BMMG Council Meeting in Buntingford and conversations with John Lamb as we travel together about the problems at Comart before comparing notes with ICL executives about blocking the IBM/BT standards plans as the Dock Strike ends and sterling falls to an all-time low and the Political Party season underway with the SDP/Liberal alliance under pressure.
Up on time, the paper, and then a cereal breakfast before checking in the office to see what messages there might be. Time to update my banking records of treasury deposits before leaving by car for Comart to collect John Lamb. I drive John to Owles Hall, Buntingford, for a BMMG meeting and on the way hear chapter and verse of his problems and stresses running Comart. The normal things – Company Car Policy, Kode administration, difficulty of the senior executives to follow set procedures; and it seems that the sales performance is still suspect, even with a very large team. I report to John the clashes for accommodation in the company house between John Beasley and the Lowes and also the poor habits of David Fear and Beazley for late attendance at the office after late night drinking. He is looking for a new Marketing Director and I suggest Daniel Shear and Peter McHugh of FTS. A slightly tense start to our BMMG Council Meeting at Owles Hall, but Councillors kept arriving until, in the end, we managed to number about 9, which is the very best attendance we have managed yet. A good meeting kept short until 12.00 by other commitments, which was a pity. Lots of action items for us all, which I hope will get done.
Back to St Neots by car and a lunch on the way with John Lamb and more Comart discussions. Home to two cups of tea, a rest and to study the mail. No magazines yet and I hope my requests will be responded to. A letter from OFTEL ahead of my meeting for tomorrow, and that was it. A call from Roger Holmes, ICL Secretary, and a useful exchange of information. He too was interviewed by Jane Bird of The Sunday Times on Friday and was disappointed by Sunday’s lack of coverage. They had attended meetings with Roy Croft, Brian Willet and Alistair McDonald of the DTI. Brian heads the IT Division and Alistair, Communications. Roy is the number two civil servant in the DTI. ICL PR is now being directed at The Sunday Times and Economist and they view the chances of successful resistance to the licence as good. I will see what journalists we can find at tomorrow’s PCW show and also the feedback level of OFTEL. I also call Mr Chettleburgh to start a new company registration for my consultancy – David A Broad Limited – and have a long chat to Tom Fitzpatrick of LSI who seems to be considering computer store acquisitions and needs advice. A late tea and then I prepare my papers for tomorrow morning and watch the television documentary on the wartime special services exploits. News of the continuing good health of the Royal Prince – now name Henry (or Harry), and of the formal end to the Dock Strike. The pound sterling falls to an all-time low and the Chancellor, refusing to recognise a crisis, has less than successful EEC talks on the budgetary problems. The Liberal Party Conference is in full swing with the media probing the party to find differences with the SDP and the delegates critical of David Steel’s quieter year’s performance and surrender of the running to David Owen. More rain today but it ends dry.