On the Stupid Table
Today was the great East of England consultation conference on Destination 2014, the draft strategic plan of CapacityBuilders (the quango set up to oversee the ChangeUp programme to improve voluntary sector infrastructure).
The plan has come in for widespread criticism, principally for being too close to government and for treading on the toes of established national groups such as NCVO and NAVCA. But CapacityBuilders deserve some credit for raising issues, and they do seem genuinely content to revise their draft plan.
So much better than the EU. I once attended a "consultation" event in Brussels to be told by someone from the European Commission that our job was to "sit and listen" and that nothing we said would lead to the proposals being revised and if we didn't like it, he suggested, "you can write to your local newspaper". He also said that if the European Parliament didn't accept the proposals, they would be resubmitted to Parliament "time and again" until they did. Ever since I have held a deep suspicion of the EU and of "consultations" in general.
So today I had fairly low expectations as I went to learn more about what is in store and to put in my two pennyworth. The event was held at Newmarket racecourse. Very plush. There were about 90 people attending divided between nine tables. After hearing introductory speeches, each table was asked to talk through some of the issues raised.
I am not sure who was responsible for the seating arrangements, but I will have to ask questions: due to some administrative cock-up, I was unfortunately put on the Stupid Table. There were people on my table who had not the slightest idea what “infrastructure” meant, people who thought that all voluntary groups by definition were infrastructure organisations, people who thought that private sector companies should be part of voluntary sector infrastructure. How did they get into the conference? What were they doing there?
Also at the conference were plenty of good intelligent people. At the coffee breaks I got to hang out with the cool kids and I did manage to have some useful exchanges.
Thankfully, there were one or two others who had also been misallocated to the Stupid Table. We were very discrete about it; we accepted out misfortune stoically and made a fair fist of things although it was very very hard work. But from the other tables, we heard the laughter and the animated discussions, and we all knew.
Home again
I arrived home about 5:00 pm and then worked through to about 8:00 pm trying to produce a first draft budget for 2007-08. I think I succeeded.
Meanwhile, Jackie had finished washing our quilt. It is absolutely beautiful and measures eight feet by eight feet; Jackie designed and hand-sewed it herself. It contains 2,500 hexagons held together with 200,000 stitches and it took Jackie a year to make. And something went badly wrong in the washing process. A disaster. Over the weekend, we will conduct a solemn post mortem to see if it can be saved.
Wednesday, 28 February 2007
Saud will soon be our new Connexions Personal Advisor. This morning I finally agreed a start date with him after waiting more than six months for his disclosure form the Criminal Records Bureau. Six months! Thank goodness he wasn't going to be doing anything important like supporting disadvantaged Muslim youth through their schooling.
Later in the morning, I installed the Volbase client on my PC and started looking at the data sets and configuration options, responded to some queries raised by our members, and met with Steve from the Watford Credit Union who will soon be our new neighbours.
In the evening I attended an excellent and thought provoking presentation on Watford's economic, social and envionmental performance. The statistics were a little bit "Heath Robinson" in places, but were telling nonetheless: poor health, pockets of deprivation, culturally diverse, many affinities with outer London boroughs.
Most worryingly, the statistics suggested that Watford is missing out on the Knowledge Economy burgeoning all around it.
Reading - I know you're interested
I completed reading my 1940 collection of British Political speeches and essays and then tackled Jon Ronson's Them (a rather unsatisfactory exploration of "extremists" throughout the world).
I quickly followed this with And Another Thing by Jeremy Clarkson - I suspect that a large proportion of his books are bought by people buying them as presents. And I am now reading the much more satisfactory Prize of all the Oceans by Glyn Williams - a seriously good account of Commodore Anson's extraordinary 1740 voyage around the world.
Later in the morning, I installed the Volbase client on my PC and started looking at the data sets and configuration options, responded to some queries raised by our members, and met with Steve from the Watford Credit Union who will soon be our new neighbours.
In the evening I attended an excellent and thought provoking presentation on Watford's economic, social and envionmental performance. The statistics were a little bit "Heath Robinson" in places, but were telling nonetheless: poor health, pockets of deprivation, culturally diverse, many affinities with outer London boroughs.
Most worryingly, the statistics suggested that Watford is missing out on the Knowledge Economy burgeoning all around it.
Reading - I know you're interested
I completed reading my 1940 collection of British Political speeches and essays and then tackled Jon Ronson's Them (a rather unsatisfactory exploration of "extremists" throughout the world).
I quickly followed this with And Another Thing by Jeremy Clarkson - I suspect that a large proportion of his books are bought by people buying them as presents. And I am now reading the much more satisfactory Prize of all the Oceans by Glyn Williams - a seriously good account of Commodore Anson's extraordinary 1740 voyage around the world.
Tuesday, 27 February 2008
The early morning rain cleared and this morning's journey was ok. I spent most of the day beginning to tackle the ever-growing mountain of work with fast-approaching deadlines.
In between this, I managed to organise some updates to our website, get some technical corrections made to the website, and discuss some more major IT changes for the future.
Meeting with Sarah
Sarah is the senior Grants Officer at WBC and we had another very helpful meeting this afternoon to talk through the many things that are currently happening.
The biggest issues right now are the Compact and a cluster of issues that fall broadly under the umbrella of "community development".
Convenience or tyranny?
I received our latest "server usage report" which tells me that in four weeks I have received 800 e-mails and written 270. Projected over a year, that is about 10,000 incoming e-mails and more than 3,000 outgoing e-mails. Why?
How do you solve a problem like Maria?
The worst news today is that our volunteer Maria is leaving us having got herself a permanent job.
Over the past few months I have ruthlessly exploited Maria's skills and good nature. She has been a wonderful boon to WCVS and we will all miss her terribly.
In between this, I managed to organise some updates to our website, get some technical corrections made to the website, and discuss some more major IT changes for the future.
