The Budget can be fun!

The annual budget council meeting is generally considered the most important one of the year. This year’s was three times the ‘fun’ with two meetings in the same week, plus another a week or so later to mop up an item that somehow got mislaid!

From time to time a Scrutiny Workshop comes up that I want to give by input and this month we looked at how well we have supported the workforce during the last year’s pandemic.  Interestingly I think we all acknowledged just how much the workforce had supported us, so many going way beyond the call of duty.

At the end of March the legal Socio-Economic Duty came into force.  Like all my fellow councillor colleagues I attended a session on this.  It’s a mouthful I know but all it means is that we need to deliver better outcomes for those people who experience disadvantage with access to enough money to live on, and other resources, plus issues related to privilege, power and control.  I like to think that as a council we have always endeavoured to do this.

And during the month some of the usual committees made an appearance such as Audit, PDCs, and two lots of Licensing.  Plenty to keep me busy!

Some old, some new

On the very first day of February we had a special council meeting to appoint a new Director of Education.  Whilst of course it’s only right that any job vacancy is open to all that have the right skills, knowledge & experience, it’s gratifying when the person covering a post has been doing a good job, that they then get offered the post.  And I’m pleased to say that was the case here.

I’m also pleased that I managed to attend the Financial Inclusion group for the first time in a good while.  It’s good to know that there are so many organisations who care enough about supporting people financially, and in other practical ways, when they need it.  And it was Dylan Thomas Spring term governor’s meeting, where I was welcomed back for another 4 years, having just had my role on the board renewed.  

As well as a lot of the usual meetings, such as Audit, Licensing, plus all the policy groups I’m on, I went to a webinar looking at how we can all encourage the public to complete the census.  This is held every 10 years and due on 21st March.

Oh, and my first covid jab.  Hopefully not too long a wait before the second.

Les