After another session clearing the garden leaves whilst deep in thought, I chaired an ONSITE board meeting held against the background of two successive months' under-performance of plan that has led to the virtual elimination of the working capital of the company and I had to say that I felt unable to put in the planned loan because the company was approaching insolvency. Then the Diddington Parish meeting, which was a bit of a pointless exercise but at least I tried.
Home to the news which is of the a damaging dog-fight between Thatcher and Heseltine for the Tory leadership after Thatcher has ignored the advice of her senior party members and is refusing to stand down and let other members of the cabinet enter the race to unite the party.
A day of important meetings but first a small opportunity to do some work at home. The garden was still very full of leaves and I managed to work for a couple of hours clearing them before I came in. Whilst doing this, I was able to think and reflect on the reports and figures that I had been getting on the ONSITE business performance. When I came in, therefore, I was sure about the approach that I should adopt in this afternoon's meeting and could spend the limited time back in my office preparing the information that I needed to have to hand for the meeting itself.
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Lunch and then changed and over to Grove House for the ONSITE board meeting. I chaired it to the agenda as best I could but it was a difficult meeting held against the background of two successive months' under-performance of plan that has led to the virtual elimination of the working capital of the company. Furthermore, the other major investor had decided to end its involvement with the company and was seeking to dispose of its shares as a further blow.
I had to say that I felt unable to put in the planned loan because the company was approaching insolvency and there was no longer the security necessary for such a loan which was all very regrettable. I guided the meeting through as much difficult ground as I could and then briefed the executive managers on some ideas for managing in order to survive the crisis. We did, however, agree to lease the old Town Council offices in St Neots from the District Council in order to provide the space that was urgently needed. After this very difficult meeting, where we were also lacking certain of the paperwork, we at least finished on time at 4.00pm and this gave me a chance to meet the staff and give them a pep talk.
There were none of the training course tutors there but I met the admin staff and the new salesman who seems very keen. Home to tea, changed and the chance to do a little more paperwork before it was time to go to the Diddington Parish Meeting. In the event, there was only four people there including myself, the others being the chairman, the clerk and her husband. It was a bit of a pointless exercise but at least I tried. Home to the news which is of a damaging dog-fight between Thatcher and Heseltine for the Tory leadership. Thatcher has ignored the advice of her senior party members and is refusing to stand down and let other members of the cabinet enter the race to unite the party.