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 Just as we in the UK are to be given our freedom the Indian variant strikes and cases in some areas are rising - what next?

 A friend asked my thoughts on this times article.

Labour has no hope of winning power alone | Comment | The Times

I think the headline should have been reduced to “Labour has no hope of winning”.

Both main parties now suffer from names that no longer reflect their political aspirations. The current right wing government can’t be described as conservation and the Labour party has lost its working class base. The days when the working class could be easily defined are long gone. The miners and mill workers, ship builders and steel workers had a proud tradition that defined their class and the Labour party reflected their political ambitions for improvement through collective bargaining and public ownership. Landed gentry and professional workers were keen to conserve what they had got either through conquest or better life opportunies achieved by inherited money or better education or just plain luck.

It is now time to change the name of the main opposition party from Labour Party perhaps to The UK Reform Party. This party needs to appeal to voters across the political divide who aspire for personal improvement irrespective of where they currently sit on the present ladder of class or creed or geographical location. It would build on the best traditions of unity, empathy and social conscience from all the existing parties. It should aim to adopt a principle of joint ownership for parts of the economy that are critical to our defence, economy and the welfare of its citizens. Certain services funded by taxpayers money should have that funding identified and ring fenced. Services aimed at the public for public good should be publically owned and accountable for in parliament.  

Everyone knows who they think is working class but how many of us are proud to be working class?  I have in the past sold my time, efforts and skills, such as they were, for money. This I thought was work either with muscle or brain, but my labour didn’t define my aspirations for me, my family and country or predefined  my choice of which party to vote for.  This may not have been the case for many where perhaps in their minds there was a correlation?

This is not a time for a  party of Allies but a time to define and choose a new battle ground and recruit a new modern army united in a common cause whilst paying due regard to the battle honours of the past.

 

Ron 😊

 

 

Change but not for the better?

Online Library services

For the attention of the Minehead Librarian.

About six months into lockdown, I was contacted by the SCC library service who were carrying out a survey. The question was “am I missing my library”? I was somewhat embarrassed to have to admit that my use of my local library in physical terms was very limited but that I was a frequent user of its online service based on the RB Digital platform. Here I could access magazines, eBook’s, audio books, newspapers and even comics.

Now for reasons outside of SCC Library services control I understand the preferred platform is now Overdrives “Libby” app. At present this app only gives access to magazines?  However, I have developed a couple of work arounds to access the other formats using Libraries West Web site, Cloud Library, Overdrive and Borrow Box. Compared with the slick one click service given by RB Digital this is a very clunky solution involving several different platforms and in my oppinion a very retrograde step for SCC readers.

 Of course, it may be my error and you may have got a set of up-to-date instructions on how to overcome my problems please?

I would be very willing to speak to someone in SCC who is directly involved with the transfer of platforms to give a customer perspective of current online library services. As an early adopter some years ago, I did this but sadly have mislaid the Librarians name and details which in any case have no doubt changed.

I understand that this is a problem of minority interest and is a supplement to the important local service you offer our community.

You may wish to forward a copy of this email to the responsible Officer/librarian?

I hope you can help.

Keep safe.

Ron Blundell     

 

Low government spending in Somerset compared with other parts of theUK highlighted on today’s BBC Daily Politic 

 As a UK when will the English be treated equitably?

 

The role of the chairman?

Recent personal events have led me to think about the role of the chairman in clubs. In my time I have been the Chairman of West Somerset Scout Fellowship, Share Club Chairman and GSL of a Scout Group.

I found this definition of the Chairman's role on the internet:

 Chairperson's role at a glance

The following is an overview of the tasks fulfilled by a club chairperson:

• Overall organisation and running of the club including promotion and club development.
• Chair’s meetings including regular committee meetings and the club AGM
• Strategic planning and key decision-making duties
• Uphold Club Constitution and National Governing Body regulations.
• Delegating, leading and motivating club volunteers towards club goals/objectives

What are typical traits of a club chairperson? 

The role of chairperson is usually filled by people experienced in positions of leadership in their careers e.g., business owners, senior project managers or senior business managers. The chairperson needs to be a good communicator, a strategic thinker and someone who is able to delegate duties to different volunteers successfully and motivate those volunteers to serve the best interests of the club. 

My experiences in the role of Chairman/GSL have led me to the following conclusions in no particular order:

The duties and responsibilities of the chairman will depend on the organisation involved and its own expectations, history and traditions. Although following a general template for meetings the development of the club’s strategy will depend on the personality of the Chairperson. Some people seek out the position of chairman in order to offer a service to the club or to meet personal ambitions and provide a platform for their personality or ambitions of power.

Others have the position of chairman or other officers position forced upon them and reluctantly take on the role due to the people bringing the pressure not wanting the position themselves. There are many other reasons which are largely variants of these two circumstances.

The needs, expectations and personalities of all the club members is a big factor in the way the Chairman does their duty. One person performing the role of Chairman in two separate clubs will need to adapt their methods of working to the needs of the two different clubs’ members.

