February 2008

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Its Sunday morning and whilst Allan Traynor, the Immediate Past President and Dave Chapman, the new Chair of the Revenues Faculty Board have yet to rise, the President is up with renewed determination to keep his blog up to date.

The lads are not sleeping off any hangovers or heavy night but a game of golf yesterday that along with David West from Capita saw honours even after 18 holes in beautiful crisp February weather around the beautiful countryside of North Warwickshire, I think we are all feeling our age ! A night was spent watching the football, having a Chinese and a very friendly game of buzz (I wasn’t capable of setting the Wii up) all washed down with a few bottles of red as opposed to a night on the tiles. We do it all again in a few weeks at Daves stag do as he is getting married in March.

Monday was spent in a multitude of meetings following a certain amount of a relief that a major upgrade on our CRM platform has successfully worked over the weekend and we are up and running and taking calls.

Spend Tuesday in London with David and Gary at a commercial event in Earls Court connected with our conferences and events. Whilst exhibitors promoting exoctic locations from all over the world were present, we were particularly interested in the new conference venues in Liverpool and those planned in Stockport !! (no need to pack your passport and sunscreen for these two).

I spent Wednesday exploring a number of shared service possibilities with meetings at two neighbouring Councils fitting these in around a number of internal discussions as Jane leaves on Friday. I spend Thursday morning with another as we seek possible solutions to filling our benefit and fraud vacancies to name but two. The afternoon is spent writing up my thoughts before doing a question and answer briefing for the opposition members in the evening on the proposals for a local concessionary travel scheme being considered.

Friday is spent very enjoyably with almost a brand new team at the CLG who head up the Council Tax and NDR policy unit. These meetings are invaluable to us as an Institute in creating understanding and influence. Whilst this clashes with a DWP called meeting around the “Tell Us Once” agenda which we hope to pilot as a Council in what is a very busy year, it is impossible to cram everything in.

Oh well better sign off and get the bacon and coffee on.

Bob.

Monday 24 December – Sunday 10 February 2008

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My apologies to avid readers of my blog that this New Year addition is so long overdue. In all honesty I didn’t think as many people read it but having received a number of e-mails and comments chasing me up I have finally found some time to remedy this situation.

Christmas and New Year was spent at home and in Barcelona for 5 days with family which whilst hectic was great but all to soon it was 2008 and back to work.

First week back is always difficult particularly having enjoyed a week off but a few meetings around the shared service agenda with my impending vacancy list growing certainly concentrates the mind. The Friday was spent with officials from the DWP and Government Connect discussing becoming a key pilot site for this platform along with Bedford run by fellow Council member, Kevin Stewart. The importance of what has been a project that has been around for a few years with little momentum suddenly has new impetus with a solution needed for the data exchange issues. My advice go and see your ICT managers to get them tuned into getting the Governments Co Co validation process started as adopting the secure internet link via GCSx has risen up the Governments agenda.

A weekend spent updating my NDR and Council Tax notes in preparation for my Swindon students who I am seeing again soon is followed by 3 days in work spent largely pulling together a number of options for changes to the concessionary travel scheme I am responsible for administering at work. Leave on the Wednesday night for a journey up to Manchester where I have a meeting over dinner with David Magor. The 2 day trip allows us to attend the Civica conference which is held at the Theatre of Dreams at Old Trafford and the great man “Mr Ferguson” makes a surprise visit to the conference to listen to a key note speech given by the king of spin and his close friend Alistair Campbell. He was surprisingly very down to earth and entertaining but I missed the opportunity of a prized photo opportunity on the IRRV stand as I got shy just at the moment they walked within inches of Messrs Doherty, Magor and myself. The evening was spent in good company being put on the same table as Barry Norman of 80’s film buff fame. Having only watched about 10 films start to finish in my entire life (including Forest Gump twice) meant conversation at dinner was not as easy as it should have been! We took the opportunity to undertake a visit to the G-Mex early on Friday in preparation for the October conference having been joined by Gary Watson in his new role as Deputy Chief Executive. Away by lunchtime meant I had time to get back to the office for a evening at the laptop

Popped in on the Saturday to catch up before spending the rest of the weekend with friends, shopping for an impending trip to Thailand and tidying the study (a trip to the recycling plant with all the paper I seem to accumulate very quickly is necessary!)