Meeting with Sarah
Sarah is the senior Grants Officer at WBC and we had another very helpful meeting this afternoon to talk through the many things that are currently happening.
The biggest issues right now are the Compact and a cluster of issues that fall broadly under the umbrella of "community development".
Convenience or tyranny?
I received our latest "server usage report" which tells me that in four weeks I have received 800 e-mails and written 270. Projected over a year, that is about 10,000 incoming e-mails and more than 3,000 outgoing e-mails. Why?
How do you solve a problem like Maria?
The worst news today is that our volunteer Maria is leaving us having got herself a permanent job.
Over the past few months I have ruthlessly exploited Maria's skills and good nature. She has been a wonderful boon to WCVS and we will all miss her terribly.
Monday, 26 February 2007
Looming deadlines and Work-Life Balance
I am conscious that I have been taking things pretty easy for the past fortnight or so. Not banker’s-son’s-hours easy, but I have made some progress toward correcting “work-life imbalance” and I’ve restricted my working hours to no more than 45 hours a week. And now some key deadlines are looming ominously on the horizon.
Within the next few weeks I need to:
- finalise proposals for our 2007-08 budget;
- prepare recommendations for revitalising the Watford Compact;
- finalise our 2007-08 members pack;
- finalise our 2007-2010 Service Level Agreement with WBC;
- launch a new local forum;
- plan and timetable the 2006-07 audit;
- draft new financial regulations;
- begin the implementation Volbase.
Each of these tasks fills me with a certain amount of foreboding. Each would be a major task on its own. But to accomplish all within the next four weeks?
Delegate to who? Vanessa (Development and Training) has already taken on the task of drafting WCVS’s Risk Assessment. And Vanessa and Anne (Funding Advisor) are taking the lead in pulling together our second stage bid to Basis. And Sue (Office Services) is moving our bank acocunts to CAF Bank and drafting new financial procedures and systems. And Helen (Volunteer Centre) is taking an increasingly important role in relation to volunteering and the Local Strategic Plan.
In the short-term, I only know two answers to this problem: one is work and the other is failure. I know which I prefer.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times …
At its best, the voluntary sector is a thing of breath-taking simplicity and beauty: exhilarating, collaborative, dynamic, open, practical, go-getting, goal-orientated, never-say-die, innovative, creative, ever-giving, cool, fizzing, etc etc.
But at its worst? At its very worst? Let’s be honest: it can be confrontational, parochial, selfish, secretive, conspiratorial, cultish, exasperating, delusional, disappointing, under-achieving, short-sighted, narrow-minded, ego-centric, status-obsessed, procedure-bound and downright pig-headed.
My job is to promote and strengthen the voluntary sector. I will not fight the voluntary sector’s corner come-what-may and I will not defend the indefensible.
Today, I have seen several aspects of the dark side of the voluntary sector. It is not edifying.
Everyone knows this to be the case. But sometimes it needs to be said. And now I’ve said it.
Sunflower
On a more positive note, this morning I had a very good meeting about the Sunflower Project with Alan Gough (Watford Borough Council) and Jeremy Alford (West Herts Police). Jeremy reported that as a result of the December meeting (hosted by WCVS), the Probation Service are contributing to the Sunflower Centres, and Dacorum District Council have decided to continue their funding.
This is excellent news. But we were all keenly aware that we now need to move forward and establish the Centres at the heart of the co-ordinated local response to Domestic Violence and Hate Crime. This will need further work.
I am conscious that I have been taking things pretty easy for the past fortnight or so. Not banker’s-son’s-hours easy, but I have made some progress toward correcting “work-life imbalance” and I’ve restricted my working hours to no more than 45 hours a week. And now some key deadlines are looming ominously on the horizon.
Within the next few weeks I need to:
- finalise proposals for our 2007-08 budget;
- prepare recommendations for revitalising the Watford Compact;
- finalise our 2007-08 members pack;
- finalise our 2007-2010 Service Level Agreement with WBC;
- launch a new local forum;
- plan and timetable the 2006-07 audit;
- draft new financial regulations;
- begin the implementation Volbase.
Each of these tasks fills me with a certain amount of foreboding. Each would be a major task on its own. But to accomplish all within the next four weeks?
Delegate to who? Vanessa (Development and Training) has already taken on the task of drafting WCVS’s Risk Assessment. And Vanessa and Anne (Funding Advisor) are taking the lead in pulling together our second stage bid to Basis. And Sue (Office Services) is moving our bank acocunts to CAF Bank and drafting new financial procedures and systems. And Helen (Volunteer Centre) is taking an increasingly important role in relation to volunteering and the Local Strategic Plan.
In the short-term, I only know two answers to this problem: one is work and the other is failure. I know which I prefer.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times …
At its best, the voluntary sector is a thing of breath-taking simplicity and beauty: exhilarating, collaborative, dynamic, open, practical, go-getting, goal-orientated, never-say-die, innovative, creative, ever-giving, cool, fizzing, etc etc.
But at its worst? At its very worst? Let’s be honest: it can be confrontational, parochial, selfish, secretive, conspiratorial, cultish, exasperating, delusional, disappointing, under-achieving, short-sighted, narrow-minded, ego-centric, status-obsessed, procedure-bound and downright pig-headed.
My job is to promote and strengthen the voluntary sector. I will not fight the voluntary sector’s corner come-what-may and I will not defend the indefensible.
Today, I have seen several aspects of the dark side of the voluntary sector. It is not edifying.
Everyone knows this to be the case. But sometimes it needs to be said. And now I’ve said it.
Sunflower
On a more positive note, this morning I had a very good meeting about the Sunflower Project with Alan Gough (Watford Borough Council) and Jeremy Alford (West Herts Police). Jeremy reported that as a result of the December meeting (hosted by WCVS), the Probation Service are contributing to the Sunflower Centres, and Dacorum District Council have decided to continue their funding.
