Today’s meeting of Babergh District Council’s Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee was a quite sparky meeting with much debate focussing on the  Finance, Risk And Performance Management – Quarter 3 Monitoring Report (35 pages of facts and figures). The general complaint was that although we are told when targets are not being met – we are not told what is being done to correct the position. Cynics would say that the mushroom principle applies. The view being that it is not the Councillors’ role to understand what is going on but merely to note (and if appropriate approve) the reports. But deep in the data is the wonderful news that Babergh Matters (The Council’s publication for residents –sometimes up to 24 pages of photos and pufferie) has not been published this financial year generating a saving of £41,000. It’s possible that the £41,000 could be carried forward into 2012/13. But a saving is a saving and I have campaigned against the publication since I was first elected in May 2007. Consequently my day was cheered up immeasurably.