Year Ending

2009 crawls to a close....2010 comes closer.

So far most people have, I feel, yet to feel the effect of the near collapse of the global banking industry. I suspect, judging by the post-Christmas Sales, that most people think the worst is behind them....we shall see.

Whether we have double-dip or whatever, credit will be squeezed much further as the banks, including those who have yet to reveal their losses, focus on rebuilding their balance sheets at the cost of lending to businesses and individuals.

'Silent' Voices

We need to make room to encourage the voices of those not heard and then make sure we listen to them.

Who do I mean? How about the younf, the old and the middle-aged silent majority. Does anyone care what they have to say and then act on their issues and concerns? Or is it all about lip service?

Performance and Budget

Yet another disappointing report from Government Agencies on Cornwall's performance. Will make the local and national news today. Does anyone realise that, in the main, this all relates back to the Liberal Democrat run Cornwall County Council? The LDs seemed so busy, in conjunction with the Labour Government, in forcing a Unitary Auithority on Cornwall that they appear to have forgotten about the day job of providing quality services to the residents.

Now, today, the Labour Government are showing what an absolute mess they have made of the UK's finances. Without good fortune over the next few months we run the risk of going 'cap in hand' to the IMF for a bail-out. Already we have seen problems in Dubai and, yesterday, Greece. The cost of insuring UK debt is rising and if the rating agencies move us below 'AAA' then the cost of Government borrowing will rise and the pound will plunge.

Nobody has a magic answer. Only the Conservatives are willing to tell the public that we are in a mess. The only way out will be painful.

At least there is Christmas to look forward to........

London

Spend 2.5 days in London this week and realise, again, have great Cornwall is.

Next week has budget scrutiny, full Council meeting (the least successful meeting in the monthly calender where the objective seems to be to 'score' political points rather than improve the lives of those living in Cornwall), a get-together of scrutiny chairs/vice-chairs plus otherwise unrepresented political parties and, to end the week, a Conservative Group 'awayday'. Plus also, to bring me back to reality, a Parish Council meeting.

HGVs, Grants and Letters

If we lived on a less-crowded island would we have the space to seperate traffic from pedestrians. Milton Keynes may, in some quarters, be a joke but at least it treats its non-motor vehicle users with respect, space and security.

Finding it difficult to give, albeit, small awards out to deserving organisations. Does nobody out there, in the three villages or nearby, want cash for a good cause?

Wrote to West Briton last weekend. Was a 'monster' at 750'ish words. They set me the challenge to reduce to 400 words as the maximum length they consider for publication. Recall a famous quotation (Oscar Wilde?) "Sorry I sent you a long letter as I did not have the time to write a short letter." Reduced the letter to exactly 400 words without, I hope, losing any of the main points. We shall see; if the West Briton decide to publish that is.

Another week gone.....

Note to self: Putting entries here once a week is not good enough.

This week has consisted of finalising the Single Issue Panel, researching the financial position of the Council, attending 'surgeries', having my 56 birthday, finishing marking and reporting on the latest examination papers .

Next week's promise to self: Update the blog daily.

A recent BBC poll showed that the majority want services cut rather than taxes increased. Now the issue is; which services?



There is another way and that depends on performance improvements which, if sufficient, will enable services to be maintained and even increased by doing so at the same cost. Impossible? No! Achieveable? Yes, but only if the will to do exists.

A busy week with setting-up a Single Issue Panel for Children's Services, Pensions training and self-employment. Did it feel successful? Not yet.

Children's Trust

Spent the day with Children's Trust partners seeking to establish a 'new start' for it in Cornwall. It has previously not worked well; recent Ofsted report has triggered review. Sorry state of affairs that it had to take that 'shock' to get things moving.

Am I alone in finding the relationships so confusing; how does anyone outside care about what the Trust does? The challenge is to have engagement (ugly expression!) with children and all those interested in their wellbeing.

Today was about building relationships and information gathering. Informative attendance, as an observer, at a Schools Forum in the morning then meeting the Children's Local Safeguarding Board representatives in the afternoon.

Everyone is so committed to wanting to do their best for all the children of Cornwall; the challenge is to contribute to harnessing all that energy and potential towards a single objective. The tasks facing those dedicated people is so great yet there is a belief that they will deliver.

Now I'm off to a Parish Council meeting - another group of committed individuals who, apart from the clerk, are all unpaid yet focussed on trying to do what is best for their community; usually without any thanks.

The Beginning

This is my first blog on the Mabe Electoral Division in which I will post relevant items.