Full Council day - I was very tired after a very late night but still worked this morning organising files into folders on my Apple Mac as the conservatory erectors fitted most of the glass. After lunch with Di and Della, I drove off to Pathfinder House for my Full Council Meeting where, together with the Labour members, we held the Tories to account in The meeting going until 7 PM. President Reagan and Mrs Thatcher enjoying a banquet and much ceremonial in a bout of mutual admiration which extended to new President Bush. Benazir Bhutto wins the Pakistan national election and a judicial review delays the Ulster inquest
Was appallingly late to bed last night for no good reason, other than I was wanting to relax after all of the work on my notes for today’s council meeting. A bit tired with a headache this morning as a result and that to take a couple of aspirins later which did the trick. This morning, I recovered the rest of my diskettes from Bill Walston and I worked for a couple of hours transferring them around and putting them in local groupings of folders. This took me until nearly 12 midday and I had to rush round, tending the ducks and doves and then changing ready to go out. First with the wife and Della to the little chef for lunch and then I drove on to Pathfinder House for my Full Council Meeting. It started at 2:30 PM, and normally ends at 5 PM but because of numerous questions and comments from me and the Labour members; it when on until 7 PM.
We maintained quite an effective opposition and got a lot of effective points over about the effect of the Government’s new policy proposals on Council House and other Capital Expenditure plans. I also drew blood with a detailed question on the cost of the new Poll Tax which will more than double the cost of the old Rates. In the end, the Tories got a bit grumpy with me over an 11 point proposal on environmental matters and they really wanted to go home! Poor things! Home to constituency queries and more council papers. The news today is of a sickening orgy of mutual admiration between outgoing President Reagan and Mrs Thatcher. A state banquet, ceremonial, and then hands over heart as they listened to one another’s national anthems. Today Thatcher is entertained by Reagan; tomorrow she who will have breakfast with incoming President-elect George Bush. Vice president elect’s Danforth Quayle was left out of the celebrations, being left off the top table. Not everyone was euphoric, an early rise on the UK stock exchange was reversed when Wall Street fell sharply by 40 points as the dollar slid. The Treasury wants action now of Bush or they fear big trouble later. Benazir Bhutto is claiming victory in the Pakistani National Election, the first for 11 years. The Ulster ‘Shoot to Kill’ inquest has been suspended with a judicial review tomorrow in the High Court to address the issue of the three witnesses’ evidence not being admitted without cross-examination. Today had stayed fine in the conservatory erectors managed 90% of the glass installation with the rest to be done tomorrow as the underfloor heating contractors then arrive