Lambeth diaries

So I am now in Lambeth and was given a project to manage which involved sorting out the LAFIS system. Interesting challenge but I enjoyed the Byzantine methods Lambeth were using for its accountancy system. LAFIS was straight forward if you had the right frame of mind. So I wanted to just get on with it and stay out of the politics of Lambeth, but of course this proved to be impossible... Dick Serabji became the leader taking over from Linda Bellos who was a friend of mine. I wasn't happy with that. Thought Linda was a great leader. He didn't last long and Joan Twelves took over with her partner John Tucker. Joan was sweet but... it was becoming obvious that I would be drawn into the Trade Union politics as people who started to know me realised I wasn't someone to stand back and not get involved. I thought long and hard but at the end I knew I had to get involved to help out. I was attracted by the principles of NALGO that I always loved so agreed to become the Shop Steward for my area (MS) that changed the wholes history as there was no way back from then on. But I could not sit back and just watch the chaos taking over I never stayed out of trouble. Not sure that's a good virtue or a massive negative. But who cares! Who Dares Wins or at least tries.




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Lambeth diaries

I arrived in Lambeth as a Finance Officer (accountant) on SO2 grade. My first office was at Olive Morris House. Nice enough building. Immediately felt at home. I had 5 other officers to manage which would keep me busy, 3 more than I supervised when in the Civil Service.

My manager, Jim seemed nice (we later developed a great friendship) He was wondering why my interview was conducted by two Directors, Peter Gould and Dev Ponoosami. Well I had no idea why but I did well and was given the job. I could see that the challenge would be enormous. This is because at the time Lambeth Council was under attack by the Tory government ( Thatcher and co) but I wasn't scared and was glad to get away from the idiotic habits of the civil service and the old brigade there who were in control. This is what a 25 year old would have thought I guess irrespective of whether it was true or not. So the fun and games started!

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Lambeth Diaries

So I got shortlisted for an interview and an assessment. I scored 100% at the test and was waiting for the panel to get together but the meeting was cancelled twice because a female member who was from HR could not make it.



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Lambeth Diaries

So I decided to leave the Secondary Examinations Council and the civil service and join local government. I lived in Streatham at the time so the nearest location to my flat would be Lambeth Council. So I applied for jobs there and got short listed twice. The job I was successful with was the one in the finance section of the Directorate of Management Services. I knew that Lambeth was going though huge changes at the time but wanted to take the risk as the place of work so so much nearer home and commuting to Notting Hill Gate every day from Streatham was a big problem for a 25 year old.. that's how I justified the move.





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Lambeth Diaries

So I arrived on the 1 April 1988 was with the Secondary Examinations Council before then which was part of the Department of Education and Science. I was an Executive Officer dealing with the new GCSEs and AS examinations. I didn't enjoy working there, I guess I was too young to appreciate the workings of the Civil Service.



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Lambeth Diaries

Decided to make a chronicle describing events as they happened for the period 1988 to 2010 when I was in Lambeth.

Arrived on 1 April 1988 after a written assessment and an interview. There were 3 members of the panel but the third had to be removed. I was determined not to get involved with Trade Unions or seek any positions as I had enough of that in my previous role in government service, Research Council, Dept of Education. So the long march starts on the 1st April 1988.







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