My mother has her hip operation as I spend the cold and frosty day re-enforcing the need for time-keeping and discipline and then completing a grant application before approving the payroll and reviews as the builders progress the wall and chimney stack

Mum has her replacement hip operation today and sounds OK. Up on time and to the office and there incensed by the very poor timekeeping and attendance. I circulated a memo to all heads of department and interviewed Derek Weatherby and Ian Nickson personally to reinforce the point because both on Monday and today less than half the management team and workforce were actively employed by 8.30am. In general terms a recovery and office day after yesterday’s conference. Much work completed in preparation for our ‘Support for Innovation’ grant application and also on annual reviews and appraisals in time for the payroll deadline.

A late evening with Carlton on personnel matters before home and an early night to bed. We received 9 eggs today which is a record number and the builders have now completed half of the garden wall and most of the chimney stack. The weather has continued cold with heavy night frosts hardly clearing during the day.