It's been a week of pronouncements from the coalition government - policy after policy which has been negotiated on to the point where both parties can accept that it will be implemented and others where there will be commissions or committees to come up with a suggested way forward. One I'm pleased to see because it met with quite a bit of approval on the doorsteps before the election is the idea of a commission to look at how we pay for elderly care in the future. Whenever I told people that we proposed sitting down with representatives of all concerned and trying to find the best ideas I was asked why no-one had done that before. One way probably won't suit all and it would be helpful to have a choice of ways to make sure that people don't reach their 60s or 70s in the future, worried silly about how they or their famiy will afford to live if they need residential care.
I'm also pleased at many of the justice proposals - no more of the "build more and more jails" approach, but a sensible look at what's needed including some relatively small things like anonymity for men accused of rape until the accusation is proved, and measures to reduce bullying.
The videos from Stockton Soapbox have started to appear on Stockton's YouTube site - some fascinating insights into life in the borough from people who've lived here for decades and people who are newly arrived, old and young, all sorts of people. Take a look.