For nine years, I was the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, which is Steve’s job now. It meant that I was responsible for taking decisions on everything to do with services for children and young people, including schools and things like childcare and nursery provision. I got lots of advice from other councillors and from the professional officers who work for the council, before coming to a decision and actually signing on the dotted line. I was able to go out and visit schools and meet pupils, teachers and school governors to hear at first hand what was going well and what was not, and that influenced many of the decisions I had to take. It was a wonderful role, and great fun as well as really hard work, and I’m really glad that Steve has taken over from me because I know he feels as passionately about education as I do.