The Monday is spent in a series of meetings with Members and preparing for not being in the office for a fortnight and thankfully the evening’s committee meeting is short. An early morning drive to Swindon in atrocious weather conditions sees it take me nearly 4 hours to do what is at most a 2 hour drive where I arrive just on time to deliver 10 hours of NDR training over the following 26 hours. Leave early in the afternoon for the relatively short drive to Bristol where I present a paper on Delivering Excellence in Customer Service to the Severnside association. I have now done 7 papers to different regional associations in my first 4 months so I am well on target to visit them all. This means getting in just before 9pm and thankfully J has packed my bag for my journey to Thailand the following day.

Thursday morning is spent at work tidying up some loose ends and making sure my blackberry will work whilst out of the country so I don’t come back to hundreds of e-mails. Just before boarding the coach down to Heathrow hear a plane has crash landed meaning all flights out are delayed which sees me preparing for a long wait but fortunately I am only delayed a couple of hours jetting out just before midnight. The usual “I’m 6 foot 2 and any chance of additional legroom” pays off as I am assigned the seat next to the toilets (for every upside there is a downside) but 12 hours later I arrive in the Far East where I have been invited to give a paper at an international conference. The benefit of such a long flight and a few days break is I catch up on 16 IdeA front office case studies, the KLOE’s out for consultation and some other reading which guarantees no one asks to borrow your reading material when you finish with it. The intention is to get some R&R, do a little bit of work hence me sending e-mails at midnight being received in the office part way through the morning and take in some visits to Government offices in advance of the conference.

The difference with international events I have found in recent years is they like to start early 8am and finish late with organised networking opportunities arranged at every break but the conference is interesting in terms of the different issues we all face in both the developed and developing world. Following the conference dinner of 9 courses and declining to sing on the karaoke machine following my Scottish exploits, the evening ends with a cultural trip of Bangkok nightlife organised by the hosts. I retire fairly early as I have an early flight back to Heathrow originally booked to enable me to get back to attend the Blackpool weekend school run by the Lancs and Cheshire Association which I have supported for a number of years. Unfortunately, due to low numbers it is cancelled for the first time since it started 20 years or more ago which in hindsight is a blessing in disguise as having blagged the extra legroom seat by the toilets again I failed to get any sleep meaning most of Saturday involves sleeping and getting my body clock back to UK time zones.

Having caught up with some work on Sunday morning, Julie and I head down to London in the afternoon in readiness for the January Council Round we have 4 times a year. A couple of meetings in the evening before I step down from my Chairmanship of the Commercial Services committee on the Monday but take up the role of the Chairing the Full Council meeting as President on the Tuesday morning. We tend to cram a lot into this day and a half and we make some decisions to hopefully see the Institute prosper in the coming year and onwards.

Back by mid afternoon allows me to get back to work (being President means you keep some very funny hours) and early Wednesday morning as I have booked an afternoons leave to stand in for Julie who is lecturing on the West Midlands Technician course – just my luck as students are treated to an afternoon of grasping Transitional Arrangements and Payment of Interest. Back in work on Thursday the afternoon is spent at the neighbouring Council at one of our bi monthly meetings of all the Head of Services in the county where we discuss ongoing and future collaborative working arrangements. Whilst not impacted by the forthcoming unitary changes, we have been committed for a number of years to working closely across the County where possible which has resulted in a lot of our successes as a Council.

