Thursday, 28 June 2007
Today I stayed at home catching up on paperwork while my car had a second chance to pass its MOT. Actually I spent most of the morning on the telephone. And I devoted the entire evening to reading up on Community Development guidance and theory. Interesting stuff.
Wednesday, 27 June 2007
By the time I arrived at the office, Maria had already completed a draft minute of yesterday afternoon’s meeting. Quick work!
The Big News stories today were Tony Blair’s retirement and floods across the north of England. I do wonder about posterity’s judgement on Tony Blair, but I don’t think the two stories are directly connected.
Two months ago, I was asked if I would give a briefing to Watford Borough Council’s grants officers on the county-wide and regional structure of the voluntary sector. Of course I agreed, and we were also joined by Leslie Billy (of the Guideposts Trust) and Raj Pandya (of the Hindu Association) who are both newly elected officers of the Watford One World forum. We were also joined by Maria and Anne of WCVS. I think it went well adn there were some good discussions. At least no-one fell asleep and no-one threw anything.
More on data
I did much further research on databases, including several long discussions and some web research. I will talk things over with Pam on Friday. A good Chairperson is so important to any charity, and I feel absolutely blessed to have a smart chairperson I can talk things over with. When Sir Alan Sugar coined the phrase “drop dead shrewd”, he must have had Pam Handley in mind.
The Big News stories today were Tony Blair’s retirement and floods across the north of England. I do wonder about posterity’s judgement on Tony Blair, but I don’t think the two stories are directly connected.
Two months ago, I was asked if I would give a briefing to Watford Borough Council’s grants officers on the county-wide and regional structure of the voluntary sector. Of course I agreed, and we were also joined by Leslie Billy (of the Guideposts Trust) and Raj Pandya (of the Hindu Association) who are both newly elected officers of the Watford One World forum. We were also joined by Maria and Anne of WCVS. I think it went well adn there were some good discussions. At least no-one fell asleep and no-one threw anything.
More on data
I did much further research on databases, including several long discussions and some web research. I will talk things over with Pam on Friday. A good Chairperson is so important to any charity, and I feel absolutely blessed to have a smart chairperson I can talk things over with. When Sir Alan Sugar coined the phrase “drop dead shrewd”, he must have had Pam Handley in mind.
Tuesday, 26 June 2007
Having (temporarily at least) passed on primary responsibility for our BASIS business plan, I enjoyed a peaceful night’s sleep for the first time in a week.
At WCVS, the big event of the day was the afternoon meeting to discuss the accommodation needs of Watford’s voluntary sector. There is at least £83m of public money available over the next few years to help voluntary groups acquire property and bring it back into public use. And the Quirk Report puts pressure on local authorities to think more strategically about property management, and to engage with the voluntary sector.
And of course the onus is always on the vountary sector to take the initiative, so I was delighted that so many groups seem prepared to do so: Guideposts Trust, Watford Asian Community Care, Newton Price Centre, Mencap, the Muslim Community Project, NYSA / WRAP, YMCA, the Le Marie Centre, West Watford Community Association, Watford Credit Union, Signposts, Watford Women Centre, Watford Rape Crisis and Watford CAB.
There was one particularly interesting discussion about the exact meaning of the term “community purpose” which features in many planning consents. Several people felt that this phase was interpreted too broadly to include religious purposes, when clearly it ought to pertain to facilities and activities open to the whole community.
At the end of the meeting, after much useful discussion, it was agreed to convene a small working group to lead on the development of a proper strategy on the accommodation needs of the local voluntary sector. Today’s meeting was exactly what the CVS ought to be doing, and if the focus and enthusiasm are maintained, there is so much that the voluntary sector can achieve.
At WCVS, the big event of the day was the afternoon meeting to discuss the accommodation needs of Watford’s voluntary sector. There is at least £83m of public money available over the next few years to help voluntary groups acquire property and bring it back into public use. And the Quirk Report puts pressure on local authorities to think more strategically about property management, and to engage with the voluntary sector.
