The Communicator......

I am starting to feel at home in my new job. The Council is living up to its reputation as one funky, liberal place to be. My colleagues are very friendly, and laid back in a very un-English sort of way. No one bats an eyelid at the diversity within the district, and takes very seriously the gap between most and least deprived within it's borders. My manager told me this is basically because the Liberal Democrats dominate the Council, and given a Labour opposition it very much is a socialistic sort of place.

So far this has meant very positive things in terms of the attitude to its own staff and to the work that we do. I won't dwell on the comparison with the old job, except to say it is wonderful to be unencumbered by academic conspiracy theories regarding the placement of semicolons and the decline of modern civilisation.

I also like my shiny new widescreen laptop.

My first task is to help update the guide to council services that goes out to residents with their tax bill. A fairly dry but important document, it is proving an interesting project as the team tries to shift away from a 'municipal' directory to a more useful magazine-style brochure. It feels like it may just work, and I am pleased to be in from the beginning of the project, learning how my new team make these sorts of things happen. I am also more relieved than words can say that I am encouraged to have input on design and the campaigning to support the production.

Overall, they're a good bunch of people, and I am hopeful this role will be the learning curve I am looking for. Hurrah.