Whatever happens as we move forward into 2011 and the new Children's Services arrangements, it will be a year of new beginnings, new colleagues, new challenges and new opportunities…

Next year is going to be a year where we all need to continue to be different, to be creative, to try new things, to learn new tricks and to continue to make a real difference… whatever it takes! I suppose the most important thing is to embrace change and to celebrate the opportunities it brings. I know that change is hard but it allows us all the chance to reflect, to review and to focus. It allows us the opportunity to spring clean, to ensure that we are doing the right things and to stop doing the things that don't make a difference.

Leeds is a great city and we must continue to develop and support 'Team Leeds'. We all have choices to make about where we work and what we do but we have invested so much and shed so much blood, sweat and tears in building what everyone agrees about; a highly effective and highly efficient education and learning service. Things are going to be tough but we all know what we do when the going gets tough; we roll up our sleeves and get on with the most important thing any society or community or Government or country does... we work even harder to ensure that our children and our young people are happy, healthy, safe and increasingly successful... whatever it takes!
Chris
Chris