Blog Posts

  • Health and Wellbeing Boards

    One of the papers that came before Cabinet today was the approval of the structure, terms of reference and make up of the Shadow Health and Well Being Board in Cambridgeshire, which is being created as part of the changes being made to Health delivery in England through Andrew Lansley’s changes to the NHS. This… Read more

  • Interesting meeting with church leaders

    This afternoon, together with Mark Lloyd, I met with a number of Cambridge church leaders. They each represent a network of churches and were keen explore how their churches might better engage with other organisation. We had an interesting meeting and discovered we had many aims and objectives in common. This was particularly obvious in… Read more

  • Political decisions made by politicians – surely not!!

    At cabinet today, the cabinet were accused of making a political decision, by the Lib Dem County Councilor Sarah Whitebread. I hear the sharp intake of breath from you all that a bunch of politicians, from the ruling political group, at a decision making forum made ……… wait for it ……. a political decision. What… Read more

  • Children’s Services – Peterborough

    Sometimes things go wrong. The world of providing council services is complex. Fortunately, we have a range of checks and balances to alert all of us to failures. Ofsted inspections are one such tool. A recent Ofsted report that found that Peterborough City Council failed to adequately safeguard some vulnerable youngsters has brought the immediate… Read more

  • Full day ahead of Cabinet on tuesday

    In the office for 0800 to prepare for our informal gathering of cabinet members at 1000. At informal cabinet we discuss a range of issues with each of the portfolio holders bringing the rest of us up to speed on progress, issues and plans for the future. This gives the whole cabinet a chance to… Read more

  • Good productive day – leaders, buses, money, archeology and bus passes.

    Today started with a review of diary events for next week before settling down to study my papers for the Cambridgeshire Leaders and Chief Officers meeting which started at 0930. The meeting itself is always a challenge, given the high calibre of individuals that attend. County, districts, city, police, NHS and fire are all represented… Read more