Thursday, July 3, 2008

A priviledge to be in local government

Following my two days of crisis innoculation training this week, I hot-footed it down to Bournemouth, where the LGA (Local Government Association) Annual Conference. This is a great opportunity to meet with colleagues old and new; to discover best practuce in other parts of the country that can be used back at home; and to share our own initiatives for the benefit of councils up and down the country.

It was in this last respect that I dashed down, checked into my hotel and rushed off to the Royal Exeter Hotel to give a presentation on the Kent TeleHealth Programme. KCC Leader Paul Carter gave a presentation on our Supporting Independence Programme, whilst other officer and member colleagues presented on Kent TV and the revolution in parent choice for those with learning disabled children.

The audience included Sir Simon Milton, Chairman of the LGA, senior policy staff from the IDeA and several other county councils as well as many district councillors from Kent.

As the presentations unfolded, I realised how lucky I am to work at Kent County Council - where innovation is a stock in trade, and where process and regulation takes second place against outcomes for the people we serve. Of course, as a large authority we have a little extra scope to try out new things, but all the same, it's a priviledge to be in local government at an authority such as ours.

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