Monday, 17 September 2007

A very mixed day began with news from the 9th North Watford Scouts, who have received a letter informing them that the freehold of the land they occupy has transferred from Watford Borough Council to the new Watford Community Housing Trust. Why? And what does it augur? I mailed WBC to find out.

Then I had a long meeting with some key people from the Watford Disability Forum. This is one of CVS’s forums, but we are looking to raise its profile a little by finding a logo and revisiting its Terms of Reference. Forum members eventually agreed revised Terms of Reference and a new strapline: “opening the door to equality”. Sha-Lee will work on a new logo.

Then I reorganised our telephone tariff, talked with Herts County Council about Compact, and worked on proposals to create a new community arts venue in the centre of Watford.

Then Vanessa and I met to talk about trustee training, a county-wide trustees event, and PQASSO mentoring. PQASSO is a good QA system. But how on earth does it take five days training before the Charity Evaluation Service will authorise you to even talk to people about the standard? It will cost £1,000 each for Vanessa and I to qualify as PQASSO mentors. Do we really want to go through with it? After a long long talk, our answer is “yes”.

We are also trying to arrange / negotiate general voluntary and community access to training courses being run by WBC for Watford's five Community Centres. Obviously WBC want the five Community Centres to receive priority booking so it is suggested that other VCS groups receive just one weeks notice of any vacancies. And at 4:00 pm I am asked if I can fill six vacant places on a Trusteeship course starting at 6:00 pm. What a waste.