And of course the onus is always on the vountary sector to take the initiative, so I was delighted that so many groups seem prepared to do so: Guideposts Trust, Watford Asian Community Care, Newton Price Centre, Mencap, the Muslim Community Project, NYSA / WRAP, YMCA, the Le Marie Centre, West Watford Community Association, Watford Credit Union, Signposts, Watford Women Centre, Watford Rape Crisis and Watford CAB.
There was one particularly interesting discussion about the exact meaning of the term “community purpose” which features in many planning consents. Several people felt that this phase was interpreted too broadly to include religious purposes, when clearly it ought to pertain to facilities and activities open to the whole community.
At the end of the meeting, after much useful discussion, it was agreed to convene a small working group to lead on the development of a proper strategy on the accommodation needs of the local voluntary sector. Today’s meeting was exactly what the CVS ought to be doing, and if the focus and enthusiasm are maintained, there is so much that the voluntary sector can achieve.
Monday, 25 June 2007
Education, Education, Education
We long ago moved away from Education for its own sake. Briefly, we had Education to provide a skilled workforce - which at least had the benefit of a brutal economic logic. Now we have Education whose sole purpose is to help the government meet its targets. Students too are treated as mere exam fodder. It might be funny if it weren’t so expensive, pointless and really quite sinister.
This morning, I met with Louise Thurston of West Herts College to discuss ways in which the College and CVS might work together. We were joined by Vanessa Levy (our Development and Training Officer) and by Mary Green of Three Rivers CVS.
Although we are all interested in the subject of training, it is hard to find secure grounds for co-operation between us. CVSs want to secure appropriate affordable training for our member organisations. The training needs of voluntary organisations are very precise, and of course few charities have budgets to cover training costs. The government sees no reason why it should pay to train the paid workforce at MegaCorp Capitalist Inc - or the volunteer workforce at a neighbourhood trust. To the government, there is no real distinction between the two.
The College’s agenda is determined by its funding arrangements with the LSC, who take their lead from the governmant, whose focus is those “without a level two qualification”. In my personal experience, many of those without a level two qualification are perfectly happy and just want to be left alone. Few want to be conscripted onto courses to meet some political target.
For Louise Thurston, genuinely committed to the local community, it must be very hard to make any progress through this policy madness. Whichever way we turned, there was another barrier in our way. But we have at least begun a dialogue and with goodwill and good fortune we will find a way.
After Louise left, I talked through our autumn training programme with Vanessa: she is consulting local groups on their training needs and will soon convene a meeting of the Voluntary Sector Training Network to examine the results of this consultation. All very good. But where will the funding come from?
Back to BASIS
In the afternoon, I met again with Vanessa and with Anne (our Funding Advisor) to talk through our second stage application for BASIS funding. It was a good discussion and I have now left Anne and Vanessa to review and edit my work prior to a further meeting at the end of the week.
Databases
I also spent time with Sha-Lee (our data worker) who has now prepared a file to import our contact data into Volbase. Sha-Lee and I talked through the exercise and our options. In the evening, I stayed late at the office re-running this conversation and ruminating on our database needs.
All other CVSs in Hertfordshire are now using Volbase, and Volbase is perfectly ok. But it lacks the intuitive elegance that software ought to possess: it doesn’t excite me. And I worry about the training needs that it will create for WCVS. Moreover, WCVS already uses Outlook and V-base, and I still can't understand what Volbase adds to this mix. And are our fellow CVSs clear why they are using Volbase and where it might lead? No. Is there a thought-through strategy in place? No.
For six months,. WCVS has been on the verge of implementing Volbase. We have been delayed by staff changes and staff absences and occasionally by mere prevarication. But we are now clearly standing at the crossroads and we must take a decision. I know what my decision would be if it were entirely down to the needs of WCVS. But there are also other things to think through.
We long ago moved away from Education for its own sake. Briefly, we had Education to provide a skilled workforce - which at least had the benefit of a brutal economic logic. Now we have Education whose sole purpose is to help the government meet its targets. Students too are treated as mere exam fodder. It might be funny if it weren’t so expensive, pointless and really quite sinister.
