All about Events

David Wilde hosted today's Events Committee at Westminster City Hall. As the Conference looms closer all is still shaping-up well. A final programme update has just been issued. I'm delighted that we have "Twist and Shout Communications" with "Citizen Sally – Power to the People!" in the plenary spot at 2:10 pm on Tuesday. This Group performed in one of the parallel sessions at last year's conference and were a tremendous hit.

I updated Events colleagues on the preliminary consultation undertaken with prospective partners in Events Management. It was agreed to appoint a Working Group – Ken Boxhall, Steve Palmer, Martin Fuggles, Adrian Hancock and myself – to develop the detailed requirements and scope, and engage in formal negotiations, as necessary. The Events Team will continue with its remit, and will be kept in-the-loop on developments, but the aim is to have a detailed plan of the way forward agreed and ready for implementation by the end of this year. The only "non-negotiable" is Socitm continued "in-house" specification of the events programme and content, aligned with the developing policy agenda.


I then crossed Victoria Street to Edelman's Offices for a final briefing on Monday's Microsoft Innovate '08 Awards Final. A Tele-Conference was set-up for most participants but, as I was right on their door-step, couldn't miss the opportunity for another visit to their swanky offices!


Back at Direct House I was "Guest Presenter" at Newham ICT's Team Talk!


I brought the TVR to work, and Chris travelled-up to the office to join me, from where we were driving up to Newcastle-upon-Tyne for the Car Club's annual "Big Northern Gathering". It looks like we'd have had great difficulty in choosing a worse weekend for it!