Solace blog

The once traditional August lull is now a distant memory – and, if we are honest, probably one viewed through rose-tinted spectacles. But while the absence of most formal council meetings continues to create some space, the fallout from this year’s elections, the Autumn Spending Review and the drive towards devolution has kept everyone busy.

Now that the 4 September has arrived, we can seal the envelopes on our bids and submissions and only wait expectantly – or perhaps in trepidation – at what the Chancellor might announce come November.

Amongst the other time pressures, we are thrilled that so many of you have taken the time to send us your thoughts on our draft Code of Ethics. They have been coming in by the ‘virtual’ postbag and we are extremely pleased to receive such a high level of engagement. Announced in the President’s address at our last Summit, we feel it is should be an important keystone for the Society. The comments and ideas you have given will go a long way in improving the code and they have shaped our thinking about how to take the Code forward. We will be coming back to the membership in the run-up to the AGM to share our ideas on the next steps. The closing date for comments was today, 4 September, but if you still have any burning issues or simply improvements you want to raise, please still let me know.

I hope you have already noticed the change in format to ‘Solace News’. As a squeaky new format, we hope this becomes more valuable to you as Solace members and shares more of what your professional network is up to, as well as how you can share your ideas and become more involved.

With that in mind, each week, we will include what we hope you’ll think is an interesting blog. Some will be written by our Solace Spokespeople, Board members and staff updating you on what the Society is up to and their thoughts on all things public service. Others will be written by speakers from our events and others who have something interesting to say about leadership and local public service. But most importantly we also want to hear from you. As a Solace member, if you have something you want to get off your chest, an interesting story to tell colleagues or a lesson that you’ve learned, please share it with us. Just send me 400 erudite words on graeme.mcdonald@solace.org.uk and we will put them on the website and in a future edition of Solace News.

By Graeme McDonald, Director, Solace