The campaign to persuade the County council to keep open the day centers for the elderly has had a choppy few weeks.  The consultation period ended, rumours were strong that the officers of the County were going to recommend a stay of execution on some or all of them.  A press conference was called and then it was announced that all would be recommended for closure.  This went to committee who over turned the recommendation and the full County Council will now decide whether to keep the Day Centres open.  Clearly the political pressure is paying off and hopefully the campaigning from huge numbers of day center users and their supporters will pay off.

On another front last Friday (11th) I attended a conference on Portland to discuss the academy proposal.  There was huge support for the idea from all sorts of people but there is still more to be done to persuade county council officers.  The change to invest millions into Portland's education now, rather than wait a few years, can't be missed.

Ministerially it has been a very busy start to the year.  I have given a few major speeches (on technology in education: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/speeches/speech.cfm?SpeechID=742; on the role of local councils in improving schools: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/speeches/speech.cfm?SpeechID=741; and on religious education: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/speeches/speech.cfm?SpeechID=743).  I have also had to speak in debates in the Commons on transport for teenagers in Cornwall, on Science Teaching; and I've had to appear before the Children Schools and Families Select Committee.  Sky TV showed up in my living last Sunday morning to interview me on raising the education leaving age, and I had a busy time in the media on teachers pay and on schools cheating the new admissions rules.

Next week sees the start of the committe stage of the bill to raise the age to 18 for people having to carry on in some sort of teaching or learning.  That will keep me busy being scrutinised on every word of the proposed new law.