This is excellent news. But we were all keenly aware that we now need to move forward and establish the Centres at the heart of the co-ordinated local response to Domestic Violence and Hate Crime. This will need further work.
Sunday, 25 February 2007
Budget realities
This morning I resumed work on WCVS’s 2007-08 budget. When I started this exercise back in the autumn, things did not look good. To be truthful, they looked pretty bad.
Since that time, we have agreed a contract with Connexions and we have had some good news from the Big Lottery and Watford Borough Council have confirmed their funding for three further years. So things are looking far, far better.
But despite these three major successes, things are still Not Good Enough. So today I carefully examined the three most vulnerable expense areas: investment in IT, staff training, and salary costs.
For any organisation, these are absolutely critical areas of future investment. But when expenditure exceeds income, what else can you do? There is always a fine line to be drawn between optimism and pessimism, between hope and fear, and between the present and the future.
This morning I resumed work on WCVS’s 2007-08 budget. When I started this exercise back in the autumn, things did not look good. To be truthful, they looked pretty bad.
Since that time, we have agreed a contract with Connexions and we have had some good news from the Big Lottery and Watford Borough Council have confirmed their funding for three further years. So things are looking far, far better.
But despite these three major successes, things are still Not Good Enough. So today I carefully examined the three most vulnerable expense areas: investment in IT, staff training, and salary costs.
For any organisation, these are absolutely critical areas of future investment. But when expenditure exceeds income, what else can you do? There is always a fine line to be drawn between optimism and pessimism, between hope and fear, and between the present and the future.
Saturday, 24 February 2007
Today comprised a great shopping expedition and a visit to the library. What an exciting life I lead.
Friday, 23 February 2007
After spending 2-3 hours on WCVS business, I left home about 11:00 am to spend the rest of the day with my Mum sorting out more of Dad’s books. We collected together a shelf of his own writings divided between poetry, children’s stories, technical studies on libraries and librarianship (including translations into Japanese and Hungarian), local history and family history.
Despite his atheist beliefs, Dad had a great passion for church architecture, and his book collection on this was donated to St Ethelreda’s in Hatfield, books on the agrarian revolution went to the Mill Green museum in Hatfield, and film star biographies will be offered to the Palace Theatre in Watford. The rest will mostly go to charity shops.
The highlight of the day was discovering a first edition of Winnie-the-Pooh. Sadly it was not in good condition – some water damage, one torn page, and my sister Caroline has drawn on many pages with a thick blue crayon. Pure vandalism, but I don’t suppose she was old enough to know better and Dad wouldn’t have minded very much.
In the evening, Jackie and I relaxed with a curry and a bottle of wine.
Despite his atheist beliefs, Dad had a great passion for church architecture, and his book collection on this was donated to St Ethelreda’s in Hatfield, books on the agrarian revolution went to the Mill Green museum in Hatfield, and film star biographies will be offered to the Palace Theatre in Watford. The rest will mostly go to charity shops.
The highlight of the day was discovering a first edition of Winnie-the-Pooh. Sadly it was not in good condition – some water damage, one torn page, and my sister Caroline has drawn on many pages with a thick blue crayon. Pure vandalism, but I don’t suppose she was old enough to know better and Dad wouldn’t have minded very much.
In the evening, Jackie and I relaxed with a curry and a bottle of wine.
Thursday, 22 February 2007
This morning, I spent lots of time with Helen - our Volunteer Centre co-ordinator. We talked through several projects Helen is engaged in, and how the VC services are organised.
In the afternoon, I met with Vanessa (our Development and Training Worker) to discuss several projects, including the possibility of her engaging in the Charity Evaluation Service's project to create Outcomes Super-Champions. The Charities Evaluation Service are an excellent body, but this is a classic example of the agenda being set by funding availability.
After talking through the options, Vanessa and I agreed that this is a project too far. The project requires that participants deliver fifteen two-day training events on "Outcomes". We might fill one or two events, but otherwise the demand for this training simply doesn't exist. We reluctantly turned down the invitation.
In the afternoon, I met with Vanessa (our Development and Training Worker) to discuss several projects, including the possibility of her engaging in the Charity Evaluation Service's project to create Outcomes Super-Champions. The Charities Evaluation Service are an excellent body, but this is a classic example of the agenda being set by funding availability.
After talking through the options, Vanessa and I agreed that this is a project too far. The project requires that participants deliver fifteen two-day training events on "Outcomes". We might fill one or two events, but otherwise the demand for this training simply doesn't exist. We reluctantly turned down the invitation.
Wednesday, 21 February 2007
CapacityBuilders
Today was all about ChangeUp funding for Hertfordshire. I drove to Hitchin to collect Jacquie from North Herts CVS and the two of us headed off to Great Chesterford and the offices of COVER (Community and Voluntary Forum for the Easter Region).
COVER were hosting a meeting of all county Infrastructure Consortia to discuss how the latest tranche of ChangeUp funding should be distributed, and how it should be used.
The end result was a near unanimous decisions that the £672k should be divided evenly between the six counties and the one region. We will then each need to produce a strategic plan showing how the Infrastructure Consortia will respond to CapacityBuilders' Strategic Plan "Destination 2014".
We had a very useful presentation from CapacityBuilders explaning their retionale for how the money should be used. Three points struck me.
First, it was very useful comparing notes with other infrastructure bodies from around the Eastern region: there are so many different ways of skinnign a rabbit.
Secondly, it is much more civilised and effective for a funder to allocate money regionally, and then ask the key local voluntary bodies to advise on priorities. Contrast this to the weeks and weeks of effort that have been expended on producing competing bids to The Big Lottery fund.
Thirdly, CapacityBuilders are putting much pressure on the voluntary and community to engage with statutory sector planning forums etc. But what happens if the statutory sector planning forums exclude or marginalise the voluntary sector, as many do? Who puts pressure on them?
