Friday 31 May 2013

Farewell and Welcome


Good to be at the farewell celebration for Peter Wanless at the Commons yesterday. It was Hail and Farewell Wanless Big Lottery and Welcome Wanless ACEVO member and NSPCC Chief.




A most interesting gathering of sector and quangocrats, civil servants of various shapes and sizes and friends of the Wanless. He has been a good CEO. Obviously its not to difficult giving money away as opposed to the grind of finding it, but this is a non-departmental body with all the pointless red tape that involves. It really ought to be freed of all this and set up as a Foundation. How strange that when Francis Maude was conducting his "bonfire" this one seemed to escape. Couldn't be anything to do with the fact It has oodles of money politicians can "earmark" for their hobby horses could it?  But then again its “independent" isn't it.  I was forgetting. Dawn will have a great time there holding off the hordes of supplicants and ministers bearing gifts of their ideas. And sometimes supporting them. Good luck Dawn.

And I look forward to Wanless throwing caution to the wind and speaking out for children; regardless of whether Government likes it or not. Go for it Peter. We will be cheering you along.

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