Sporting hope still springs eternal. Scotland 1 Spain 0 sounds like a great result to start the weekend.
We have to look forward to the future and be positive in all things, and most of the staff I meet maintain a very positive approach to their work.
We are working hard to transform the way we deliver services, and as you know I am very keen that Staffordshire becomes an authority that others hold up as an example and wish to follow.
That is why I am looking forward to the annual Local Government Association (LGA) Conference next week.
It will be my first since coming to Staffordshire, and I will be shamelessly talking-up the county (and stealing the best ideas of others) to colleagues from authorities across the country.
I am particularly looking forward to sharing our great passion for transforming social care.
Everyone I meet accepts that our ageing population and other factors make this an enormous challenge for the future.
The key in this and all other things we do will be to focus on the needs of the “customer”, and this is the area where we really need to innovate and form strong and seamless partnerships, particularly with our PCTs.
I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate colleagues from Democratic Service in reaching the final of the MJ Awards in the category of Excellence in Democratic Services. They do excellent work in supporting the work of our 62 elected councillors.
My next update will be from conference. By then I am fully confident we will have the first British men’s Wimbledon Champion since records began… I really, really am. Go on Andy!