A couple of developments so far today. I’ve started to widen the net of my research by contacting Jane Young who edits Hackney Today. As the paper is the Council’s newsletter it certainly doesn’t fit in to the category of independent media. However, the team that work on the paper are very much involved in political communication in the Borough and so I’m sure their opinions on how new media can affect this will provide some interesting results. Anyway, Jane and I had a brief conversation on the phone and I have now sent her the questionnaire.
On the Councillors front, I have received another completed questionnaire from Sem Moema. I shall have to start looking at how I’m going to analyse and collate the data but that will be for another day. Despite the lovely weather, I have to get on with working on the EiA newsletter so dissertations will have to take a back seat.
Wednesday, 23 May 2007
Tuesday, 22 May 2007
PS
Just a couple of quick post scripts to mention the fact that I had a really lovely weekend up in Norfolk. True relaxation! Going round Norwich obviousLy brought back memories of university days. I was really pleased to see how much the place has improved over the last decade (not that there was much wrong with it before). The only negative thing was sitting through that mind numbingly dull FA Cup Final. And finally ... I have got my new specs!!
More Feedback
I had an early start this morning to make my 9.00am appointment with Councillor Khan. We had a really good chat in which he brought up a few interesting points particularly about the responsibility older people have in terms of the contribution they can make to encouraging a sense of collective responsibility and political participation among the general population.
He argued that they have both the time and the experience to be engaged in the community and if they did this, it would set a great example for others to follow. He also talked about a few communications ideas which he had implemented in his previous roles with the Council to generate more involvement.
Today’s meeting was just a preliminary chat and we’ll be meeting again to get in to the finer details of the project. As the Speaker of Hackney council, he’s really keen to support this project, even in terms of contacts with other stakeholders. That is absolutely fantastic news.
Beyond that, I finally picked up the questionnaire filled in by Councillor Siddiqui and also received another completed questionnaire from Councillor Christine Boyd. It turns out Luke Akehurst has emailed a copy to all the Labour councillors so hopefully there will be a few more responses on their way soon. We are getting closer to the magic 25 per cent so I’m feeling pretty optimistic at the moment.
He argued that they have both the time and the experience to be engaged in the community and if they did this, it would set a great example for others to follow. He also talked about a few communications ideas which he had implemented in his previous roles with the Council to generate more involvement.
Today’s meeting was just a preliminary chat and we’ll be meeting again to get in to the finer details of the project. As the Speaker of Hackney council, he’s really keen to support this project, even in terms of contacts with other stakeholders. That is absolutely fantastic news.
Beyond that, I finally picked up the questionnaire filled in by Councillor Siddiqui and also received another completed questionnaire from Councillor Christine Boyd. It turns out Luke Akehurst has emailed a copy to all the Labour councillors so hopefully there will be a few more responses on their way soon. We are getting closer to the magic 25 per cent so I’m feeling pretty optimistic at the moment.
Friday, 18 May 2007
Under the weather
Been feeling a bit rough over the last couple of days so I haven’t got round to going to collect the filled in questionnaire waiting for me at Hackney Town Hall. I’ll try and pick it up after work today before Clare and I head up to Norfolk to spend the weekend with some Maltese friends who live there. It’ll be my first visit back to the Norwich area for a while after all those fun years at UEA a decade or so ago.
Meanwhile, I’ve also received an email from Michael Desmond telling me he’s also filled in the questionnaire. That’s 8 definite answers so far, although I won’t be getting my hands on his answers for a while as he’s going to ask come activists to fill it in as well. All in all, good news.
If I have a total of ten responses by the time I meet Faizullah Khan on Tuesday, I’ll make a start on some analysis.
Meanwhile, I’ve also received an email from Michael Desmond telling me he’s also filled in the questionnaire. That’s 8 definite answers so far, although I won’t be getting my hands on his answers for a while as he’s going to ask come activists to fill it in as well. All in all, good news.
If I have a total of ten responses by the time I meet Faizullah Khan on Tuesday, I’ll make a start on some analysis.
Wednesday, 16 May 2007
Take Two
Got a call from Councillor Siddiqui this morning. He’s filled in the questionnaire again which is good news. I’ll try and go and pick it up after work tomorrow. Hopefully, there’ll be more good news in today’s post.
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
Another three responses
Since my last post, I’ve been to Hackney twice in an attempt to collect Councillor Siddiqui’s answers to my questionnaire. It seems it has been lost but I’ve left another copy for him so hopefully in the next day or two I’ll get it back. On the responses front, there has been some progress. Two completed questionnaires turned up in the post this morning and I’ve also received a call from Faizullah Khan, who is the Speaker at the council. I’ve made an appointment to see him today week. He seems pretty keen to help out which is good news. All in all, it looks like I might manage to get my 25 per cent quota after all.
Other news? Well, I’ve had an awful sore throat for the last couple of days. I must have got infected at Stamford Bridge! Also, the lovely people at SpecSavers in Harrow have been screwing me around again. Not content with failing to get my new glasses done by last Saturday (despite them being marked urgent), they have just called to say that they still won’t be done today. Even tomorrow seems unlikely. So, that’s going to be nearly two weeks for an urgent pair of specs. Lovely! Even more annoying, the one pair that they have managed to get ready is faulty. Oh well, still have loads to do today so I’d better quit moaning and get on with it.
Other news? Well, I’ve had an awful sore throat for the last couple of days. I must have got infected at Stamford Bridge! Also, the lovely people at SpecSavers in Harrow have been screwing me around again. Not content with failing to get my new glasses done by last Saturday (despite them being marked urgent), they have just called to say that they still won’t be done today. Even tomorrow seems unlikely. So, that’s going to be nearly two weeks for an urgent pair of specs. Lovely! Even more annoying, the one pair that they have managed to get ready is faulty. Oh well, still have loads to do today so I’d better quit moaning and get on with it.
Sunday, 13 May 2007
Survival
Well it looks like we made it (court cases aside). For the first time since we beat Villa in the FA Cup semi final last year I think I can say that I’m a happy Hammer. The last couple of months have been amazing and to think we had to beat Man Utd and Arsenal twice to stay up. Hopefully next year will be a little less stressful.
Strangely enough I ended up at Stamford Bridge today watching Chelsea draw with Everton. Some free tickets came up at work and I thought I’d take them just to distract me from developments at Old Trafford.
Anyway, back to work tomorrow. I’ve done nothing dissertation related this weekend as yesterday we met up with some friends from Malta and then spent the evening watching Eurovision (how exciting!). The trouble is that Tuesday also already looks booked up as I have to do some EiA work and run a few errands and stuff.
I will have to get over to Hackney though even if it’s just to pick up questionnaires. I’ve also got to kick on with research among other stakeholders. Hopefully, that can take centre stage on Wednesday and from then on I should really pull my finger out and get motoring at least until the end of June.
Strangely enough I ended up at Stamford Bridge today watching Chelsea draw with Everton. Some free tickets came up at work and I thought I’d take them just to distract me from developments at Old Trafford.
Anyway, back to work tomorrow. I’ve done nothing dissertation related this weekend as yesterday we met up with some friends from Malta and then spent the evening watching Eurovision (how exciting!). The trouble is that Tuesday also already looks booked up as I have to do some EiA work and run a few errands and stuff.
I will have to get over to Hackney though even if it’s just to pick up questionnaires. I’ve also got to kick on with research among other stakeholders. Hopefully, that can take centre stage on Wednesday and from then on I should really pull my finger out and get motoring at least until the end of June.
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