As the last “View from the top” for this year, it seems only appropriate that I draw on some festive inspiration for it. Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas carol” is a story well-known to many, with countless adaptations over the years.
I picked up this old version a few years ago, where the novella “A Christmas Carol” is featured among other Dicken’s Christmas Stories. It was when flicking through the book that I thought it might be fun to reflect on our work through the lens of the three ghosts. With “Laughter”, being one of our four values, this will be a very different View from the Top and one I hope you read with a light mood.
There is no rattling of chains for the ghost of LCRIG’s Christmas past, but a servant of the past is something in the industry we must be alert to. Being innovative, and open to new ideas, new ways of working, and products that drive our sector forward can only happen if we are not prisoners of our past or regret previously introduced activities that didn’t quite work out. The Innovation Festival in July, our first, was an opportunity to do things differently and bring both councils and the supply chain together to demonstrate innovations. “No space of regret can make amends for one life’s opportunity misused” and whilst this quote was from the Ghost of Christmas Past, Marley. It is true missing opportunities to look innovatively at what we do is something that LCRIG will always strive to create opportunities for our members.
The Ghost of Christmas Present represents generosity and goodwill. The Ghost shows Scrooge scenes of people sharing what they have with each other, even if they have very little. Encouraging collaboration successfully is part of the DNA of LCRIG right from our days as a group of authorities in the North-West. We see a lot of generosity and goodwill amongst all our members whether council to council, council to supply chain, supply chain to councils, partners to councils, and of course with our government colleagues. At present, we have been analysing the recent LCRIG survey results. Members can read more about them in our upcoming Member Update. Being part of a community, sharing good practices, and learning from others were all top results. To do all of these, there is a generosity of time given but also a sense of goodwill across all our members to work together and collaborate. That being said, budgets are set to continue to tighten, and the effects of inflation and an uncertain 2023 will mean a need for the continued generosity of time and goodwill from members to share, despite the temptation to hide under a tin hat.
The Ghost of Christmas to come shows a vision of things not yet come to pass unless Scrooge changes. At the risk of this season’s missive becoming too gloom laden and with the lesson to Scrooge “There is never enough time to do or say all the things that we would wish. The thing is to try to do as much as you can in the time that you have” I want to write about all the things we have planned for a great future for 2023, we have dates for our biggest events here with opportunities for sponsors, exhibitors, and themes designed to support councils on some of the biggest challenges facing our sector.
At the end of the short story, Scrooge is a redeemed man with kindness, friendship, and family being uppermost in his changed ways. At LCRIG, thinking of others is something we care deeply about, and for another year we wrapped over 123 gifts for young adults (21 to 25) leaving the care system at Blackburn with Darwen Council. This gifts were made possible with donations from ourselves, Multevo, AWAP/Curo Pharmacy, Bretherton, Tensar, Jointline, TACGRID, Beever & Struthers Accountancy, and Uniplay.
So, let me end my missive by saying a huge thank you from all of us, to all of you. We love what we do to help the sector and, with our usual enthusiasm and boundless energies, we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in 2023!