This morning, I met with Louise Thurston of West Herts College to discuss ways in which the College and CVS might work together. We were joined by Vanessa Levy (our Development and Training Officer) and by Mary Green of Three Rivers CVS.
Although we are all interested in the subject of training, it is hard to find secure grounds for co-operation between us. CVSs want to secure appropriate affordable training for our member organisations. The training needs of voluntary organisations are very precise, and of course few charities have budgets to cover training costs. The government sees no reason why it should pay to train the paid workforce at MegaCorp Capitalist Inc - or the volunteer workforce at a neighbourhood trust. To the government, there is no real distinction between the two.
The College’s agenda is determined by its funding arrangements with the LSC, who take their lead from the governmant, whose focus is those “without a level two qualification”. In my personal experience, many of those without a level two qualification are perfectly happy and just want to be left alone. Few want to be conscripted onto courses to meet some political target.
For Louise Thurston, genuinely committed to the local community, it must be very hard to make any progress through this policy madness. Whichever way we turned, there was another barrier in our way. But we have at least begun a dialogue and with goodwill and good fortune we will find a way.
After Louise left, I talked through our autumn training programme with Vanessa: she is consulting local groups on their training needs and will soon convene a meeting of the Voluntary Sector Training Network to examine the results of this consultation. All very good. But where will the funding come from?
Back to BASIS
In the afternoon, I met again with Vanessa and with Anne (our Funding Advisor) to talk through our second stage application for BASIS funding. It was a good discussion and I have now left Anne and Vanessa to review and edit my work prior to a further meeting at the end of the week.
Databases
I also spent time with Sha-Lee (our data worker) who has now prepared a file to import our contact data into Volbase. Sha-Lee and I talked through the exercise and our options. In the evening, I stayed late at the office re-running this conversation and ruminating on our database needs.
All other CVSs in Hertfordshire are now using Volbase, and Volbase is perfectly ok. But it lacks the intuitive elegance that software ought to possess: it doesn’t excite me. And I worry about the training needs that it will create for WCVS. Moreover, WCVS already uses Outlook and V-base, and I still can't understand what Volbase adds to this mix. And are our fellow CVSs clear why they are using Volbase and where it might lead? No. Is there a thought-through strategy in place? No.
For six months,. WCVS has been on the verge of implementing Volbase. We have been delayed by staff changes and staff absences and occasionally by mere prevarication. But we are now clearly standing at the crossroads and we must take a decision. I know what my decision would be if it were entirely down to the needs of WCVS. But there are also other things to think through.
Sunday, 24 June 2007
After enjoying a long lazy morning, I turned again in the afternoon to our business plan for BASIS. I worked steadily from 3:00 pm through to about 11:00 pm and finally felt I had broken the back of this hideous tedious exercise. There is still a vast amount of work to be done, but at least I have managed to produce a rough first draft of the main body of the text. I hope.
Meanwhile, Gordon Brown was being crowned as leader of the Labour Party and Harriet Harman was squeaking home as Deputy Leader. Despite this excitement, sleep should have been easy; but my “frozen shoulder” was playing up again badly so I sat downstairs with Aged Ken and started reading Richard Dawkins’s The God Delusion.
Meanwhile, Gordon Brown was being crowned as leader of the Labour Party and Harriet Harman was squeaking home as Deputy Leader. Despite this excitement, sleep should have been easy; but my “frozen shoulder” was playing up again badly so I sat downstairs with Aged Ken and started reading Richard Dawkins’s The God Delusion.
Saturday, 23 June 2007
Today we were to host a small garden party for friends and family. But there has been heavy rain for several days. Members of the extended Jones family in Wales and the north of England called earlier in the week to offer their apologies. This morning it was still raining heavily if intermittently, so despite the hope offered by occasional bursts of sunshine, Jackie and I decided to cancel the garden party. Regardless of this, my Mum came to visit and the boys did manage to cook an edible BBQ sheltering under the umbrella from cloudbursts. We sat in the new pergola also under umbrellas and enjoyed each others company and conversation.