Arrive and leave work early on Friday to get the late afternoon train down to London where I am attending the London and Home Counties dinner hosted by Andy Cummings and well organised as always by Gordon and Carla Heath. It is a very enjoyable night in a beautiful setting close to Tower Bridge and having had a different wine with each course, the evening ends with cup of hot chocolate and lights out just before midnight (gone are my days of hell raising !).
We leave London early to get back for the England v Wales rugby match (I wish I hadn’t bothered) and catch up with day to day chores. Spend all day Sunday writing committee reports on a number of corporate initiatives I am responsible for which need to be in as I am in Harrogate at the Benefits and Fraud conference most of the following week. Spend most of Monday morning proof reading and amending them! The afternoon is spent talking at the local Older Peoples forum meeting on travel and benefit issues before driving up to Harrogate in the evening in readiness for conference.

Having just returned from a busy week, the revised format of running the Benefits and Fraud event back to back makes for a well attended event which although subject to an unfortunate late pull out by James Plaskett MP produced a programme full of the latest issues with both Senior Government and Council speakers and most pleasing some great presentations by new Local Government speakers. This bodes well for the future and hopefully means the call for papers in future will mean the work can be shared around more than the usual suspects. If any of you reading this are interested in speaking at an IRRV future event, drop me, David Magor or Gary Watson an e-mail with what you want to talk about and we will see what opportunities we have to give you the platform.

Return on the Friday having hosted 2 gala dinners and chaired a number of sessions including an interactive and live debate. Last years President Allen Traynor and his partner Dee call in on the way home from the airport before we crash in front of the TV with some fish finger sandwiches (a real treat after the hectic week)

Oh well that brings me up to date, today has been spent e-mailing and preparing for some meetings Monday. Looking at my diary, things are a little less busy on the Institute front in the coming weeks which for me is welcome as we prepare for year end, billing, the issue of the new free bus passes and LHA. My benefit manager leaves next Friday so we have a busy week ahead in ensuring arrangements are in place so we as a small team can continue to deliver. Apparently response to our advert in opportunities to fill a few vacancies I already have has received a good response so hopefully we will be back up to full strength by the Spring.

Oh well signing off. I won’t leave it as long next time….promise

Bob

Monday 10 December – Sunday 23 December 2007

2007-12-23T02:13:00.000-08:00

Here’s my last blog entry before Xmas and I can’t believe I have been doing this role for nearly 10 weeks (a fifth of the way through and time is certainly flying)

I am thankfully back to some form of fighting fitness and having thought I may need to let down the East Mids association at their Xmas lunch on 13th December, courtesy of a door to door chauffeur service from the Director I was able to attend and had a very enjoyable meal with the 50 or so IRRV members. It was great to see 9 recently qualified students invited to receive their certificates and hopefully they will get actively involved in the local association over the coming year.

The rest of the week saw me attend a variety of meetings, get approval for next years service plan and due to a number of internal and external promotions, sit down to work out how best to cover or replace a number of key staff (the downside of winning awards I’m afraid!)

The weekend was spent with the extended family on Julie’s side as her son, partner and our grandson were over from Spain and we had an early Xmas party to celebrate. Horrified to see a karaoke machine get brought out following my recent efforts in Scotland (things haven’t got any better) and don’t think Leon from the x-factor has anything to worry about. How did Rhydian fail to win? I’d have even gone for Same Difference over Leon (I am definitely getting old)

Last week saw me visit Scotland once again flying up to Edinburgh on the Tuesday afternoon for their annual Christmas Scottish reception (pictures attached) followed by a very nice evening meal at one of Edinburgh’s best restaurants thanks to a kind invitation from one of the Institutes key sponsors, Gandlake.

A morning meeting with the awards panel saw us agree the format and categories for the “to be announced” performance awards early in the New Year and as the President, I have decided my own teams will not be entering this year in order for me to take a full and active role in proceedings. A flurry of e-mails on the blackberry confirms that the electronic Xmas card I have sent has hit the wires (see website for your less than traditional Xmas shot but it will save the earths resources and more importantly, save money for charity). I had the photo taken in downtown Disney in Florida this year and very sadly I did have my Insight with me although I didn’t manage to sign up the few interested yanks who seemed very interested in what I was promoting. Hence a challenge to you as the wider membership

Where is the best place you can be photographed with an edition of Insight. Please send your pictures to me by 31 August 2008 at bobtrahern@northwarks.gov.uk and we will display the best ones on the website for you to vote for a yet to be decided huge prize.

