July thus far ...

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 ...

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

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!

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!

Bob in Belfast - 2

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

Some of the IRRV party on the Belfast Wheel

Latest Updates!

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

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

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!

The Group

Photo Five!

El Presidenti

Photo Four!

Chris Bloodworth and Tracey Crowe

Photo Three!

Dave Chapman

Photo Two!

Ian Ferguson

Photo One!

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

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 ...

Bob and Julie at the Cheshire IRRV Assocaition Dinner

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

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

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

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

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.