UNISON Local Government (LG) Conference - Saturday 13 June

This kicked off yesterday with a London Regional delegation meeting at 6pm held at the Holiday Inn. There was a good turn out of delegates and visitors. More chairs had to be brought in for everyone. The meeting was run by Sue from Southwark LG branch and Sean Fox from Haringay LG. Who are the respective Chair and Vice chair of the London Local Government committee with the UNISON Regional head of LG Vicki Easton.

Their was a minutes silence by everyone present for long standing LG activist Malcolm Campbell, who died recently.

There was an election (aka press gang) for regional tellers and then a Standing Orders Committee (SOC) report from Islington LG, Andrew Berry, who had been newly elected to replace Malcolm on the business for tomorrow. SOC is really complicated and confusing to anyone but fellow anoraks. It is actually important to the effective running of conference and the union.

Andrew (who refuses to “engage” with me on this blog since I am so 'orrible about him) reported that the chairs for conference had been changed to make them more comfy. Which if accurate would be good news! He reported on the timetable for motions and the plan for the next two days.

Then there was a rather silly but typical call for a “straw poll” about some procedural matter by the usual suspect. It was completely and utterly irrelevant to the report and should have dismissed by the Chair as the first “Grandstanding” of the conference season. No doubt it will not be the last.

Sean Fox spoke about the official Sunday lunchtime fringe about the social care. He is the branch secretary of the borough which had to deal with Baby P fallout.

Two official fringe meetings were mentioned. On Monday there is a Library fringe (I think that Lynn Brown is speaking?) and there is the Housing fringe on Tuesday.

I mentioned that there are LGPS fringes on Tuesday 5.15pm and Thursday 5.15pm.

Finally David Eggmore announced his retirement from the Local Government Service group. Dave had beaten me twice for that position in recent years. He finished this announcement by saying “Let a 1000 flowers bloom”

I had Cod and Chips at the famous Brighton Regency Fish Restaurant. Later on that night I met up with all my good friends at my 2nd favourite local government branch Lambeth! (see picture). My new best friend ever, branch secretary, ace blogger and fellow Labour Party activist Nick Venedi is on the right.