Latest reading
I finished Church and Parish by the West Country historian J H Bettey – a wonderfully detailed and readable introduction to 1,000 years of history including so much I simply didn’t know - or had previously misunderstood. This book is a great introduction to its subject and so much better than the frankly dull Observer Book of Church Architecture.
I have also skimmed through The Guardian publications Notes and Queries. This was really quite dull too: there is nothing so unedifying as Guardian readers among their own kind in full rant.
Unless of course it is the sight of Europe's political leaders smugly celebrating a new treaty purposefully designed to by-pass the democratic voice of the European people. Why are Europe's instincts so brazenly and arrogantly anti-democratic?
Latest reading
I finished Church and Parish by the West Country historian J H Bettey – a wonderfully detailed and readable introduction to 1,000 years of history including so much I simply didn’t know - or had previously misunderstood. This book is a great introduction to its subject and so much better than the frankly dull Observer Book of Church Architecture.
I have also skimmed through The Guardian publications Notes and Queries. This was really quite dull too: there is nothing so unedifying as Guardian readers among their own kind in full rant.
Unless of course it is the sight of Europe's political leaders smugly celebrating a new treaty purposefully designed to by-pass the democratic voice of the European people. Why are Europe's instincts so brazenly and arrogantly anti-democratic?
Friday, 22 June 2007
I wrestled through the morning with our BASIS business plan and I am just beginning to dare to hope that the end might soon be in sight. In the afternoon, I took my car for its MOT and while waiting I read the Quirk Report on community ownership of local authority assets. Such fun.
Then I drove into Watford with Jackie for the opening of Watford Museum’s exhibition commemorating the bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade.
After the exhibition, Jackie and I wondered along Watford High Street looking for somewhere to eat. It was about 7:30 PM. We wondered the entire length of the High Street and back and found nothing that might attract us. Everywhere was brash, usually with “bouncers” on the door and nearly always with young people gathering outside in loud groups. I am sure all the young people were really just friendly big pussy cats. But they were noisome. I wanted somewhere quiet and there simply wasn't anywhere so after forty fruitless minutes we headed off and soon found a quite acceptable Chinese restaurant in north Watford.
In this restaurant, I ordered Green Tea and the waitress heard Cream Tea - which actually would have been very welcome.
Then I drove into Watford with Jackie for the opening of Watford Museum’s exhibition commemorating the bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade.
After the exhibition, Jackie and I wondered along Watford High Street looking for somewhere to eat. It was about 7:30 PM. We wondered the entire length of the High Street and back and found nothing that might attract us. Everywhere was brash, usually with “bouncers” on the door and nearly always with young people gathering outside in loud groups. I am sure all the young people were really just friendly big pussy cats. But they were noisome. I wanted somewhere quiet and there simply wasn't anywhere so after forty fruitless minutes we headed off and soon found a quite acceptable Chinese restaurant in north Watford.
In this restaurant, I ordered Green Tea and the waitress heard Cream Tea - which actually would have been very welcome.
Thursday, 21 June 2007
I spent the morning at the office catching up on correspondence and replying to twenty or so of the more pressing e-mails. Most importantly, I decided that I cannot afford to devote much time next week to our audit, so this will largely have to wait until the week after when Stella (our new Finance and Administration Officer) ought to have started! I also had another very interesting talk with Maria (our temporary Office Administrator) about the need for a Polish Association in Watford.
In the afternoon, I travelled to Stevenage to meet with Paul Ruskin who has been commissioned to help draft the IT strategy for the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium. Paul says he knows what he does best (“talking to people and pulling stuff together”) and he really does seem to do it very well. This exercise is critical as so much of Watford CVS’s own work will need to dovetail in with this HIC initiative.
In the afternoon, I travelled to Stevenage to meet with Paul Ruskin who has been commissioned to help draft the IT strategy for the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium. Paul says he knows what he does best (“talking to people and pulling stuff together”) and he really does seem to do it very well. This exercise is critical as so much of Watford CVS’s own work will need to dovetail in with this HIC initiative.
