This blog is mainly about the governance and future of policing and crime services. (Police & Crime Commissioners feature quite a lot.) But there are also posts about the wider justice system. And because I am town councillor and political activist, local & national issues are covered a little, as well.

Friday, April 25, 2014

A treat of a day

Today has been a great day: brimming with wonderful people of all ages, some scrunchy new ideas and excellent food. So before I toddle off to the land of nod, I just want to thank a few people...
  • My new & old twitter pals who send me gems of information, inspiration and feedback: as a lone freelance codger, it is great to be connected!
  • The year 13/14 year old students of The Radcliffe School, Milton Keynes whom I met this morning at a Worktree workshop designed to help prepare them for the world of work. Your faces sparkled with enthusiasm, good questions and skillful listening.
  • The staff of Currys in Oxford, and Staples, Hobbycraft & Homebase in Reading: thanks for trying to help me obtain some high temperature ceramic glue and other items.
  • The organising team behind the Annual Supper of the Reading Criminal Justice Association: you put on a well planned and most enjoyable event this evening. Thanks to Roy for inviting me as a guest.
  • The crew at The Kitchen at Reading College who put on such a fine spread: excellent service and delicious food all round!
  • The people on my table I got to chat with: Moira, Janet and Anne with conversation that spanned Chrome TV boxes, dentist hand washing, Freudian narcissism and housing association plumber working conditions!
  • And to my old friend and colleague, Peter Neyroud who squeezed about as many stimulating ideas and policy proposals into his all too short after dinner speech (time was limited) as there are currants in a Christmas pudding. (Watch this space for more blogs on some of the themes that Peter raised tonight.)

I live a privileged life for which I am grateful.

2 comments:

  1. Hello I wanted to congratulate you on the extensive reviews in your blog. I just found it whilst reading up on PCCs so far. I wanted to ask if you have any collective data on the numbers of sacked, resigned, wrongly suspended etc Chief Officers we lost since their appointment. I,m not suggesting to know the in and outs of all cases, my key aim is to look & compare this loss s and attempt to quantify it for public, ill treated officers, the wider force & potential impacts to local partnerships. I do indeed have opinions on some of the #maverick individuals but they ought to remain 'part 2, hehe thanks Di

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    1. Thanks Di. I am sure someone has collected that data somewhere but the notable cases are Avon&Somerset, Gwent, Cumbria & Lincolnshire (I think!) But do remember the PCC only has hire/fire power over Chief Constables - not Deputies or ACCs.

      As for the mavericks, there is widespread view that about 1/3 of PCCs are doing a fine and indeed progressive job, another 1/3 are doing, um, OK... and the remaining third are well out of their depth - but I could not say who was in which group of course!

      ;-)

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