Half-term recess and I've enjoyed a packed week meeting people and organisations across the bay.
I've met with two of the new 'Commissioners' of Torbay Council services and concluded that even though I have no idea how their jobs differ from Directors or Department heads, other than in their job title, I do not envy their tasks, although I do feel confident they are more than up to them.
Another name change is in the offing, the proposal that the Torbay Development Agency becomes the Torbay Development Company. I fail to see how a change in name, letterheads and stationary contributes to improvements in services. In the case of the TDC all it seems to do is reduce the number of Councillors accountable through the ballot box from the decision making process.
I've also met with Carol Schneider in her new role as Chair of the Torbay Care Trust together with her acting Chief Executive Anthony Farnsworth and discussed some of the budgeting challenges they face and plans they share. Despite the changes at the top the Care Trust is in very capable hands and remains a model for the delivery of social and health care that other areas are looking to replicate.
A cup of coffee was enjoyed with the hard working folk at the Coalition of Disabled People in Lymington Road who want to meet the ever increasing demands on their expertise and services, but need a little extra support in order to do this. I promise to try and help.
A tour round Job Centre Plus to meet some of the managers and staff whose workload increases with every job loss ended optimistically in the knowledge that they are geared up for the challenges ahead. As is so often the case with government departments the problems are with the system, rarely with the staff who do their best to help the people who come through the door.
I was very impressed with the Torbay Enterprise Project that holds out the promise of bringing new life to a run down part of Torquay town centre. It's a true partnership of statutory and community bodies with a plan to achieve urban regeneration through a social enterprise. It's an exciting project with a real chance of being realised unlike some pie in the sky schemes that make the front page one day and get wrapped round your fish and chips the next.
There were more exciting developments at the new Innovation Centre at Torquay coach station that is hoping to replicate the success of the original centre at South Devon College.
And I was able to attend a gathering of local licensees who expressed their concerns about the Licensing Act, trade matters and Torbay Council. I was there primarily for the former while Councillors Addis and Phillips very ably answered questions concerning the latter. All of the views expressed will be shared with the powers that be.
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The Channel 4 political awards are always an enjoyable occasion to mix socially with the media, political opponents and celebrities.
In the past I've sat at a table with one of the greatest comediennes of our time, the late and very sadly missed, Linda Smith. Another year I sat next to Lady Howe - Geoffrey Howe's wife and a Member of the Lords in her own right where she sits as an Independent. She was one of the brighest and friendliest of people I have ever shared an evening with. This year I was overwhelmed with interesting people as unusually, I was the only politician on my table.
With me were the veteran Parliamentary report Chris Moncrief and his wife, Sky TV political correspondent Jon Craig, Jo Bunting the producer of Have I Got News For You, Julia Hartley-Brewer from the Sunday Express, and I should be so lucky; lucky, lucky, lucky; Pete Waterman of Stock, Aitkin and Waterman the team behind the early hits of Kylie Minogue and countless other chart toppers.
To cut a long story short it was a great table to be on and as we were well out of ear shot of the recording - well I hope we were - some very naughty tales were shared about some of the award nominees: Not I hasten to add about my friend and colleague Vince Cable who won two awards and received the loudest cheers of the night.
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Is it just me or is everyone finding reasons to complain more often? I'm used to complaining on behalf of others - that's my job - but lately I have had cause to make several complaints on my own behalf.
What really gets my goat is the impossibility of getting through on the telephone to someone who can actually resolve your problem. Multiple choice switchboards particularly infuriate me. It's as if the organisation is taking the Michael making you listen to a whole series of possibilities delaying the point where you get through to a person to whom you can make your complaint. They are basically saying their time is more important than yours even though you are often the one paying their wages.
I have read a number of articles recently about the increases in stress being reported to GPs. My guess is that automated switchboards have something to do with this. The smoking bans may also be a contributing factor but it would be terribly politically incorrect to suggest that some people might lead happier, if shorter, lives smoking, than reaching a grand old age stressed and temperamental.
Some say life should be about the pursuit of happiness and I wonder what would happen if we elected a Government with that as its sole aim. I suspect multiple choice switchboards would be one of very few things such a Government would ban.
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