Alumnus and Honorary Fellow, Sir Bill Taylor, who has had an extensive career in public policy, reflects on his youth, university days and career which led to his knighthood in 2003. He also offers a few words of wisdom from his experiences along the way...

"My life after Lancaster in no more than 500 words?

Well, Where do I start? What should I say? What would people like to hear?

The 1970's were a transforming decade for me. They began with me as a schoolboy living on a council estate and at a slum clearance comprehensive school in Birmingham. They ended with me being married, about to have our first child and becoming a councillor on Blackburn Council and then Constituency Secretary and Agent (30+ years) to the newly elected Labour MP, Jack Straw. I was asked by the local Labour Party to step in temporarily during the then Agent’s illness. This voluntary, but key political role ran temporarily from 1979 till 2010, covering six general election campaigns! The Agent’s role is legal, financial, organisational & political, and as my friend Jack’s stature as a politician & statesman grew and he spent more time nationally, campaigning locally got a whole lot easier to run. I also fitted in the role of Secretary of a key national union committee and being an NEC member.

But before all that, as an only child I became a latchkey kid and a member of a single parent family before these phrases had even been coined. I’m pretty sure that being an only child teaches you to develop an independent imagination and as I grew up in the Cubs and Scouts I took up leadership six, patrol and troop roles, eventually volunteering as a cub leader, aged 14.

I carried on further with these type of opportunities at school in both sport and other extra curricular team and leadership roles. I was captain of school rugby and volleyball, secretary of different clubs and societies, and elected Chairman of the first ever sixth form society of our 2,000 pupil 11-18 comprehensive school.

University was quite odd. Our arrival, as three pals from the same Brummie comprehensive school brought up on council estates was a culture and, as it transpired, a linguistic shock. Every time I told anyone my name a deeply puzzled and quizzical look quickly followed! So that’s “Bull Tyler”? No, Bill Taylor! (Try it with the best Brummie accent you can muster). I “studied” politics & education and was taught about different political ideologies with different world leaders, all pretty left-wing. The general academic hegemonic atmosphere seemed pretty repressive but again I built up further experiences and expertise, imaginative, creative and experimenting that gave me leadership skills in student politics both local and nationally. I left Lancaster with a fairly underwhelming honours degree in Politics and Education in 1973.

Getting a job after university in those days was pretty straightforward and I got the first job I applied for as a face-to-face youth worker in Blackburn, very much an ethnically transitioning community. In a career spanning 33 years, I was a face-to-face worker, trainer (from community to university) and manager. I loved the job, young people and the community, staff,everything.

In my 25 years on the council, I chaired many different aspects: finance, education (praised by Ofsted) and many others. I was deputy then Mayor, deputy then Council Leader (judged Council of the Year twice) and I was involved locally, sub regionally, nationally and beyond. This included being national lead on children & young people, locking horns with many Cabinet members & senior “mandarins”.

I sat on and chaired our local College which had a £60m per annum turnover, a £65m capital programme and an Ofsted rating of “Outstanding”. I also chaired our groundbreaking unique Care Trust+ and Healthwatch both locally & regionally.

So, with all that public life service & success, what lessons did I learn?

Ø Try never to be complacent or arrogant. Act with empathy & compassion.

Ø Don’t talk at people, talk with them. Don’t just listen to people, hear what they say. That’s what they’re saying, but also how & why they are saying it.

Ø Cut out Town Hall, NHS, education or whoever speak! Real people don’t hear, think, or speak like that.

Ø Never over promise and under deliver – best to do opposite!

Ø Sometimes you can inform people, or discuss with them. The best way is always fully engage with people, openly & honestly. If you don’t a) they’ll twig you & b) they’ll “get you” sometime.

I went back to Lancaster to obtain a Master's in Educational Research in 1985 and was made an Honorary Fellow in 2017. I received a knighthood in 2003 alongside Helen Mirren!

And I am still married to former secondary school Head of Sciences, Anne after 42 years. We have two “kids” who are now married and parents themselves.

I could go on! It’s been hectic! Did I mention golf & family caravanning holidays?"