There had been much speculation and second-guessing and many fingers crossed. There still are.
It has been a while since we had the luxury (or the necessity) of a three-year funding round. A longer-term settlement is vital for so many reasons. It enables planning, enables a more settled infrastructure, and it cements genuine and real commitment to strategy and objectives. Too often, this year, I have heard people reluctant to commit to a one-year plan, instead waiting to see if programmes will continue for longer before they pledge support. That really does get in the way.
This time last week we knew decisions had been made and the lobbying and case presentations were over. The week began with hope and expectation, and some dread of what might be. The papers were scanned for clues, pre-announcements and interviews analysed for what they contained and what they didn’t. And so it arrived on hump day, after all that speculation and after a turbulent political and pandemic period. Deep breath.
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