Yesterday morning I attended the Neighbourhoods and Housing Scrutiny Board. The two main topics on the agenda were an initial scrutiny of next year's proposed budget for the Neighbourhoods and Housing department. In reality I don't think we achieved much because the report that was presented to us by officers had a distinct lack of detail. The explanation offered was that this was an 'officer report' and hadn't been looked at by the executive board member. I will be watching this closely as I'm very concerned that the Tory/Lib Dem cuts will be targeted at some of our most vulnerable community groups.

The second subject scrutinised was travellers. There was an excellent submission of evidence by Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange. I asked that, while scrutinising the more long-term issues of traveller site provision, we should look for some short-term improvements in issues such as improving rubbish collection from sites and looking at the availability of other services such as training, education, health etc. 

Later today I'm off to a special Leeds South Homes board meeting and tomorrow I've got a tenant communcations sub-committee meeting.

There's really not much more that I can add. Britain has lost probably its best ever Home Secretary. Politics is a hard game and David has paid far too harsh a penalty for what was a simple indiscretion or mistake. Surely his 30+ years of unstinting public service should count for more than this? It was wrong that his office speeded up the visa application but the right course of action should have been for David to hold his head up and apologise. It doesn't matter if he was or wasn't directly responsible. The buck stops at the top and he should have apologised. And that's where it should have stopped. No resignation. But David has put the good of the country and the Labour Party before his own interests. That is a measure of the calibre of the man.

The Christmas spirit is in full swing and 2004 is coming to a close. Next year will probably see a general election when voters will have to choose between a Labour Party committed to social justice and economic prosperity; a Tory party committed to nothing but tax cuts; and a Liberal Democrat party committed to ... who knows what.

I believe that the delightful joint Christmas card that I've just received from Lib Dem leader Cllr Mark Harris and Conservative leader Cllr Andrew Carter will probably help some voters to make up their minds. It's a good demonstration of how if you vote for the Liberals then you'll end up with a Tory - even on your Christmas card! I wonder what happened to poor little David Blackburn, the Green leader? I thought he was meant to be part of the Rainbow coalition. It's so sad to see a friend forgotten at Christmas.