Different members will have different expectations of their club chairman with some preferring to be led and others not. The period in office of the chairman can vary but can be for as short as only a year. A short period of office can be an advantage that it means that unsatisfactory officers are quickly replaced whereas good performing officers have only just warmed up before they are too replaced. A year’s duration may mean that the supply of willing volunteers is rapidly depleted and a year to develop a new club strategy or manage a change of direction is difficult to achieve?

Practically all meetings involving a chairman are set up with the Chairman sitting in front of the members. This may be on an elevated platform and surrounded by a few other club officers such as the Secretary and Treasurer . It is only at very occasional meetings where the officers outnumber the members which would bring into question the validity of the meeting.

So the start of  any meeting takes the form of a confrontation between a minimum of two sides. It to be hoped that the Chairman and officers can present a united front but this depends on the support of the officers. This support depends as much on personal empathy as an agreement on policy. This empathy depends in part on mutual respect rather than perceived club hierarchy, but a chain of office does bring its own assumed and delegated power. Mutual respect is vital and a clear understanding of what the fundamental aims of the chairman are for the meeting. An agenda is important in this regard. Usually prepared by the secretary this necessitates the chairman giving the secretary a briefing of his aims outside of the normal day to day business.  Psychologically there is an advantage if the officers are raised above the members with the members seated in groups rather than lines across the room. Not only does this give a clearer view for all concerned but in any potential conflict situation the high ground gives an advantage. Allowing members to sit in groups gives a rough understanding of member alliances in the event of a contentious  issue on the agenda and a clue to possible arguments.

A chairman at all meetings puts their credibility on the line, many eyes watch every move, listen to every word, interpret all non verbal communication both with members and officer’s. Zoom meetings make this act doubly difficult and some chairman fail this test.

In some clubs Chairmen only serve for one year and wear a chain of office. They are the front men of the club taking the credit and blame perhaps in unequal measure. They need an element of a stage celebrity and can benefit from a quick sense of humour and timing. The role of the secretary is different his role is to serve the needs of the chairman without diverting attention from the chairman. The secretary’s role is to work in support of the star and be happy to make this star flourish. The secretary in turn needs appreciation, thanks and a little time of their own in the spotlight depending on their personality. Some secretaries fail this test.  

 Meetings Bloody Meetings (classic) - John Cleese - Bing video

 A place for technology?

Today just as we were about to go out to visit our son and daughter -in- Law on their 13th wedding anniversary our daughter in Kent rang us for a FaceTime call with our one year old granddaughter who we have only seen once face to face. When we appeared her face lit up and her hands went out towards us. An invaluable fleeting moment in time that for us at least proved the real value of today’s telecommunications.

 My political dilemma.

The Conservative and Unionist party policies  are forcing a split in the Union. The Liberals don’t know what to be  liberal about and Labour don’t know what to be radical about other than each other and the Greens have had their policy pinched by all the others.

 

Lockdown SWOT

As we move closer to the PMs vision of moving towards the broad sunlit uplands of an easing of lockdown restrictions, I find myself considering how I will spend my remaining future free time.

I have been a member of a number of organisations and held a variety of positions as have many of my friends.

My primary interest was Scouting, an association of which I was a member for over 50 years, and I was awarded the Silver Acorn for my services.

Some of my additional interests have been, or still are, as follows:

Bee keeping, Military History, Painting and drawing, Share Investments, Photography, Geocaching, Sailing, Neighbourhood watch, PROBUS Flying model aircraft. Writing poetry and Children’s stories, Literary competitions, Local history, Gaming and Travel.

The world pandemic has put pressures on all of these organisations which have responded in different ways. However, a common response across the world has been the increase in the use of technology. This is true of clubs as well as businesses. This has been a challenge for all with the loss of face-to-face contact and nonverbal communication such as body language and eye contact. This has caused me particular problems recently that reflects on me rather than others. Zoom has been on the rise to replace club and business meetings and working from home for many is possible. Face time and messenger and emails have been particularly useful in maintaining contact with family and friends.

With a background as a telecom engineer and a personal interest in the use of IT I felt I needed to retire as the secretary of one organisation when, as club secretary, I was told by the incoming chairman and vice chairman that there was more to the club than computers. Perhaps they had overlooked the irony that their opportunity to front up the club and wear the chain of office very much depended on the advantages of using modern technology! Perhaps the overriding reason however was a personality conflict between me, and the two officers concerned. I had reluctantly taken on the role a year earlier and agreed to continue for a further year having got to grips with the work involved.  During early lockdown I had tried to deliver some sort of service to members by social media but no doubt because of the age profile and lack of IT literacy amongst members this was unsuccessful.

 

The timing of restoration of normal service will be a difficult decision for all clubs and businesses depending on circumstances. Some clubs have become effectively dormant and despite all members having email contact have decided to keep communication with ordinary members to an absolute minimum and pay other clubs to deliver some basic services.

No doubt members of all clubs across the world are now considering their options. These will be affected by members changing interests, the lockdown service they have had from their own clubs and the services and potential new friendships offered by a change of direction.

Maybe now is the time for Club Chairman and committees to consider how they stand in this regard and safeguard and plan for the future interests of current and new members?