Whilst I am not a member of the main implementation team in Bedford setting up the new authorities, I am the member of the Children and Adult services implementation team. The last meeting I attended was ‘an introduction to the county services’ for the borough councillors.

It was a bit like watching paint dry; the officers were desperately trying to brief a room full of mainly county councillors on services they deliver and how they deliver them. One of the three borough councillors present, I know, is extremely well informed when it comes to matters of education. After two hours we called the meeting to a halt and the fast array of both County and Borough officers went back to their respective work loads rather than sitting round a table listening to what they already knew.

What did we achieve was the over riding question I was left with. We did learn that the Bedford GCSE results are worse than Central Bedfordshire but looking at current outcomes does not achieve service delivery. I have spoken with many of the officers about the meeting and they agreed they had not pitched it to the right audience.

There only are 8 months until these authorities need to be up and running with co-opted councillors setting them up. The implementation team I am on has a huge job and I am hoping we will split in two to make sure we can get the work done. There is a mild feeling of fear, especially when it comes to the vulnerable, but the work will get done.

Whilst all this is going on, the County are beginning to lose senior officers, the Chief Exec was the first to go, closely followed by the Director of Environment and Community services. I do wonder if we should open a poll as to who will be next to go rather than voting on Bedfordshire’s sexiest politician.