Today was all about ChangeUp funding for Hertfordshire. I drove to Hitchin to collect Jacquie from North Herts CVS and the two of us headed off to Great Chesterford and the offices of COVER (Community and Voluntary Forum for the Easter Region).
COVER were hosting a meeting of all county Infrastructure Consortia to discuss how the latest tranche of ChangeUp funding should be distributed, and how it should be used.
The end result was a near unanimous decisions that the £672k should be divided evenly between the six counties and the one region. We will then each need to produce a strategic plan showing how the Infrastructure Consortia will respond to CapacityBuilders' Strategic Plan "Destination 2014".
We had a very useful presentation from CapacityBuilders explaning their retionale for how the money should be used. Three points struck me.
First, it was very useful comparing notes with other infrastructure bodies from around the Eastern region: there are so many different ways of skinnign a rabbit.
Secondly, it is much more civilised and effective for a funder to allocate money regionally, and then ask the key local voluntary bodies to advise on priorities. Contrast this to the weeks and weeks of effort that have been expended on producing competing bids to The Big Lottery fund.
Thirdly, CapacityBuilders are putting much pressure on the voluntary and community to engage with statutory sector planning forums etc. But what happens if the statutory sector planning forums exclude or marginalise the voluntary sector, as many do? Who puts pressure on them?
Tuesday, 20 February 2007
Non-competitive fundraising
This morning I met with Vanessa (Development and Training Officer) and Anne (Funding Advisor) to discuss a timetable etc for our second stage "bid" for BASIS funding from The Big Lottery.
We have got through the first "competitive" round in which our bid competed with other bids from our "sister" organisations. This is a particularly savage process; it is wasteful of resources and can be thoroughly destructive.
Anyway, we are now moving on to the "non-competetive" stage, when we need to reach planning and management standards set by The Big Lottery. This is a different type of pressure. We are pretty confident that our systems etc are all in place and things should run smoothly.
It is still a huge amount of work and we need to follow guidance and our BASIS grants officer has left and we need to identify a new point of contact to raise queries.
Website redesign
Our website has been slightly redesigned so the Home Page now shows both News items and forthcoming Events.
WBC Cabinet Meeting
In the evening, I gave a short presentation to Watford Borough Council's "cabinet" of senior councillors. They impressed me very much as people who were trying to "do their bit" to make their community a better place.
My presentation identified four areas where WCVS and WBC can work together:
- collaborating on the Local Strategic Plan and the Local Area Agreement;
- revamping the Compact and improving funding arrangements;
- improving Community Development;
- addressing Community Cohesion issues.
I was pleased to find that I was pushing at an open door and that WBC are keen to work collaboratively on these areas. We agreed to meet again shortly to agree Action points on each of the four areas I had identified.
This is very straightforward and is obvious mutual benefit. But throughout the country, and indeed within Hertfordshire, there are other local authorities in which relations with the local CVS are strained and unproductive. How hard can it be to talk?
This morning I met with Vanessa (Development and Training Officer) and Anne (Funding Advisor) to discuss a timetable etc for our second stage "bid" for BASIS funding from The Big Lottery.
We have got through the first "competitive" round in which our bid competed with other bids from our "sister" organisations. This is a particularly savage process; it is wasteful of resources and can be thoroughly destructive.
Anyway, we are now moving on to the "non-competetive" stage, when we need to reach planning and management standards set by The Big Lottery. This is a different type of pressure. We are pretty confident that our systems etc are all in place and things should run smoothly.
It is still a huge amount of work and we need to follow guidance and our BASIS grants officer has left and we need to identify a new point of contact to raise queries.
Website redesign
Our website has been slightly redesigned so the Home Page now shows both News items and forthcoming Events.
WBC Cabinet Meeting
In the evening, I gave a short presentation to Watford Borough Council's "cabinet" of senior councillors. They impressed me very much as people who were trying to "do their bit" to make their community a better place.
My presentation identified four areas where WCVS and WBC can work together:
- collaborating on the Local Strategic Plan and the Local Area Agreement;
- revamping the Compact and improving funding arrangements;
- improving Community Development;
- addressing Community Cohesion issues.
I was pleased to find that I was pushing at an open door and that WBC are keen to work collaboratively on these areas. We agreed to meet again shortly to agree Action points on each of the four areas I had identified.
This is very straightforward and is obvious mutual benefit. But throughout the country, and indeed within Hertfordshire, there are other local authorities in which relations with the local CVS are strained and unproductive. How hard can it be to talk?
Monday, 19 February 2007
Too innocent
The office was bustling this morning with Helen (Volunteer Centre co-ordinator) delivering another workshop for potential volunteers. Vanessa was off delivering some Trustees' training - part of our joint programme with Three Rivers CVS.
The morning's mail brought news that the regional Compact event scheduled for 5 March has been cancelled - apparently due to lack of interest. I found this rather disappointing. Maybe at just 45 I am still too innocent and optimistic and not yet sufficiently cynical. I must try harder.
A helpful conversation
At lunchtime, I met with Sarah Pinnock (WBC's Senior Grants Officer). There seemed to be an awful lot on which we had to update each other. And we last met less than two weeks ago!
The biggest items up for discussion were the LAA targets, the review of the Watford Compact, WBC funding decisions, community development, nad accommodation. But we also managed to touch on a large number of other issues.
Hot water
Safely back home, I found a final demand from a Debt Recovery company for Road Tax on a car I disposed of last summer. Of course I had notified DVLA but I had never received confirmation. I later got a reminder and spoke to DVLA on the telephone, but again I never got written confirmation. This was my mistake, assuming that DVLA employed competent and honest people - it seems they can't afford them. Even though I can still prove I disposed of the vehicle last summer, I still have to pay an £80 penalty. "Can't you check you're records to see the correspondence?" I asked.
"No."
"Then how do you know I didn't notify you?"
"If you had, we wouldn't issue a penalty notice, would we?"
