A diary entry of random musings

It's been a tough couple of weeks since I last got round to updating my thoughts here. I notice my last blog was about the misery of following my home town team, and since then all England fans have experienced that Coventry City moment. England falling out of a World Cup only happens every four years, and not often with such embarrassment, but Coventry provides its fans with displays like that seemingly on a monthly basis.

The news from the home front is that our clever new manager has announced that he has brought back a fans favourite and local boy Gary McSheffrey as his first new signing. This will endear the fans to him for at least half a season, and will give a boost to season ticket sales, but if it goes pear-shaped (and knowing Coventry it will), he will have to come up with something else to maintain positive reviews after Christmas.

Work wise I have been extremely busy, and there is one new phenomenon that has occurred this term that has never happened before in my 20+ years working with school governors. In three different schools across Brent and Camden I am aware of formal grievances being issued by staff against their headteachers.

I think it is a sign of the times that staff are falling out with their school leaders, and when the inevitable cuts dig in across the public sector, the way in which people are identified for redundancy will create a whirlwind of hearings, appeals and employment tribunal cases. Whenever there is human grief there is often work for some to be found. Employment lawyers and HR professionals are going to be extremely busy for the next two years.

On the politics front a lively although rather meaningless Council meeting took place on Monday. The new Mayor Jonathan Simpson proved he could chair a meeting although he was far too lenient with Labour colleagues and needs to balance this out in the future if he is to avoid criticism of helping the home side.

What made my night was the extremely skilful speech made by our new Deputy Leader Matt Sanders, covering for Keith Moffitt, following a plodding and amateurish opening attempt from new Council Leader Nash Ali. Matt proved to me that I was right to promote him behind the scenes to take on the Deputy role in our Group. He is a star of the future (and you heard it here first!!).

The coming weekend involves helping out at the Jester Festival, where my principal role is one of lifting things - carrying assorted goods and furniture from Flick Rea's house and then carrying some of it back again. With my wheat allergy, working on a cake stall is hardly ideal employment but Flick has found a different role for me this year. I am to provide the squash for the darling children of my constituents. Really looking forward to that....