A day in the life: Mark Gilks, chief executive - Hounslow

As the final whistle blows on a dramatic Richmond under-14 game against local rivals Rosslyn Park, I give my son, Jonathan, my words of wisdom: “We need more integration between the forwards and the backs; we need more cohesion!”

This advice returns to me as I sit at a conference in Brentford. More integration between the council and the primary health care trust (PCT) will help to achieve coterminosity. Funny word, coterminosity: it’s actually really important, allowing both organisations to serve the same community, the same people.

This clever interplay means seeing the needs of people from their point of view in a more joined-up way. Comprehensive understanding of needs make organisations more responsive and adaptive, we’re told.

Goodwill

The message goes down well with the attendees. We opt for the bottom-up integrated approach, basing our ideas in the best interests of our rapidly expanding, culturally dynamic borough – but worried that our bit of localism will be snatched away by NHS London! A high point is the realisation that council/ PCT integration supports our local strategic partnership’s drive to meld the workings of all Hounslow’s public sector bodies, driving down costs and increasing efficiency.

I return to the civic centre to meet the mayor before borough council. His surprise tactic for tonight is goodwill. Cohesion in the council chamber… this really is pushing the boundaries! The tricky item on tonight’s agenda is a motion about eggs and palm oil (don’t ask). I ponder how integration and cohesion would fit into this, but my cooking skills are not really up to Delia.

A borough council meeting only a few months before elections could only mean loads of yah-boo, but the mayor starts with a series of happy, positive announcements: the results of a schools competition to design a new mount for the mace; a colourful exhibition and short talk celebrating a local community group; even the respectful one-minute silence to mark the death of our former mace bearer contributes to the cohesion in the chamber. Everyone is smiling and relaxed, and even the eggs and palm oil are agreed!

One poignant item thanks everyone who was involved in the recent event to welcome back from Afghanistan the Second Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, garrisoned in Hounslow. The event worked on many levels (just like our integration with the PCT); it was a positive piece of community cohesion, tinged with great sadness to see the families of those soldiers who died in Helmand.

I should never have doubted the ability of local government to lead on cohesion. As I retire to the office, I pack an overnight bag as I am a substitute ‘Gold’ level representative for the next two weeks, at the possible beck and call of London Resilience, be it emergency, snow (yes we do get some in London) or terrorism.

I take the anti-terrorism business seriously. We lost a social worker colleague in the last London bombings. And I know the bombing will happen again: that is why we as a community must be so cohesive. That reminds me, Jonathan what is the game next weekend?