LITTLE VICTORY

Cabinet last night at which I somehow managed to get them to amend their own consultation response to SEEDA's Regional Economic Strategy. I said that I was unhappy at the lack of emphasis on having a higher earnings economy on the IW and they agreed, and will amend their response ! Worth going along.
NB. SEEDA = South East Economic Development Agency.

There was also the Audit Commission's report on their 'improving adequately' 2-star status for 2004/5 - up to Oct o5. I drew attention to a number of cautionary statements in the report about staff morale, changes at the 'top', lack of capacity, and the proposed health integration.

The cabinet also approved the next consultative document for the Island Plan.

This morning, with the latest rumours about the parlous state of the Health Trusts' finances (borrowing money just to limit their overspend, which last autumn they pledged they would not have), the health integration was pronounced to be a 'dead duck' by a Tory member. Indeed ! Exactly what Labour has been saying for months. I will watch with interest how they will try to wriggle out of this one.

PAN PROGRESS AND OTHER MATTERS

Went along to a Pan Development steering group on Friday. This consists of various officers and 3 Tory Cabinet members, plus me, which will make recommendations to Cabinet. I have been attending these for 4 months now to keep an eye on what is being planned - which hasn't been very much until now.

Friday was much better with my securing a commitment for the group to start communicating with Pan residents about where things stand and where things are going. A 'relief road' as part of the development is something that many residents want, but this is now included in a Council traffic management review of the whole of Newport. The development will have 30% affordable housing, which the group agreed to recommend should be for Islanders only. A list of infrastructure items that are required will be compiled, which should include a community and health centre, both of which are much needed. Finally it is clear that not a sod will be turned on the site until April 2009 - 3 years away.

Thursday I attended a briefing on the feasibility study produced by PA Consulting on the potential Strategic Partnering (privatisation) of many Council services. The more services the better it seems. Surprise, surprise it is 'feasible' and now a 'business case' will be produced by late March. The clear assumption being made is that private = good; public = bad. I took the opportunity to briefly address staff with an outline of my own scepticism and support for public services.

Also on Thursday I attended a Newport Town Council working party with other Newport councillors and the Council Leader. Given that the Council will be precepting unparished areas from April I feel we have no choice but to have a Town Council to make sure that the money is spent in Newport's interests. As Pan is an integral part of Newport I want to see it as part of the Town Council area, as Pan on its own does not make sense and I know there is very little support for such a breakaway. Petitions to secure the necessary 2000 signatures across the whole of Newport and Carisbrooke will be going out in the relatively near future. For 2006/7 there will be a Newport Town management committee, consisting of Newport IW councillors, that will oversee the precept until the Town Council is created - probably for 2007/8.

One things I like from all of this is that the Guildhall could be brought back into political and democratic use as a joint base for a Town Council and meetings of the IW Council (should the latter pursue its intent to flatten County Hall). The last democratic body to use the Guildhall was the old Newport Borough Council, abolished in 1974 and a Labour council !

ADDRESSING OUR LOW WAGE ECONOMY

With our low wage economy isn't it good to see the Council making efforts to improve that situation ? £150k for a new Chief Executive will certainly help that somewhat. But then it will go down again when they privatise 90% of their own staff - as is floated by the consultants they are using to look into 'strategic partnering'.

I remember the LibDems bringing in their own 'mover and shaker' as Chief Exec about 7 years ago. He was paid that sort of money - and even more when they realised that moving and shaking weren't really his forte. He organised so little movement that the Island's general election count in 2001 was reported at the same time as the Ulster constituencies.

TWO STAR HELP FOR A TWO STAR COUNCIL

Members were advised today that the Council is to get advice and support from the Chief Exec of Tory Northants County Council, which the Leader lauded as an example of help from the local government family. I checked out this council on the Audit Commission site and found that like the IW it is a two-star authority, judged to be improving 'well' rather than the IW's 'adequately'. A cursory glance at other authorities they could have approached turned up quite a few four star authorities in the south of England. Why not approach them for help rather than Northants ?

MEANWHILE IN A PARALLEL UNIVERSE

This was in something I received tonight from within the higher echelons of the Council:

"One of the most rewarding commitments I had last week was to work with the members of the Scrutiny Committee on putting together a work programme. Scrutiny has been a bit stop start over the last few months, for a variety of reasons, but I see a group of dedicated and enthusiastic members who will embrace the task of focusing their efforts on enquiries which can make a real difference to service users and to communities."

Anyone familiar with the doings and non-doings of this Scrutiny Committee over the last 6 months will surely burst into laughter. I can hardly wait to see this real difference !

COMPLICATED LIFE

When I am not being a Councillor I have to earn a proper living to supplement my £6k per annum allowance, which I do by working for the Dept for Work & Pensions in Newport. As you would expect from a traditional Labour councillor, in my work life I am also a trade union activist, representing members with their day to day work problems. My union is PCS and this Thursday and Friday I will be joining my colleagues in the DWP across the nation in a 2 days strike. As if my life wasn't complicated enough ! So at 7am each day I will be out on the picket line.