With enough time at Edinburgh airport, I managed to get in some last minute Xmas shopping in the duty free area before heading back to Birmingham to arrive in time to attend a Full Council meeting in the evening at work.

Thursday saw a whole day of meetings with various partners as we run into the Xmas closedown and a fun evening is spent writing committee reports in readiness for a New Year round of meetings.

My final IRRV function of the year saw me attend a lunch on the River Thames with all the Institute staff. This has become a tradition in the Presidents calendar, and was a nice way to sign off what has been a very hectic period since I took office. It also provided another opportunity to take a photograph of the President with another santa hat on sitting next to a guy in a red suit and beard (no it wasn’t Richard Harbord and neither was it the new Deputy Chief Executive who with arm twisted wore his secret santa present bought for under a fiver (a superman pyjama top although we let him off wearing the shorts). I wonder who bought him that !

My calendar for January onwards looks no less busy so unfortunately I will be needing to take by laptop with me to Spain over the Xmas period to try and get in front of myself work wise, update my student notes and write a paper I will be giving in Bangkok. Not that I can see how I will cram it all in as we fly out to Girona on 27th for 5 days to spend the New Year once we have hosted two family do’s on Christmas and Boxing Day which will be great as my sister and family are over from the States for the festive season.

So it just leaves me to sign off and wish you a very Merry Christmas to you all and here’s hoping 2008 brings you everything you wish for whether it be hitting your PM10 target (hopefully revised) or collecting a few extra quid to push up your collection rate, or something much more exciting

A very Happy Christmas and New Year!

2007-12-22T10:48:00.000-08:00

More Scottish Reception photographs (better quality - with thanks to John Roberts!)

2007-12-22T10:37:00.000-08:00

Scottish Association Christmas Reception

2007-12-19T12:40:00.000-08:00

Bob attended the above reception in Edinburgh on 18th December. Below are a couple of photographs and a short video from the event!

Video from Scottish Association Reception!

2007-12-19T12:28:00.000-08:00

The IRRV Christmas Card 2007

2007-12-17T09:10:00.000-08:00

This year the Institute has decided to donate our Christmas card budget to Bob's nominated Charity. We will let you know the Charity and total raised early next year.

You can view our online greetings card at:

http://www.irrv.net/JS/xmas/index.html

Thursday 22 November – Monday 10 December 2007

2007-12-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

I am slipping on my blog updates already in what is a very hectic time and have been struck down by a very heavy cold (I think it is man flu) for the last few weeks so feeling very sorry of myself

Thursday, 22nd November 2007 – went to the home of lawn tennis at Wimbledon to attend the Institute of Clerks lunch with David Magor. We sat on the table of one of the award winners for the quality of his car park built at the soon to be opened Terminal 5 at Heathrow

Friday 23rd November 2007 – a full day at work before attending the East Midlands Association Dinner which was my first association dinner as President. A good night finished in the very early hours. The speech seemed to go down well although I had plenty of material from recent escapades and the fact that I had given up an invitation to speak in Brazil in preference to a night out in Derby !!

Saturday/Sunday – spent catching up on work and some Xmas shopping

Monday 26th November 2007 – an early morning in work before getting a train for an afternoon meeting with CLG people on how best to promote Government Connect and the Council along with Kevin Stewart representing Bedford had a good meeting in London to determine how best to kick start this initiative which will surely now gather pace as a result of the HMRC issue that has brought an abrupt halt to data sharing

Tuesday 27th November 2007 – another early morning before embarking on the long winding journey to South Norfolk DC to speak at the East Anglian association on the issues of Varney. It was good to see so many recently qualified people there who came to receive their certificates (note to secretary: always have a back up plan if the camera doesn’t work!)

