Not a lot to say this week or last week really (makes a change I know!) Lots of energy and attention still going on behind the scenes to prepare for the PPMA conference - have you booked your place yet?

On the PPMA front, I’ve been fairly low key in the last couple of weeks, simply due to the needs of Cambridgeshire County Council. However, yesterday I attended the IDeA Board meeting (via PPMA I get a seat on the Board as a non-executive director). Whilst performing this role on behalf of the IDeA, I still ensure that issues relating to HR/people management are kept in the minds of the Board. With the current situation at the LGA and Lucy De Groot due to leave the IDeA at the end of March, HR issues featured heavily on the Board agenda - watch the local government trade press to find out more in the coming weeks.

Other than this, today has seen me do some ‘hands-on’ HR work within my authority, dealing with a particular issue - it’s nice to know that I can still actually do operational things and I still get a bit of a buzz from this….note to my team, no don’t worry I won’t make a habit of this!

Anyway, have a good weekend - sure to have some more news for you next week.

Best wishes

Stephen

Morning all - don’t know about where you all are, but sunny Suffolk wasn’t sunny this morning but instead looked more like the inside of a fridge/freezer.

I’m sat on a train writing this (keeping up the trend from last year) heading for London to chair the LGjobs steering group for the IDeA. If you’ve not taken up the free jobs posting service for your council, I suggest you take a look at this.

Scanning the trade press, I notice that HR Magazine is seeking nominations for the 2009 Most Influential list - for the categories of Most Influential HR practitioner and Most Influential H R thinker. The public sector and the PPMA had a great showing at the top end of the list last year - it would be great if we could improve on this for 2009. Nominations can be e-mailed to: mostinfluential@hrmagazine.co.uk

Not to many other things to report this week, but a couple of asides before finishing:

- Coventry City Council is looking for a new Head of HR. This is a great job for someone, working with the wonderful Bev Messinger, Director of Customer and Workforce Services and currently Joint Acting Chief Exec - great stuff Bev!

- I’m writing a piece for People Management on the what I see the conflict between Equality and Diversity to be - thoughts welcome via e-mail or comments on the blog. Many thanks to PPMA’s Diversity lead Janice Joannou for some great thoughts already.

Have a good and safe weekend in the winter wonderland and spare a thought for the public servants who have to work outside in the cold and keep the roads safe for us to use.

Best wishes

Stephen

Well it’s the second of January 2009 and I’m sat in Shire Hall in Cambridge. It’s lovely and quiet and I’m taking the chance to catch up on the bit of my job that I never enjoy - admin and weeding out some old e-mails.

Anyway, all things back to normal from next week and I hope you enjoyed a great festive period.

Best wishes

Stephen