Liverpool

Windsor and Maidenhead feature again in the national news.

With Liam Maxwell, we spent yesterday going to / from the Big Society launch in Liverpool . . . . I managed to get a few snaps from the day; forgive the poor quality. A longer blog post will have to wait as I’m way behind on any number of things, but very pleased to be championing our communities with Government backing !

More meetings

I seem to spend my life attending meetings. When they are in London, it’s usually a 40 minute train journey, a 15 minute tube ride and a walk to somewhere in Westminster.

However, I was keen to attend this week down what can only be called a well-protected gated community off Whitehall . . . more later . . .

Transparency infection

Our reputation for transparency has spread rather far and wide. This has had a predictable side-effect; I now have a growing horde of local government officers (and councillors) annoyed with Windsor and Maidenhead for creating work for them in disclosing all expenditure amounts over £500.

On the flip side, we already have a high-profile follower which gives us some support that we aren’t out of step with High Command.

Eric doesn’t give us any specific credit in that article.

As a result, we must try harder in the days and weeks to come to fix that particular anomaly! 

Watch this space.

Information from the new top team

Attended a conference of Council Leaders and group leaders in Birmingham – there were a few entertaining war stories from the CLG from Eric and good up-to-date information about the policy changes we’re introducing.

Met a number of colleagues “keen to learn” about the £500 spending publishing requirement, which originated at the Royal Borough!

Pictured here are Bob Neill, Baroness Hanham, (standing) Cllr Merrick Cockell from the Conservative Councillors Association – and Eric Pickles…..