The grassroots activists have finally been given the floor to have their moment of fame but the real action is happening away from the debating hall.

A wry smile appeared on the face of one senior Lib Dem over what was exercising the membership's minds. "Ah yes, the cinemas," he said referring to the debate on the battle against the multiplex.

All-women shortlists gave the activists the chance to vent some spleen but the real business was happening in the briefing rooms and restaurants away from the main hall in Bournemouth.

The public relations strategy was simple; the party strategists have realised their best assets are the new boys and have been wheeling them out to float a few ideas past the hacks.

In reality, this week has been about starting the process of overhauling policy and creating the new thinking that will carve out the niche as the "effective opposition". Two years are going to be spent deciding the way ahead before the strategists turn their attention to the next general election.

And the new boys have been busy "thinking outside the box". They aim to reveal the problems that Labour is keen to hide - pensions and health - and making most of the fact they don't carry the ideological baggage of their rivals.

Darker thoughts have also been aired at the margins of the conference. One advisor questioned how the party could overtake the Conservatives without finding big money backers while another pondered the problem none of the political parties will talk about - the aging membership. "Look around the hall. There aren't a vast number of young faces," he said.

One prominent MP went even further in his pondering about the party's future by uttering the unutterable - life after Charles. Unsurprisingly, his vision of tomorrow mainly involved him at the helm if you read between the lines.

For the activists this is another debate for another year. While there are fringe debates and cinemas to be saved they'll happily leave the awkward bits to the men with ernest expressions.