You can't argue with logic like that. Especially not when DVLA's "Customer Relations" person then simply hung up on me after a final heart-felt: "yeah, yeah, we'll look into it".
I was cross. Should I just put it all down to experience? By writing a note to myself that the DVLA employs dishonest uncaring morons whose main purpose is to get as much of your money as possible? Do I really just want to put that down "to experience"?
But at least our gas leak was fixed so we had central heating and hot water - and didn't we make the most of it.
The office was bustling this morning with Helen (Volunteer Centre co-ordinator) delivering another workshop for potential volunteers. Vanessa was off delivering some Trustees' training - part of our joint programme with Three Rivers CVS.
The morning's mail brought news that the regional Compact event scheduled for 5 March has been cancelled - apparently due to lack of interest. I found this rather disappointing. Maybe at just 45 I am still too innocent and optimistic and not yet sufficiently cynical. I must try harder.
A helpful conversation
At lunchtime, I met with Sarah Pinnock (WBC's Senior Grants Officer). There seemed to be an awful lot on which we had to update each other. And we last met less than two weeks ago!
The biggest items up for discussion were the LAA targets, the review of the Watford Compact, WBC funding decisions, community development, nad accommodation. But we also managed to touch on a large number of other issues.
Hot water
Safely back home, I found a final demand from a Debt Recovery company for Road Tax on a car I disposed of last summer. Of course I had notified DVLA but I had never received confirmation. I later got a reminder and spoke to DVLA on the telephone, but again I never got written confirmation. This was my mistake, assuming that DVLA employed competent and honest people - it seems they can't afford them. Even though I can still prove I disposed of the vehicle last summer, I still have to pay an £80 penalty. "Can't you check you're records to see the correspondence?" I asked.
"No."
"Then how do you know I didn't notify you?"
"If you had, we wouldn't issue a penalty notice, would we?"
You can't argue with logic like that. Especially not when DVLA's "Customer Relations" person then simply hung up on me after a final heart-felt: "yeah, yeah, we'll look into it".
I was cross. Should I just put it all down to experience? By writing a note to myself that the DVLA employs dishonest uncaring morons whose main purpose is to get as much of your money as possible? Do I really just want to put that down "to experience"?
But at least our gas leak was fixed so we had central heating and hot water - and didn't we make the most of it.
Sunday, 18 February 2007
In the morning, I retired to my little cold study preparing a presentation for Tuesday evening. I will be giving a short presentation to Watford's mayor and senior councillors on WCVS's role and our plans for the coming few years.
In the afternoon, Jackie and I visited my Mum. Partly just to visit and see she is ok. But partly to experience again the joys of hot running water and to get nice and clean.
In the afternoon, Jackie and I visited my Mum. Partly just to visit and see she is ok. But partly to experience again the joys of hot running water and to get nice and clean.
Saturday, 17 February 2007
Today I took the first tentative steps toward getting our garden sorted out for the summer. I cleared away the blown-down fence and cut back some firs that were in danger of getting out of control.
There is nothing so relaxing as a hot bath (especially after a day in the garden) and I do not enjoy cold showers. So being without hot water was very unpleasant. But the absence of central heating was only a minor inconvenience. In the evening, we felt very virtuous wrapped up against the cold and making only a tiny(-ish) carbon footprint.
There is nothing so relaxing as a hot bath (especially after a day in the garden) and I do not enjoy cold showers. So being without hot water was very unpleasant. But the absence of central heating was only a minor inconvenience. In the evening, we felt very virtuous wrapped up against the cold and making only a tiny(-ish) carbon footprint.
Friday, 16 February 2007
Most of today was simply a rapid succession of meetings and discussions:
- Roger (Millennium Volunteers) and Helen (Volunteer Centre) on a possible joint project;
- Maria (volunteer) about the Watford Observer;
- Laura (Watford Voluntary Transport Office) on funding and insurance;
- Priti (bookkeeper) on invoicing;
- Anne (funding advisor) on the Big Lottery;
- Sha-Lee (information worker) on data collection;
- Helen (volunteer Centre co-ordinator) on LAA targets;
- Vanessa (development worker) on the Safer Watford conference;
- Des and Farzana (Connexions) for a general review.
These meetings took me right up to 4:00 am. Between meetings I managed to deal with thirty incoming and fifteen outgoing e-mails, and take perhaps half a dozen telephone calls. I needed to lie down for a bit. Fortunately it was Friday and I got to leave the office at 5:00.
I arrived home to find that we had suffered a gas leak and there would be no heating or hot water all weekend.
Thursday, 15 February 2007
The journey in this morning was lovely; forty minutes only. The traffic has been good all week. I remarked on this to a Sue, who told me it was because of the schools' half-term; I had no idea so many children could drive.
Trust me, I’m a trustee
I enjoyed reading an article that our wonderful volunteer Maria had managed to have carried in The Watford Free. I’d seen the article on plain A4 paper, but everything looks so much better in newsprint. We managed to get a full page article featuring our trustee Ian Stageman promoting the need for more trustees in Watford. Wonderful stuff.
Everyone for themself
After just a day away from my desk and I had seventy e-mails to deal with - even after deleting thirty or so spam mails.
Quite a few mails were related to complaints that other CVSs in Hertfordshire have registered with the Big Lottery about their decisions on the Basis programme. I understand the frustration these decisions have engendered. The whole process has been fraught with difficulties and stress: it certainly seems that some wrong messages were given by the Big Lottery at some of their briefings. And there are some serious questions to ask of the Lottery, and of ourselves, about strategy and approach.
It seems that every CVS has written off to seek clarification of its own position, to fight its own corner and to complain about the rejection of its own bid. I understand this. People are fighting for their communities, and in some cases their jobs. The Big Lottery has not managed the process well and this has exacerbated tensions.
Would Watford CVS have acted differently? Yes. We would have wanted Herts CVSs to act together, exchange views and experiences, and reach a common agreed position. We would have wanted this position to be communicated to the Lottery Board in an agreed letter. We would have wanted to consider if Herts CVSs had any lessons to learn and if Herts CVSs should approach future funding rounds in a different way.
