Tuesday 16 June 2009

Trust me a little ...


After a challenging weekend with my nearest and dearest, I came into work yesterday to this.
Some of the interesting arguments in it relate to what local politicians should be doing rather than slagging each other off without however addressing the sticky wicket of resourcing.

Another interesting bit includes a quote from then former Chief Executive of Solihull, current Chief Executive of Northamptonshire County Council, Katherine Kerswell. Katherine highlights the importance of citizens feeling that they have at least been listened to in decision making even if they disagree with the decision made.

The publication also dwells a little on the semantics and space between justice and fairness ... can there be a distinction to people who are outside of local governmentspeak? The document talks about citizens having trust in the organisations like Councils when they don't deliver for them as long as they can see that things are done fairly. Can't see it myself.

The legislation for decision making now demands thorough investigation on how decisions changes will affect people and whether new decisions will unfairly or less favourably treat people and has done since 2000. It's interesting that in a document based on discussing trust, there is no mention of discrimination and less favourable treatment. Equally, there's not consistent application of the legistlation as yet in local authorities. Perhaps it's just a little unfashionable at the moment. When doing the right thing and making the right decisions based on treating people equally falls out favour it's a trend that I'm willing to to fight. I don't think I'm the only one either.

Tuesday 9 June 2009

Reasons to be cheerful


With the Blockheads due to play in Northampton at 2pm on Sunday in the Market Square and Penny Red’s post it seems to be the right thing to start blogging again with.

Having had a couple of days to think about elections I think it’s time we regained a sense of humour. The picture indicates this house on Calder Green is unlikely to have voted for me but 577 others did.

One of those that told me that she did, attended one of my councillor surgeries a while back. She told me that she used to live in the Boroughs (Spring Boroughs) and when she went to a girls school in the town there were only two teachers there: one teacher for the English and one for housewifery. The girls took it in turns for two of them to go in early so that the floors were scrubbed clean and the fires light in the classroom.

Reasons to be cheerful, reasons to celebrate progress.