Wednesday, 20 June 2007
I spent another long day Home Alone writing our business plan for our funding application to BASIS. It is still infuriatingly hard: is this just a very badly thought-out exercise or am I just "a bit thick"? I am beginning to wonder!
Tuesday, 19 June 2007
I set aside today to work form home on our second stage application for BASIS funding. But I spend the first 2-3 hours on the telephone chasing up a number of different projects. Only at lunchtime did I really manage to focus on the draft business plan BASIS. This has to be in an exact format. I think I’ve completed one section, only to find that my text actually applies better to a different section, and every single change requires numerous other consequential changes throughout the document.
It is very difficult: wading through treacle? chasing rainbows? knitting with cobwebs? Metaphors fail me.
It is very difficult: wading through treacle? chasing rainbows? knitting with cobwebs? Metaphors fail me.
Monday, 18 June 2007
I began the day meeting with a Watford Borough Council officer about a proposed change in the way the Council will assess discretionary rates relief for charities. In the past, this has been done entirely separately from decisions on grant-giving. They now propose to improve the exchange of information between different departments and want to know if they need to consult on this under Compact arrangements. I receive assurances that the criteria for relief I wont change and the method of calculation wont change, and so advice that I can’t see that any consultation is necessary. We agree that I will flag up the proposal at next week’s meeting on accommodation issues.
Otherwise, Vanessa and I talked about the training needs assessment, I worked with Maria on finalising some press releases, reviewed minutes of recent HIC and Compact meetings, and tried to clear the decks as I will spend the best part of the rest of the week working form home on our second stage BASIS application.
Otherwise, Vanessa and I talked about the training needs assessment, I worked with Maria on finalising some press releases, reviewed minutes of recent HIC and Compact meetings, and tried to clear the decks as I will spend the best part of the rest of the week working form home on our second stage BASIS application.
Sunday, 17 June 2007
The rain had passed over and I spent a long day in the garden building a pergola. I hadn’t bought a kit (just lots of wood and screws) and I was pretty much making up the design as I went along. After tightening the fortieth screw above my head, I felt a sharp twinge in my right elbow and I feared I’d never play the piano again, but the pain subsided and I was soon back at work. I must buy an electric screwdriver! Fortunately, Jackie took pity on me and helped out so by about 7:00 pm we had a nice new pergola.
It was a very melancholy Fathers' Day. My own dear old Dad died earlier this year. And my son was busy being a teenager in Brighton. And my daughter was with her Mum. Jackie's son Bryan bought me a large Toblerone - just what I bought for my Dad every year for about 30 years. Did he know?
It was a very melancholy Fathers' Day. My own dear old Dad died earlier this year. And my son was busy being a teenager in Brighton. And my daughter was with her Mum. Jackie's son Bryan bought me a large Toblerone - just what I bought for my Dad every year for about 30 years. Did he know?
Saturday, 16 June 2007
I had intended to spend today erecting a pergola in the garden, but the heavens opened and the rain poured down. Instead, I spent the day writing WCVS’s BASIS application (or at least part of it) while Jackie sat beside me quilting: a picture of domestic bliss. I finally think I am starting to get on top of this BASIS application!
In the evening, Jackie and I ate out and then enjoyed the Tiswas 25th reunion on television; sometimes I can be very childish.
In the evening, Jackie and I ate out and then enjoyed the Tiswas 25th reunion on television; sometimes I can be very childish.
Friday, 15 June 2007
I arrived at work about 9:30 after first supervising the installation of some new fence panels at home. In the mornign I had a long discussion with Maria (our temp administrative officer) about the needs of the new Polish community in Watford. Maria also set up a new on-line photo album for Watford CVS.
In the afternoon, I had a review meeting with our Connexions PAs and with Louise Jones of Connexions: everything seems to be going pretty well, although the schools aren’t always able to support our PAs as I would like.
I left work early to get home and continue working on the BASIS bid.
