SELL OFF DEFERRED

Next week's education management privatisation has been deferred due to the death of the existing Director's wife. Will now happen soon after that.

Seems like the Council has got £2 million more than expected from government for next year, but they will still be cutting the budget by around £7 million. In particular for vulnerable adults. Shame on them ! Deborah and I will be briefed this week in preparation for our own budget submission.

Spent the last couple of days getting my third Newsletter since May out on Pan - which of course prompts people to phone me more often. Lots of casework to be getting on with next week.

Next week's Cabinet will hear a progress report on the mad integration with the Health trusts and will decide what sort of resident's parking permit they will introduce from April. Likely to be a 24 hour one. Unfortunately I will miss most of the meeting due to a Medina High governors meeting.

Tried to have a meeting with the Cabinet member for Care, Health & Housing over my increasing concerns about the local Supporting People (in the community) provision, but she was too busy interviewing. Probably for the the private sector education management company. We can see what the Tories priorities are from that.

First meeting of the new Pan Partnership board last week - with the seven newly elected local residents. Much better meeting than we have had for some time. My predecessor as councillor, Tony Coburn, having been elected as one of the resident board members was elected as Chair of the board. Good news.