Wednesday 28th November 2007 – in London again firstly with BACS, VOCALINK and the CLG discussing the efficiency agenda and the role of DD and then an afternoon with David and officials from the Ministry of Justice discussing the implications of the C, E and Tribunals Act. It promises to be a challenging time for all involved in distress over the next 18 months.

Thursday 29th November 2007 – popped into Manchester for a series of meetings to start to plan next years Annual conference before arriving in Dumfries early evening in advance of the Scottish Revenues and Benefits forum. The video has already been posted of the evenings entertainment, the now legendry Chinese Karaoke where you are ok if you know songs pre 1977 and are fluent in Chinese as required by most of the sub titles to songs!. The rendition of Summer Nights saved by Hilary Kelly, the Scottish President was not a classic. My excuse is I have been suffering with a cold for a few days and I’m sticking to it

Friday 30th November 2007 – got up feeling very sorry for myself. Cough and spluttered through my half hour speech before David drove us home on an horrendous 6 hour journey in lashing rain.

Spent the weekend in bed with a terrible cold although struggled into work on 3rd and 4th before flying up to Scotland for the benefits conference late afternoon with Julie meeting up with another Julie, Mrs Holden, the Senior Vice President who drove us to Crieff. Both Julie and I are full of colds hence the beauty of Scotland in December passed us by as we spend most of the time confined to the room snivelling and feeling generally unwell! albeit surfacing to give my paper, attend the gala dinner and as many of the papers as possible.

7th December 2007 – worked from home in preference to going to London and similarly spent most of the weekend holed up. I think it is time to put the red cross on the door !

I have cancelled all my IRRV activities this week commencing 10 December (I need to get better, doctors orders who says I shouldn’t be at work ) so will be combining working from home with a few important work meetings with a view that I can get rid of the sneezing and coughing.

Signing off one seemingly pathetic IRRV President

And some photographs from Scottish Benefits Conference!

2007-12-07T16:25:00.000-08:00

Bob gives his Presidential AddressWith Anne McGuire MP just before Ministerial Address A busy Conference Exhibition

Conference Christmas Gala Dinner

With David West of Capita

Dancing the night away

Part of Bob's Presidential Address at Scottish Benefits Conference

2007-12-07T16:00:00.000-08:00

Bob in Dumfries!

2007-12-01T12:59:00.000-08:00

Here's some photos from the Presidential visit to the Scottish Association last Thursday/Friday! And see Bob's singing skills on video (below) as he performs "Summer Nights" with Hillary Kelly, IRRV Scottish Association President.

Bob, Allan Traynor and David Magor at the infamous IRRV Dumfries Annual Chinese Karaoke!

Bob and Hillary!

Bob addresses the joint Scottish Association/Forum Meeting!

Presentation by Bob to last year's President Allan Traynor (and many thanks to Ed Parkhouse of Dumfries and Galloway Council for his music creation skills!)

Summer Nights!

2007-12-01T12:25:00.000-08:00

Monday 12 November – Wednesday 21 November 2007

2007-11-22T07:57:00.000-08:00

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!

2007-11-15T01:18:00.000-08:00

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

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

Quality video from Annual Conference!

2007-11-14T04:46:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-13T00:30:00.000-08:00

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!

2007-11-13T00:28:00.000-08:00

Monday 29 October – Monday 5 November 2007

2007-11-06T09:27:00.000-08:00

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 22 October – Sunday 28 October 2007

2007-10-29T12:39:00.000-07:00

A busy start to the week saw us entertain the local paparazzi at work with a number of the local papers covering our excellence in customer services award success.

Confused by a few references being made in corridors referring to me as a “President Bob”? It all comes clear why when I see the week’s edition of Opportunities. Never thought I’d become a cover boy featured on a double spread inside and whilst not quite Hello or OK, the coverage we have received of the Institute and its activities in recent weeks in the magazine has been fantastic and very positive.

