Late autumn jewels

It was back to work properly this morning, in as much as I had to chair a meeting of the working group for Lansdown Hall and Gallery, before switching hats to support the mayor at another meeting. This was open to all the councillors to let them have their say about our proposals for next year's budget setting. This process is quite long winded and guided by the protocols of local government, and will eventually establish the level of contribution to the council tax that local people will pay. Our 'precept', as it is called, is only a small part of the total council tax any individual is asked to pay.

Unfortunately we are waiting yet again for the government to announce if there any changes to the laws relating to the funding of local government. There is a chance that a grant from central government will be abolished, it having been cut by ten per cent last year, in addition to a mooted capping of the amount by which we can raise our precept. Central government wants to limit the ability of local government to spend money on its community, when there is such an increasingly important role for us to fund services many of which are near to collapse.

I didn't get home till mid-afternoon and haven't had time to do my back-blipping of images from our trip to Holland and Belgium. Maybe tonight, after I have cooked the tofu which we are desperate to eat. Whilst sipping my tea I did pick up my camera and played in the fading light. This Christmas Cactus is an old faithful friend whose flower buds appeared a couple of weeks ago, and which I though would open whilst we were away. It must have been waiting for our return as the first flower fully opened only yesterday. I have brought it from it usual position in a west facing window and placed it on the dining table for us to appreciate its bounty, in a season when most plants are beginning to hide away.