Disjointed action can send out the worst possible messages to our funders and criticising successful bids helps no-one. I fear the impression being given is of headless chickens who are easily cowed, easily divided and easily dominated.
Odds and ends
I had some helpful telephone conversations following up Tuesday’s One Watford meeting. I talked to Sue about getting our bank accounts moved to CAFbank. I talked to our accountants to try and get some Opening Balance queries resolved. I talked to Angelo about using an on-line database to meet some of our IT data collection needs. I talked to Laura about insurance arrangements for drivers on our volunteer transport scheme.
Community cohesion
At 4:30 pm I met with representative of the Indian Association, the African Caribbean Association, the Multi-Cultural Community Centre and the West Watford Community Centre. We had a very useful talk through some common problems and issues and reached some solid agreements on how to move forward together. I have great hopes for the future.
Trust me, I’m a trustee
I enjoyed reading an article that our wonderful volunteer Maria had managed to have carried in The Watford Free. I’d seen the article on plain A4 paper, but everything looks so much better in newsprint. We managed to get a full page article featuring our trustee Ian Stageman promoting the need for more trustees in Watford. Wonderful stuff.
Everyone for themself
After just a day away from my desk and I had seventy e-mails to deal with - even after deleting thirty or so spam mails.
Quite a few mails were related to complaints that other CVSs in Hertfordshire have registered with the Big Lottery about their decisions on the Basis programme. I understand the frustration these decisions have engendered. The whole process has been fraught with difficulties and stress: it certainly seems that some wrong messages were given by the Big Lottery at some of their briefings. And there are some serious questions to ask of the Lottery, and of ourselves, about strategy and approach.
It seems that every CVS has written off to seek clarification of its own position, to fight its own corner and to complain about the rejection of its own bid. I understand this. People are fighting for their communities, and in some cases their jobs. The Big Lottery has not managed the process well and this has exacerbated tensions.
Would Watford CVS have acted differently? Yes. We would have wanted Herts CVSs to act together, exchange views and experiences, and reach a common agreed position. We would have wanted this position to be communicated to the Lottery Board in an agreed letter. We would have wanted to consider if Herts CVSs had any lessons to learn and if Herts CVSs should approach future funding rounds in a different way.
Disjointed action can send out the worst possible messages to our funders and criticising successful bids helps no-one. I fear the impression being given is of headless chickens who are easily cowed, easily divided and easily dominated.
Odds and ends
I had some helpful telephone conversations following up Tuesday’s One Watford meeting. I talked to Sue about getting our bank accounts moved to CAFbank. I talked to our accountants to try and get some Opening Balance queries resolved. I talked to Angelo about using an on-line database to meet some of our IT data collection needs. I talked to Laura about insurance arrangements for drivers on our volunteer transport scheme.
Community cohesion
At 4:30 pm I met with representative of the Indian Association, the African Caribbean Association, the Multi-Cultural Community Centre and the West Watford Community Centre. We had a very useful talk through some common problems and issues and reached some solid agreements on how to move forward together. I have great hopes for the future.
Wednesday, 14 February 2007
A day in and a night out
It is hugely useful to spend the odd day working at home. Today I made a few telephone calls and caught up on paperwork. Most significantly I completed the minutes of recent meetings of the Executive Committee and Voluntary Sector Alliance.
In the evening, Jackie and I went to the Green Room in WGC to see Ian Dury’s old band The Blockheads. I still can't understand how it is possible to see such amazing talent in local venues with a capacity of less than 200. What a treat: the Blockheads were simply fabulous and played for two hours non-stop. Such great songs, beautifully constructed. Chaz Jankel was just sublime. I could go on.
It is hugely useful to spend the odd day working at home. Today I made a few telephone calls and caught up on paperwork. Most significantly I completed the minutes of recent meetings of the Executive Committee and Voluntary Sector Alliance.
In the evening, Jackie and I went to the Green Room in WGC to see Ian Dury’s old band The Blockheads. I still can't understand how it is possible to see such amazing talent in local venues with a capacity of less than 200. What a treat: the Blockheads were simply fabulous and played for two hours non-stop. Such great songs, beautifully constructed. Chaz Jankel was just sublime. I could go on.
Tuesday, 13 February 2007
Connexions and the Common Assessment Framework
I arrived at the office early and had a final few discussions before the LSP meeting.
At 10:00 I met with Louise and Des and Farzana to discuss our Connexions contract. It was a very productive meeting and lots of things were clarified. Hertfordshire Connexions are piloting the Common Assessment Framework for 13-19 year-olds. This seems to be a national initiative to stop professionals asking 13-19 year-olds the same questions over and over again. Instead, they will only be asked once by one professional. I know what you’re thinking: more new technology … answers held on a master database … shared access … data protection … police computer state … But on this occasion: no. I am told that the answers will be recorded only on paper, and then sent to a central location for filing. So how will the answers be shared? Have I missed something?
Meanwhile, we have still not got clearance form the Criminal Records Bureau to employ Saud. It has now been over six months. He has got clearance to work for a local school so there is nothing sinister in his profile. It appears to be sheer bureaucratic incompetence.
One Watford – many questions
Helen and I left for the One Watford meeting at Vicarage Road, home of Watford FC. One Watford is the name of the group that oversees Watford’s Local Strategic Plan. The group is chaired by Mayor Dorothy Thornhill and apart from myself includes WBC’s CEO, the head of the local Chamber of Commerce, and senior representatives from Herts County Council, the Town Centre partnership, Watford Enterprise Agency, Watford Football Club, the Watford Observer, the Health Service, the Children’s Trust and others.
The “Guest Car Park” is as far as it’s possible to get from the Elton John Suite without actually being in a different county. Helen carried her box of promotional materials all the way, brushing aside my genuine (but not very forceful) offers of help.
