It’s been four weeks and five days since I blogged. How did that happen?  It’s been a busy few weeks for me and every other policy nerd in the sector who have been spending our Saturdays behind stalls at party conferences. I’m not ashamed to admit I enjoy the buzz of the conferences. We always have an action plan for who we want to target but I also really like chatting to ordinary party members about the sector and testing out what they think about us and our work.  Its almost always positive. Though over on openunionism they seemed to me more impressed with our sweets than anything else!

While pi camp and party conferences occupied me at the weekends, during the week I have been plotting the next steps in the Smart Solutions Campaign and dealing with the feeling that we are in the eye of the storm over the budget.  We are organised and ready to step into full consultation mode should a draft budget be released soon but part of me is struggling to believe we will see anything this side of Christmas – despite what the First Minister told the Chief Executives Forum.  I checked out the legal position on what might happen if a budget isn’t agreed and it seems that the DFP Minister is able to set a budget covering a percentage of expenditure which should bring us up to about November next year.  At least we know there is provision for a plan B but is this really what devolution was about?  Fudge after fudge until all we are left with is bland strategies (CSI and don’t get me started on the new Child Poverty Strategy) and the inability to reach agreement on anything more detailed or real? 

 I am really lucky to work with lots of elected members from all political parties and haven’t met one yet who wasn’t in the job to improve the lives of the people they represent.  A few years ago I was at a talk by the former Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell who said that Scotland moved things forward by working together with an agreed set of priorities and taking determined action with a sense of purpose. Too much to ask for here too?  I really hope the Executive make me eat these words.