In the afternoon, I had a review meeting with our Connexions PAs and with Louise Jones of Connexions: everything seems to be going pretty well, although the schools aren’t always able to support our PAs as I would like.
I left work early to get home and continue working on the BASIS bid.
Thursday, 14 June 2007
In the morning I wrote to HCC about yesterday’s Compact meeting; hopefully a way forward will be agreed soon. I also discussed Compact issues with several colleagues, talked to Vanessa about WCVS representation on a WBC steering group, made more progress on a WCVS services brochure, and responded to a Herts PCT request that I chair a public meeting on the future of hospital and clinical services in Hertfordshire.
Mostly, I worked on our BASIS application. There is still a lot of work to do and time is getting short.
I finally left the office about 7:00 pm and visited my Vice Chair Althea MacLean OBE to get some cheques countersigned. From Althea’s I dropped by for a meeting with our auditor. Our audit papers were originally collected on Tuesday, 5 June. Then yesterday I got the message that the accounts backup file was corrupt and so work hasn’t begun yet. I sent another backup (which was fine) and this evening met Gary Howard and talked through the audit timetable. Gary is away all next week so realistically work proper wont now start until 25 June. Rather than respond to queries myself and collate any additional information required, I intend to save up any queries and pass these to Stella when she starts work on 2 July. This will make things very tight for our trustees meeting on 19 July but it still ought to be possible to present draft accounts. Far more importantly, it will allow me to concentrate far better on the BASIS application!
Mostly, I worked on our BASIS application. There is still a lot of work to do and time is getting short.
I finally left the office about 7:00 pm and visited my Vice Chair Althea MacLean OBE to get some cheques countersigned. From Althea’s I dropped by for a meeting with our auditor. Our audit papers were originally collected on Tuesday, 5 June. Then yesterday I got the message that the accounts backup file was corrupt and so work hasn’t begun yet. I sent another backup (which was fine) and this evening met Gary Howard and talked through the audit timetable. Gary is away all next week so realistically work proper wont now start until 25 June. Rather than respond to queries myself and collate any additional information required, I intend to save up any queries and pass these to Stella when she starts work on 2 July. This will make things very tight for our trustees meeting on 19 July but it still ought to be possible to present draft accounts. Far more importantly, it will allow me to concentrate far better on the BASIS application!
Wednesday, 13 June 2007
This morning, I met briefly with Stella who will soon be our new Finance and Administration Officer. Otherwise, I spent the best part of the morning and early evening working on WCVS’s accounts. So tedious!
Hertfordshire Compact Group
Today’s Herts Compact Group meeting considered very carefully how it can best promote - and secure the future of - the Compact in Hertfordshire. At present, there is a Hertfordshire-wide Compact and then eight of the ten District Councils also have local Compacts. Each individual Compact then includes up to six separate Codes of Practice, so Hertfordshire could potentially have 66 different Compact Codes of Practice.
There were several component parts of the discussion.
First, for months there have been concerns about HCC’s decisions on funding for Home-Start projects in Hertfordshire: were the decisions “Compact compliant”? HCC claims they were, while others take a different view. It’s not a healthy situation and the Herts Compact Group simply have to encourage the two sides to talk. But at a higher level the Group must ask what it can do so in future it is not possible for such opposing views to be taken of the same Compact working practices?
Secondly, our representative from the Learning and Skills Council reported that county-LSC offices had been instructed that they should not sign any more local Codes of Practice as LSC is already committed to the national Codes of Practice. This does not seem an unreasonable position. Previously, Hertfordshire’s Primary Care Trusts each worked on local Compact groups. These PCTs have now been effectively merged and will in future doubtless expect to sign up only to the County-wide Codes of Practice. The Police and Fire Service will also not want to negotiate and sign-up for 66 Codes of Practice when five or six will do. So what future for local Compacts?
Thirdly, in some areas of Hertfordshire there is no Compact at all. This is a major problem. Surely the efforts of the Herts Compact Group should be directed toward addressing this problem? But instead, we could so easily get diverted by the need to update and renegotiate the thirty or more Codes of Practice that are already in existence in different parts of Hertfordshire. How much work will this take? And what value will it add?
