Advice for nice Natfhe

It seems David Melville, chief executive of the Further Education Funding Council, has taken up with enthusiasm the idea of closer cooperation in the sector.

Paul Mackney, general secretary of university and college lecturers' union Natfhe, has revealed that Melville recently took him aside and told him one Natfhe branch was being too "nice". Could he make sure the branch (at an unnamed college) swiftly passed a vote of no confidence and, if it did, could it involve the whole executive?