The meeting itself went very well. Helen made some useful contacts and our presentation went well: we explained the LAA targets, lauded the voluntary sector, promoted the Volunteer Centres, all with Helen positively exuding professionalism. We were very well received and the presentation was followed by a lively debate. It’s difficult to see how it could have gone much better.
But there is a stumbling block.
Targets targets
A year into the LAA we are still struggling to identify baselines and targets. One LAA target agreed with the Government is for Hertfordshire to “increase volunteering”. So Hertfordshire conducted a MORI survey in June 2006 interviewing about 1,000 people across Hertfordshire and found that 14% of adults currently volunteer for two or more hours a week. The target agreed with the Government is that this should be increased to 17%. If the county achieves the target, it will earn a “reward” of £2.5m from central government. Deceptively simple.
The fact is that the targets have to be delivered at local level, within individual Districts and Boroughs. And here, the picture isn’t simple at all. There isn’t an even picture across Hertfordshire: some areas produced a baseline volunteering rate of 19% and others produced a rate as low as 6%.
And none of these rates had any statistical significance at all because the MORI survey was only designed to give any confidence across the county as a whole. And then the Government decided that the survey wasn’t even sufficient to give confidence across the county as a whole and more work was required. So there was a second “top up” survey of a further 500 people across the county. This reduced the volunteering baseline from 14% to 12%. And this has reduced the county-wide volunteering target from 17% to 15%.
But Watford’s own notional “baseline” was unaffected by the top-up survey and stayed at 6%. So is our target now 15%? Or is it 6% multiplied by 15/12? Or is it something else entirely?
The answer could be worth £2.5m to the county. But a year into the LAA, no-one can tell us the answer.
Doubtless this is something that will be addressed should Hertfordshire win “pathfinder” status for two-tier local government.
More on targets
A second presentation highlighted the problem with targets: it appears that the police operate under so many measures and targets that their effectiveness and efficiency is significantly impaired. And the measures and targets reveal little about the true efficiency and effectiveness of the police force. The story is the same in the Health Service and elsewhere. There is an obsession with counting things. This is unhelpful. And unhealthy. And very often suffers from the (nearly always fatal) flaw of being Not Thought Through.
Networking
As the meeting broke up, I had a brief talk with Jenny Tomley of John Lewis, who I still hope to lure onto our trustee body. I spoke at more length with Yasmin (from the Hertfordshire Police Authority) about the future of the Watford Sunflower Centre. We updated each other on recent discussions and developments and talked about potential future difficulties. This was very helpful.
Audentior awards
Back at the office, I finalised the WCVS’s nominations for Watford’s 2007 Audentior Awards. I have consulted with my staff and trustees, and with many individuals. I suspect that some of the nominations may be a little controversial but you can’t keep everyone happy and they are only nominations. I am sure WBC will make the right decisions.
I left the office about 8:00 pm. Jackie welcomed me home with dinner and a big hug. How lucky am I?
I arrived at the office early and had a final few discussions before the LSP meeting.
At 10:00 I met with Louise and Des and Farzana to discuss our Connexions contract. It was a very productive meeting and lots of things were clarified. Hertfordshire Connexions are piloting the Common Assessment Framework for 13-19 year-olds. This seems to be a national initiative to stop professionals asking 13-19 year-olds the same questions over and over again. Instead, they will only be asked once by one professional. I know what you’re thinking: more new technology … answers held on a master database … shared access … data protection … police computer state … But on this occasion: no. I am told that the answers will be recorded only on paper, and then sent to a central location for filing. So how will the answers be shared? Have I missed something?
Meanwhile, we have still not got clearance form the Criminal Records Bureau to employ Saud. It has now been over six months. He has got clearance to work for a local school so there is nothing sinister in his profile. It appears to be sheer bureaucratic incompetence.
One Watford – many questions
Helen and I left for the One Watford meeting at Vicarage Road, home of Watford FC. One Watford is the name of the group that oversees Watford’s Local Strategic Plan. The group is chaired by Mayor Dorothy Thornhill and apart from myself includes WBC’s CEO, the head of the local Chamber of Commerce, and senior representatives from Herts County Council, the Town Centre partnership, Watford Enterprise Agency, Watford Football Club, the Watford Observer, the Health Service, the Children’s Trust and others.
The “Guest Car Park” is as far as it’s possible to get from the Elton John Suite without actually being in a different county. Helen carried her box of promotional materials all the way, brushing aside my genuine (but not very forceful) offers of help.
The meeting itself went very well. Helen made some useful contacts and our presentation went well: we explained the LAA targets, lauded the voluntary sector, promoted the Volunteer Centres, all with Helen positively exuding professionalism. We were very well received and the presentation was followed by a lively debate. It’s difficult to see how it could have gone much better.
But there is a stumbling block.
Targets targets
A year into the LAA we are still struggling to identify baselines and targets. One LAA target agreed with the Government is for Hertfordshire to “increase volunteering”. So Hertfordshire conducted a MORI survey in June 2006 interviewing about 1,000 people across Hertfordshire and found that 14% of adults currently volunteer for two or more hours a week. The target agreed with the Government is that this should be increased to 17%. If the county achieves the target, it will earn a “reward” of £2.5m from central government. Deceptively simple.
The fact is that the targets have to be delivered at local level, within individual Districts and Boroughs. And here, the picture isn’t simple at all. There isn’t an even picture across Hertfordshire: some areas produced a baseline volunteering rate of 19% and others produced a rate as low as 6%.
And none of these rates had any statistical significance at all because the MORI survey was only designed to give any confidence across the county as a whole. And then the Government decided that the survey wasn’t even sufficient to give confidence across the county as a whole and more work was required. So there was a second “top up” survey of a further 500 people across the county. This reduced the volunteering baseline from 14% to 12%. And this has reduced the county-wide volunteering target from 17% to 15%.