No-one had any quick answers; but I do think we were getting to the heart of a very difficult area.
Back home
In the evening, I spoke with my long-standing friend Jane and we discussed the progress we are each making on the BASIS applications we are making for our respective organisations. I got some useful pointers. I doubt that Jane found my comments as helpful.
Hertfordshire Compact Group
Today’s Herts Compact Group meeting considered very carefully how it can best promote - and secure the future of - the Compact in Hertfordshire. At present, there is a Hertfordshire-wide Compact and then eight of the ten District Councils also have local Compacts. Each individual Compact then includes up to six separate Codes of Practice, so Hertfordshire could potentially have 66 different Compact Codes of Practice.
There were several component parts of the discussion.
First, for months there have been concerns about HCC’s decisions on funding for Home-Start projects in Hertfordshire: were the decisions “Compact compliant”? HCC claims they were, while others take a different view. It’s not a healthy situation and the Herts Compact Group simply have to encourage the two sides to talk. But at a higher level the Group must ask what it can do so in future it is not possible for such opposing views to be taken of the same Compact working practices?
Secondly, our representative from the Learning and Skills Council reported that county-LSC offices had been instructed that they should not sign any more local Codes of Practice as LSC is already committed to the national Codes of Practice. This does not seem an unreasonable position. Previously, Hertfordshire’s Primary Care Trusts each worked on local Compact groups. These PCTs have now been effectively merged and will in future doubtless expect to sign up only to the County-wide Codes of Practice. The Police and Fire Service will also not want to negotiate and sign-up for 66 Codes of Practice when five or six will do. So what future for local Compacts?
Thirdly, in some areas of Hertfordshire there is no Compact at all. This is a major problem. Surely the efforts of the Herts Compact Group should be directed toward addressing this problem? But instead, we could so easily get diverted by the need to update and renegotiate the thirty or more Codes of Practice that are already in existence in different parts of Hertfordshire. How much work will this take? And what value will it add?
No-one had any quick answers; but I do think we were getting to the heart of a very difficult area.
Back home
In the evening, I spoke with my long-standing friend Jane and we discussed the progress we are each making on the BASIS applications we are making for our respective organisations. I got some useful pointers. I doubt that Jane found my comments as helpful.
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
As I’ve anticipated for some time, my workload is beginning to pile up and I am having to shift up a gear.
Today I went to the Valley School in Stevenage for the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium. First, there was the meeting itself and confirmation that the bulk of the coming development work will be undertaken by a small “steering group”. Then we had a presentation from Paul Ruskin of Cambridgeshire Circuit Riders on this IT project and its possible application to Hertfordshire. Then after lunch, Paul stayed to help us begin discussing a proper IT strategy for infrastructure groups in Hertfordshire. All very useful.
At the end, I found the carpark jammed with cars and mini-buses arriving to collect children from school. Realising I was otherwise stuck for 20-30 minutes, I decided to leave quickly between two “No Exit” signs. I arrived home around 4:00 pm and spent the best part of the evening getting to grips with WCVS’s second stage application for BASIS funding.
Today I went to the Valley School in Stevenage for the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium. First, there was the meeting itself and confirmation that the bulk of the coming development work will be undertaken by a small “steering group”. Then we had a presentation from Paul Ruskin of Cambridgeshire Circuit Riders on this IT project and its possible application to Hertfordshire. Then after lunch, Paul stayed to help us begin discussing a proper IT strategy for infrastructure groups in Hertfordshire. All very useful.
At the end, I found the carpark jammed with cars and mini-buses arriving to collect children from school. Realising I was otherwise stuck for 20-30 minutes, I decided to leave quickly between two “No Exit” signs. I arrived home around 4:00 pm and spent the best part of the evening getting to grips with WCVS’s second stage application for BASIS funding.
