A brief flurry in the office and then up to London. First task was to meet the new Regional Schools Commissioner, Lisa Mannell. We met in a private room in Portcullis House and were soon chatting away about education in South Dorset, especially at Atlantic Academy on Portland. It's had a bumpy ride, but it now turning a corner and I was most impressed when I visited recently. The change was dramatic. We also talked about other matters and agreed to work hand in hand in the future. A very nice and most able woman. Next up was some delegated legislation which did not take long. At about 1730 I managed to return to the same room in PCH that I'd been in this morning to meet a team from Highways England. I was keen to find out what plans they had for road infrastructure investment in Dorset or in neighbouring counties that would be of advantage to us. There is clearly more joined up thinking as regional director operations Andrew Page-Dove explained what their responsibilities were and how they are working throughout the region to improve connectivity, not least to the north. We are poorly served by roads to the north, the A34 being the only one that gets us north quickly, but to get to it you have to trouble along way to the east.