But Watford’s own notional “baseline” was unaffected by the top-up survey and stayed at 6%. So is our target now 15%? Or is it 6% multiplied by 15/12? Or is it something else entirely?
The answer could be worth £2.5m to the county. But a year into the LAA, no-one can tell us the answer.
Doubtless this is something that will be addressed should Hertfordshire win “pathfinder” status for two-tier local government.
More on targets
A second presentation highlighted the problem with targets: it appears that the police operate under so many measures and targets that their effectiveness and efficiency is significantly impaired. And the measures and targets reveal little about the true efficiency and effectiveness of the police force. The story is the same in the Health Service and elsewhere. There is an obsession with counting things. This is unhelpful. And unhealthy. And very often suffers from the (nearly always fatal) flaw of being Not Thought Through.
Networking
As the meeting broke up, I had a brief talk with Jenny Tomley of John Lewis, who I still hope to lure onto our trustee body. I spoke at more length with Yasmin (from the Hertfordshire Police Authority) about the future of the Watford Sunflower Centre. We updated each other on recent discussions and developments and talked about potential future difficulties. This was very helpful.
Audentior awards
Back at the office, I finalised the WCVS’s nominations for Watford’s 2007 Audentior Awards. I have consulted with my staff and trustees, and with many individuals. I suspect that some of the nominations may be a little controversial but you can’t keep everyone happy and they are only nominations. I am sure WBC will make the right decisions.
I left the office about 8:00 pm. Jackie welcomed me home with dinner and a big hug. How lucky am I?
Monday, 12 February 2007
Office re-entry
I arrived at the office today a little before 9:00 am: my first day in the office for nearly a week.
The most pressing need was to complete preparations for tomorrow’s presentation. First, I spoke with Ann from Stevenage CVS – she had attended Friday’s meeting discussing LAA targets with Hertfordshire County Council and she updated me on progress: I was pleased that at last there appears to be some progress.
I also spoke with HCC direct and then Helen (our Volunteer Centre co-ordinator) and I spent an hour comparing notes and thoughts.
After this, I began drawing together the presentation but at 2:00 pm I had to adjourn to spend some time with Sue discussing WCVS’s accounting policies and procedures. We also discussed the new membership forms I’d mocked up and we made good progress. Then I tried to catch up on three days of e-mails including many that needed urgent responses. I did what I could.
Helen and I met again at about 5:00 pm. Then I spoke again with Andrew at Hertfordshire County Council and I am pretty happy that Helen and I will give a good account of ourselves tomorrow.
Pathfinder status
There has been much recent talk on the development of local government with both “unitary” authorities and “two-tier” authorities. Hertfordshire has applied to the government to become a “pathfinder” for two-tier government – becoming a model for others to follow. This is the most tried and trusted structure for local government and it’s nice that Hertfordshire has committed itself to this model.
But two-tier structures have to tackle new and strange projects such as Local Area Agreements and Local Strategic Partnerships. There is little guidance available and no centuries old tradition on which to fall back: we are all just making it up as we go along.
I arrived at the office today a little before 9:00 am: my first day in the office for nearly a week.
The most pressing need was to complete preparations for tomorrow’s presentation. First, I spoke with Ann from Stevenage CVS – she had attended Friday’s meeting discussing LAA targets with Hertfordshire County Council and she updated me on progress: I was pleased that at last there appears to be some progress.
I also spoke with HCC direct and then Helen (our Volunteer Centre co-ordinator) and I spent an hour comparing notes and thoughts.
After this, I began drawing together the presentation but at 2:00 pm I had to adjourn to spend some time with Sue discussing WCVS’s accounting policies and procedures. We also discussed the new membership forms I’d mocked up and we made good progress. Then I tried to catch up on three days of e-mails including many that needed urgent responses. I did what I could.
Helen and I met again at about 5:00 pm. Then I spoke again with Andrew at Hertfordshire County Council and I am pretty happy that Helen and I will give a good account of ourselves tomorrow.
Pathfinder status
There has been much recent talk on the development of local government with both “unitary” authorities and “two-tier” authorities. Hertfordshire has applied to the government to become a “pathfinder” for two-tier government – becoming a model for others to follow. This is the most tried and trusted structure for local government and it’s nice that Hertfordshire has committed itself to this model.
But two-tier structures have to tackle new and strange projects such as Local Area Agreements and Local Strategic Partnerships. There is little guidance available and no centuries old tradition on which to fall back: we are all just making it up as we go along.
Sunday 11 February 2007
Jackie and I visited Mum to help sort out some of Dad’s countless books and papers: I never knew he had such an interest in the Pre-Raphaelites. We uncovered vast treasures of museum and church guides, and some first editions including several by the Armenian writer William Saroyan and The Road to Wigan Pier.
We spent the afternoon with Mum and she has immense dignity and a very positive attitude to the future.
In the evening, Jackie and I checked through a few boxes of books we’d returned with and then spent a very pleasant evening watching Foyle’s War, after which I started reading “Forever Freedom”, a 1940 collection of British political speeches and writings - good anti-Nazi propaganda.
We spent the afternoon with Mum and she has immense dignity and a very positive attitude to the future.
In the evening, Jackie and I checked through a few boxes of books we’d returned with and then spent a very pleasant evening watching Foyle’s War, after which I started reading “Forever Freedom”, a 1940 collection of British political speeches and writings - good anti-Nazi propaganda.
Saturday, 10 February 2007
I had a visit today from a dear old friend, and then spent the evening relaxing with Jackie. In between I managed to spend a few hours planning the presentation Helen and I are to give to the One Watford group next week.
My beloved Tottenham Hotspur continue to be a source of great frustration. I wont bore you with further details but For Goodness Sake!
Still, Watford won again, which is nice.
My beloved Tottenham Hotspur continue to be a source of great frustration. I wont bore you with further details but For Goodness Sake!
Still, Watford won again, which is nice.
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