The President’s love for motor sport finds its place in the middle of his busy IRRV schedule!
Dear reader,
Carla-Maria and I always look forward to June and our annual week in Le Mans for the 24-hour race for sports cars. As we don’t do camping, hotel accommodation has to be booked at least a year in advance and grandstand tickets purchased in October. Hence this event was booked in my diary before becoming President. Also, June brought my mother’s 94th birthday a week after Le Mans, so a visit to Norfolk was also fixed in my diary!
My IRRV activities in June began with the parliamentary reception of the Chartered Institute of Taxation in the Terrace Pavilion of the House of Commons. About 150 people attended, including 19 MPs and peers and I was very pleased to have been invited to represent the Institute.
Next up was a breakfast meeting of the IRRV Performance Awards Panel to discuss this year’s entries, followed by the IRRV Past Presidents’ Lunch. I was pleased that so many of my predecessors joined us in such convivial surroundings.
After returning from Le Mans, we were straight off to Belfast to bestow honorary membership of the IRRV on Brian McClure, in recognition of his enormous contribution to the Institute over so many years. The next day I was pleased to visit Alan Brontë, Director of Valuation, Land and Property Services, Northern Ireland and IRRV Council member. He generously gave up most of the morning to explain the developments and modernisation in valuation in Northern Ireland. I was particularly taken with the ability to search for property values on maps available online and with up to date images.
Back to England and off the next day to Snetterton for the IRRV East Anglian Association AGM, where David Magor and I gave a joint presentation. My congratulations go to the newly elected East Anglian President, Adrian Mills, and my thanks go to the Executive Committee for choosing a motor racing venue!
After the weekend in Norfolk, Carla-Maria and I went back to London to give a joint presentation on rates avoidance to the London and Home Counties Association. The next day was at the Local Government Association (LGA) for a meeting of the joint LGA/MHCLG System Design Working Group.
My final event in June was the IRRV Wessex Association AGM, in the impressive surroundings of Highcliffe Castle, Christchurch. David Magor and I gave a repeat of our joint presentation, which was well received. My thanks go to Lyndsey Sparrow and the Executive Committee for inviting us to their AGM.
Yours,
Gordon
Gordon Heath BSc IRRV (Hons) is President of the Institute