PCS members are on strike against job losses (the government wants a further 15,000 civil service job losses by 2008 in the DWP alone), crackdowns on our conditions of service, worsening services to the public, rubbish IT systems (provided by the private sector), more use of call centres, etc etc. This sort of agenda will seem awfully familiar to Islanders working in other public sector areas.

Its just a pity that workers sometimes have no option but to use the only weapon they have in the face of no longer bearable attacks on their lives............

HYPOCRITES

As the Tory Council seeks a new Chief Executive, they have set up a 'microsite' website for potential candidates - see http://www.unleashthetalent.co.uk/

Within that site it states - "the Island has a history as a forcing ground for talent. That history has continued over the last few years, with colleagues in a range of senior positions having moved on to new, more senior, roles elsewhere (including a Chief Executive, two Directors of Children's Services and (get this) a Government Office Education advisor role). Yes, the very same recent Director of Children's Services who was was unceremoniously dumped in December is now being lauded as a paragon as they attempt to con someone to come and do their dirty work.

PRICE RESIGNS FROM SCRUTINY CHAIR

Full Council tonight, where we learnt that Cllr Gary Price (not present again) has resigned from the Chair of the so-called Scrutiny Committee after 5 months of ineffectiveness and invisibility. He cited lack of support from his own LibDem group, from his local party, and from the other political groups. He probably meant the sheer isolation he suffered as Chair! Must have been like listening to the entire Joy Division back catalogue in one sitting. There may next month be another attempt by the Tories to return the committee to opposition control - but don't hold your breath..... . Additionally they were expressing unhappiness at the new Town & Parish Council rep on Scrutiny being politically affilated - he is the local LibDem agent.

The opposition motion expressing concern at the Children's Services privatisation predictably went down with Labour, LibDems and Indys all voting in favour. I tried to be sweet and reasonable in moving the motion, but the public gallery easily spotted the whipped Tory vote. The Tories own motion approving the Cabinet privatisation decision went through with only Labour & LibDems against.

On the budget I welcomed the £1.7m better funding from Government, which is now being used to settle £1.7m debts to the local NHS Trusts - and they still want to integrate with the Trusts!!!!

I asked Cllr Wood when we would have details - the 'full horror' - of their cuts or 'efficiencies' for next year's £9m-less budget and was assured there will be details published ahead of the February Budget Council. In response to a jibe from Cllr Mazillius, I assured him there will be a Labour budget proposal this year that seeks to ameliorate some of the Tory-proposed worst 'efficiencies'.

On a personal note I had many condolences from members of all parties and none, which were appreciated

SERVICE RESUMED

Well I am back on the Island and ready for the fray. Thanks to all those who sent me messages of condolence over the last 10 days.

Full Council tonight and my report will follow tomorrow.

BEREAVEMENT

My father died early Monday morning, so I won't be posting much this week

THE DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES

Yesterday - "I would like to assure all staff that Mike Fisher remains the council’s Chief Executive" (***, Asst Chief Exec of IWC)

Today - "Mike Fisher, the Isle of Wight Council’s Chief Executive will take early retirement from his post with effect from January 8", and "***, currently one of the two Assistant Chief Executives,is to take on an interim role as Chief Executive"

Assurances at what is seemingly becoming a nest of vipers. And all predicted by me on November 14th.

NO MODERATION HERE !

Anyone new to this blog after the 'Percy Sutson' gossip piece in today's County Press will be pleased to know that I do not edit or moderate any comments that are posted. I made that commitment when I started it back in May last year and I will stick to it unless compelled to by the law. I may not approve of something that is posted, but I will defend the freedom to say things.

Enjoy.....

INVISIBLE MAN

An official denial that the Chief Executive of the Council has left received today. Not surprising that people might think so given his absence from all Council meetings in recent months !

NOTHING NEW YET

Went along to the Policy Commission for Children's Services last evening, at which the newly-appointed, private-sector Director was present. He outlined his early diagnosis of why educational attainment is so low on the IW and it felt a bit like Groundhog Day, as he was saying exactly what the previous Director has been saying for some time, and what some of us have known are the problems for quite some time. More importantly he will produce his 'cure' for the problem by the end of the month, with strategies for addressing attainment to be agreed by Cabinet in early February. By then I would imagine the contract with this private company will have been firmed up from its current daily basis.

I asked him about engagement with unhappy stakeholders - teachers, governors, parents - and the oft-ignored social care aspects of Children's Services, and he made the usual responses. All in all I was entirely unconvinced that he will bring anything more to his post than the previous incumbent.

LEADERSHIP TOO BUSY FOR 9th

Deborah and I today agreed to defer the education debate until the regular Full Council on 18th, as both the Leader and Deputy Leader - who we are seeking to hold to account over the underhand and undemocratic education privatisation - are unavailable for the planned special Full Council meeting on the 9th.

Speaks volumes............