I'm getting used to doing my double act now - trying to be in two places at the same time! Tonight I think I succeeded.
At five o'clock I was in Stafford for a meeting of the Standards committee where the main item on the agenda was the new Code of Conduct for councillors. Several amendments, or rather additions, were being suggested by the Councils monitoring officer Alistair Welch. These provoked an hour or so of very interesting debate which tended to confirm my view that the new Code has many areas of ambiguity within it which are likely to cause some problems for councils up and down the country in the years to come. Alistair's suggested amendments will hopefully avoid some of those problems in Stafford Borough Council.
As soon as that meeting ended, I was on my way back to Stone for the annual bowls match between the Town Council and the Stone Ex Servicemen. This match was well underway when I arrived but Janet had substituted for me and had clearly impressed some of the proper bowlers. She has been invited to join them for tuition! Jill Hood and I played a game without disgracing ourselves before retiring to Langtrys for the traditional buffet. All told, a very enjoyable evening.
And what a pleasure to sit in Langtrys with no smoke hanging in the air or evil smelling ash trays on the tables!
