Winners

Congratulations to KEVI which has just won the ‘Most Sustainable School’ category in the Chronicle (regional) Environmental Awards.

Well done to Victoria Najafi and everyone involved.

It is, of course, a credit to the whole town, with lots of support for the school coming from local councils and other organisations.

27th March...

In response to an anonymous comment implying that the school only pays lip service to eco-status "successfully burning in excess of 100 tonnes of imported coal in its 60 year old boilers, with a whopping 0% insulation rate throughout the building. And a continues 24 hour do-not-switch off any of the 800 PCs system."
- a school spokesperson pointed it that there has been considerable modernisation with actions and systems matching the words: "The boilers have actually been replaced and the PCs are all switched off at the end of the day"

Shining at KEVI

The 'Shine Event' open day at KEVI today (Thursday) showed the huge range of activities - both lessons and extra-curricular - undertaken at the school. Besides the KEVI Gnomes and the Dark Knights - I was particularly impressed by the blues band, KEVI radio - and the very dynamic Classics group (who are apparently planning to branching out into Egyptology and archaeology next year).

But most of all - I want to know the secret of how the Student Voice organisation has grown from just three to over a thousand active participants in just two years. If I could only do that with the credit union, with the markets oe even with Morpeth Green Party....

Oh, and special thanks to Tim Murrey - my personal tour guide.

Borough Council Executive Board 'On Tour'

The Executive Board is meeting in the Lower School Hall at KEVI on Thurs 10th July from 6pm, with an open 'public questions' session from 5.30pm. Unfortunately - the public are not allowed to speak during the actual commiteee meeting (though there are ways round the rule), so after question-time, it's very much 'come and watch - but don't touch - democracy in action'.

The Executive Board is the main decision-making body of the Council - apart from Full Council itself. It meets monthly - usually at Longhirst Hall - but twice or three times a year, it ventures out to other locations in and around the Borough. Last year, we went to Whalton, Heddon and Ponteland. This year. it's the 'school run' with KEVI in July and Ponteland High School in September or October (watch this space).

The agenda this month includes

• a homelessness strategy (which will be taken up by Castle Morpeth Housing, and hopefully outlast the Council)
• launch of a consultation on a programme of grants for private sector housing renewal
• a planning policy to involve artwork in development schemes
• a statement on the overall financial position of the Council
• and the decision to sign of the North East Declaration on Fuel Poverty

I'm presenting four of the agenda items - so never mind democracy - come and see me in action!