Monday, 11 June 2007
Networking lunch
Today at St Thomas’s Hall we held our quarterly networking lunch and our Volunteers’ Week celebration. Ten days ago, we considered cancelling this event as only ten people had registered. In the middle of last week we ordered food for seventy registered participants. By Friday, we had 100 registrations. This morning, people were still trying to register. Then some people just turned up without registering. At one level, it was a very successful event – lively and relaxed and good humoured, we gave out about 40 Certificates of Recognition to volunteers from across Watford, we were joined by the new Chair of WBC Tony Poole and his consort, who showed immense patience and goodwill posing for pictures with everyone. Brilliant.
But there was an alternative view, too. Attendance was chaotic with the numbers who turned up without booking were only partly offset by those who had booked and failed to appear. Our glorious immensely likeable voluntary photographer John took inordinately long to take a group photograph as his camera battery failed. We took a paltry £3 booking fee from people, who then found they couldn’t eat as those joining the food queue earliest helped themselves to liberal (some said greedy) portions. And our chair was late because someone (me) didn’t tell her we were starting an hour earlier than usual.
We muddled through everything in a very chaotic and very British fashion. All in all, I think it was a successful event. But there were lessons to learn and our next lunch will be very different: we must focus more on strengthening voluntarism and social cohesion and less on providing subsidised lunches.
In the afternoon, I finally got to catch up with Sarah Pinnock of WBC and we had a long talk about latest developments. I was also delighted to learn by e-mail that the Disability Law Service (where I am a trustee) has secured £500k funding from the Big Lottery's ADVICE programme. Such good news.
Today at St Thomas’s Hall we held our quarterly networking lunch and our Volunteers’ Week celebration. Ten days ago, we considered cancelling this event as only ten people had registered. In the middle of last week we ordered food for seventy registered participants. By Friday, we had 100 registrations. This morning, people were still trying to register. Then some people just turned up without registering. At one level, it was a very successful event – lively and relaxed and good humoured, we gave out about 40 Certificates of Recognition to volunteers from across Watford, we were joined by the new Chair of WBC Tony Poole and his consort, who showed immense patience and goodwill posing for pictures with everyone. Brilliant.
But there was an alternative view, too. Attendance was chaotic with the numbers who turned up without booking were only partly offset by those who had booked and failed to appear. Our glorious immensely likeable voluntary photographer John took inordinately long to take a group photograph as his camera battery failed. We took a paltry £3 booking fee from people, who then found they couldn’t eat as those joining the food queue earliest helped themselves to liberal (some said greedy) portions. And our chair was late because someone (me) didn’t tell her we were starting an hour earlier than usual.
We muddled through everything in a very chaotic and very British fashion. All in all, I think it was a successful event. But there were lessons to learn and our next lunch will be very different: we must focus more on strengthening voluntarism and social cohesion and less on providing subsidised lunches.
In the afternoon, I finally got to catch up with Sarah Pinnock of WBC and we had a long talk about latest developments. I was also delighted to learn by e-mail that the Disability Law Service (where I am a trustee) has secured £500k funding from the Big Lottery's ADVICE programme. Such good news.
Sunday, 10 June 2007
This morning I took the boys into Watford for some shopping. We returned for an afternoon BBQ. Again, it was very hot. And it stayed that way into the night making sleep almost impossible. I sat up and finished reading Defying Hitler – the extraordinary story of journalist Sebastian Haffner’s life in Germany between 1907 and 1933. He wrote the book in the final months before war broke out in 1939. He despised the Nazis; loathed and despised everything they stood for. Yet for fear of his life and for his loved ones, he wore a Swastika armband, marched with the SA and sang the Horst Wessel Song. He also believed passionately in individual freedom, fled to Britain in 1938, and married a Jewess.
His book describes his personal battle with the Nazi regime, and offers great insights into why the Nazis managed to succeed, at least for a time.
His book describes his personal battle with the Nazi regime, and offers great insights into why the Nazis managed to succeed, at least for a time.
Saturday, 9 June 2007
Very hot. Jackie and I spent the day gardening and in the evening visited friends for a BBQ.
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