There's a place for us

If we are committed to the concept, pursuit, attainment & development of Total Place, what will that mean for us all?Change didn’t begin when Tony Blair became PM!

We had that period of joined up thinking in the late 90’s but it was secretly qualified by many as “Yes, there will be joined up thinking but it shall be cast in my view of joined up-ness:- a kind of Joined Upmanship!”

It’s ‘ard not to sound bichie, but we could claim that Blackburn is the place where Place really began:- Back in the 1980’s before partnerships, resource mapping, community cohesion, joint working, pooled budgets began.

And we have continued with that work. Its rigour, durability & common sense enduring both changes in professional & political leadership.

We got the alchemy right from the outset. That’s the key.

Now 20+ years on our next steps embrace the establishment of an NHS Health Care Trust + that comes fully alive next month.

Our board will be Chaired by me, former youth & community worker, trainer & manager, Mayor & Leader of the Council (including Chair of Finance, Education, Community & Leisure inter alia), Chair of the College, NED or mentor to our Community Business Partners & Enterprise for All.

The board will have 7 Execs (including council staff), & 7 non execs (3 elected members from the three main parties, 3 “community” directors & a qualified Audit Chair.

We have a lot to learn & do but our citizens as health clients in all the many different guises deserve & demand the best we can deliver & “Yes, the resources available to us may be diminishing”.

I shall return to this theme & its detail, as the Beatles sang:-

There’s a place,
Where I can go,
When I feel low,
When I feel blue.
And it’s my mind,
And there’s no time when I’m alone.