On Wednesday afternoon, I undertook my second official engagement in Kettering where I gave a paper snappily entitled a “Magical Mystery Tour of Revenues and Benefits (slides on the East Midlands association website) ” to an audience including a number of students and members (note: I am pleased to say I double checked my flies were done up this time)

On Thursday, I spent the day in London with the Audit Commission, BACS, some other Local Authority Direct Debit champions discussing how we develop the work we have been undertaking over the last 12 months. Watch this space for further information.

Spent Friday catching up what I couldn’t deal with on the blackberry and getting my lecturing material run off in preparation for the Keele revision course we traditionally run for students preparing for our December exams.

Saturday – Took 10 students for a seven and a half hour whistle stop tour of Council Tax law. Thankful that the clocks went back an hour meaning going to bed at 2am was technically 1am having enjoyed an evening mixing with what is “the future of the Institute”. The important issues “Who got voted off the X Factor?”

Sunday – 4 students for the same tour but this time “Non Domestic Rates Law”. Finishing at 6.30pm and a quick dinner, our team of tutors and students came a credible 4th in the local pubs Sunday night quiz (thank goodness for the students). Retired to bed well before midnight (I’m getting too old for this) in preparation for today’s final session of Integrative Case Studies for the final year students.

Its been a really enjoyable few days getting the anorak out and getting into some legislation/caselaw and Gary Watson has again done a brilliant job ensuring the 4 day event has run smoothly.

Time to sign off, breakfast calls and the students are keen.

Thursday 11 October – Sunday 21 October 2007

2007-10-22T00:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog. Having taken over from Allan Traynor who started this craze I have taken up the challenge to continue with a weekly journal of my activities, both presidential and work.

Thursday 11 October – Sunday 21 October 2007

Taking over as President on the night and more importantly my team winning a Performance award and narrowly missing out on a second, meant it was one of the proudest days of my life (even if the David Brent dancing as part of the inauguration ceremony was on the dodgy side). No doubt, the video clip of the dancing and the one I did with some local school children will no doubt make the blog but hopefully not you-tube.

The night showcased the IRRV for what it is. We have worked hard in recent years to make these events fun, different and inclusive. Last week we achieved all this and more. I am bias but having attended a number of award dinners, none gets near ours. Who else could boast of a night that attracts over 900 people, an evening’s entertainment that had everyone out of their chair enjoying covers of Queen being played on bag pipes and tables full of the staff, not just the managers who deliver the best services in the country celebrating their success. The challenge is to make Manchester even better! (One for Caroline Hopkins, the new Head of Commercial Services who takes over this role)

The week at work (which has included 2 Sundays and a full Saturday to keep on top of things) has been very hectic. We hosted 2 visits from other Councils keen to learn from our successes, had a couple of meetings around the feasibility study we are undertaking into Shared Services with Coventry CC and across Warwickshire which we are due to report on in early December and a meeting with Community Transport providers.

On Thursday afternoon, I flew up to Scotland for my first official engagement in Grangemouth attending the 2 day Revenues Symposium. An incredible, 3 hours door-to- door journey and I caught the last speakers of the day. It was great to be able to acknowledge the achievements of Allan Traynor, the immediate past President at the evening meal attended by over 50 people. On Friday morning, I gave a paper on the future of Local Government Finance with a Scottish twist as the lead party, the SNP have set up a working party to prepare for introducing a Local Income Tax and abolish Council Tax. Plenty of food for thought and we await the soon to be issued consultation paper with interest. (note: I must remember to do up my flies next week for my second talk in Kettering on Wednesday 24th)

I bet you can’t wait for next week's exciting update, but wait you must !

Bob speaks in Scotland!

2007-10-20T13:12:00.001-07:00

As our new President, Bob has hit the ground running, already visiting Scotland to address the Annual IRRV Scottish Revenues Symposium. Bob spoke on the future of local government finance (see below).

Bob becomes President!

2007-10-13T13:38:00.000-07:00

OK, its not the most well taken video clip in the world ...! But it does give you an idea of the brilliant atmosphere in Brighton last Thursday as Bob became President of the Institute of Revenues, Rating & Valuation!