I’ll be fairly brief this week (partly because I spent most of the weekend either preparing for or clearing up after The Walton’s annual BBQ!)
Have had my fair share of phone calls, but on Monday had my first ever casework visit since becoming a councillor, then another first in going to the Equalities committee Tuesday followed by Labour Group. (Then managed to take a ‘day’ off – Wednesday afternoon watched the first event of the London 2012 Olympics at the Millenium Stadium, with Team GB Women playing footie against New Zealand. They won but boy was I hot!)
Back midday Thursday, in plenty of time to attend full council meeting late afternoon. It was one of those that people tend to describe as ‘lively’ – read into that what you will, and/or read the article in the Evening Post last Friday, which includes a line stating that someone called someone else a liar. I wonder who!
Finally on Friday afternoon quite a lengthy community meeting but well worth going to – for keeping in touch with what goes on in your own ward these are the kind of meetings that really count.
Les
PS Struggled to think of a suitable political picture hence the Millenium Stadium - well, we went there this week!
Went to my second councillor surgery in the Phoenix Centre – still early days but this time took up some flyers to leave in the café. I could see people were reading them – one even made a very creditable paper dart out of it! – and another said thanks, and took it away with him for future use. No enquiries yet but we only just changed the timeslot so people are getting used to it. Back home had another ‘play’ with the flyers – when I worked for BT one of their 5 mantras was ‘continuous improvement’ which is an excellent idea but I find I don’t always know when to stop!
Had a break from formal stuff until Wednesday when I went to my last (I think?) training session. It was on Equalities – what a huge area covered by just that one word. A number of people have in the past pointed out that as everyone is different you cannot treat everyone equally. Maybe not but what you can do is your utmost to treat them all fairly. There are all the obvious factors that need to be considered, like race, religion, sexual orientation etc but treating people fairly really does cut across everything, and there are times when you really do need to think ‘outside the box’. One of the short film clips we were shown was a good illustration - a couple both suffering from dementia had reverted back to the language they grew up with, yet they were provided with care assistants who spoke in another language - certainly not fair, and possibly, even probably, did more harm than good.
Afterwards managed to catchup with one of my fellow councillors - sorted quite a few things out – then did a bit of work on casework I’d picked up.
The rest of the week was ‘Civic-Centre-less’ which meant I could do some more background work - reading, research etc - whilst still keeping on top of business. But I didn’t get completely away with it as on a Friday anything left in your pigeon hole is delivered by courier – my weekend reading would be the agenda for the next council meeting, quite small really at only just over 100 pages!!
Les
Monday pm had the OSC, Overview & Scrutiny Conference I mentioned last week, for all those councillors involved. It was noticeable, but maybe not surprising, that the preferred areas to look at overlapped so much. For instance public transport is not just getting from a to b, but can also be the difference between getting/keeping a job or not.
Tuesday morning I went up to Seaview school for their 6th form leavers assembly – what talented kids! Amongst other things a large group of them performed a contemporary dance piece, something I doubt most adults could have done.
I then went straight on to TOPIC (The Older People’s Information Centre) House PACT (Police & Communities Together) meeting. This centre is open to all ‘older’ people from Swansea, and this particular meeting allows them to raise issues that can have implications on policing in their areas. (hey had a cake sale the other week and to the lady who’d made the fruitcake I’d bought I was able to report back very favourably Jeff had made sure it wasn’t around for long!)
Wednesday – very early on in my councillor role, (and in a moment of ‘saying yes when I should have said no’!) I agreed to go on the Seaview D&DC, Disciplinary & Dismissal committee. After weeks of changed dates finally got to the day of the hearing. And reason I should have said ‘no’? Well, a few really … For one it’s quite a responsibility as you are going be one of three making the decision as to whether or not someone gets the sack. Also, it took hours to read up the associated paperwork – a ‘job’ in itself – and we’ve already sat through a half day on the hearing, and as it didn’t get resolved will have to meet up again in the Autumn after the start of term. As it happens I think the three of us on the panel worked well together so perhaps it was meant to be.
Straight on to another meeting, the first of DSC, Democratic Services Committee – the overview body assessing ‘adequacy & provision of staff, accommodation, and other resources’ ie to ensure the council officers are able to efficiently/effectively carry out their duties. This meeting was possibly the shortest I’ve ever been to, at just under 15 minutes – very unlikely to be repeated!
Thursday was a ‘planning’ double whammy – training followed by the ‘real thing! The council officers have decided to rename the main ‘planning’ committee, in which all councillor participate, as DMCC, Development Management & Control Committee, on the basis that the new title better reflects its purpose. But both in the training notes and the committee papers they are still using the term ’planning’!
With regards to the actual meeting, I thought it would be the ‘dryest’ on record but it was in fact quite interesting. Part of it covered a vote on agreeing to the LDP, Local Development Plan document, to take it forward to the consultation stage, and there were quite a few comments from the floor. Thank goodness I went to the meeting recently on it, as I had some idea of what they were all talking about!
And Friday, at last a day of rest, from the council that is, as plenty to be doing on the business instead!!!
Les
Was going to a meeting Monday morning but it got cancelled. Later in the week I learn that there wouldn’t have been any real point in me going anyway - how weird is that! The Monday afternoon one, however, did go ahead - a rather dry affair looking at what is now called the LDP. The Local Development Plan is a document outlining proposed plans for future housing in the city & county. This particular plan will eventually take over from
where the Unitary DP leaves off around 2015/6. (Admittedly there is a
difference in the process how it will be formulated but in essence it will still be serving the same purpose so no, I don’t know why these names have to change
either!)
The committee itself is one of those slightly surreal groups as it’s a monitoring body rather than decision making. Also although occasionally you might have a meeting in between, these usually only crop up every six months – I might have forgotten it all by then!
For me decisions are always a bit of a trial. I’d already made one to attend a particular AGM more or less as soon as I received the ‘invite’. It wasn’t vital that I go but could have been quite useful. Then just before I went I changed my mind!
Wednesday late afternoon I had my first People scrutiny meeting – this is one of three such committees which holds the cabinet (the group which effectively runs the council) to account but is also there to give help & support. We made a start at looking at what our future workload might be, and Monday we have a conference to bring it all together.
(see left 'red' Cabinet - do you get it?!)
Thursday evening joined both councillors at one of the evening surgeries, where we were able to have a good catch-up, something I found not just useful but essential. Some wards just have the one councillor which isn’t necessarily a bad thing as you know the only person you have to rely on is yourself! However I’m definitely happier being in a ward where there’s more than one. At times it has been quite difficult for me – with a new council you have the contradiction of starting all over, yet whilst I was being ‘induced’ everything else still carried on!
But the role is gradually taking more shape, and with the support I’ve had from both fellow councillors I feel I’m getting to grips with the survival ground rules, number one being a councillor is no good to anybody if you don’t say ‘No’. Probably sounds obvious but it’s all about priorities. It wont always be easy to, and I wont always make, the right decisions but each time we meet I feel just that bit more prepared (and less scared!).
And Friday had a day off!
Les
A week of many things – and that was just council work!
Monday – attended ‘Fly the Flag for the Armed Forces’ – one of many such ceremonies all over the UK in the past week. Like many others I see war as the most utterly stupid way to settle an argument, apart from the fact that at the end of a conflict there may well be millions dead or maimed, most of them totally innocent. But I also understand that the majority of those people who do go and fight risk their lives on our behalf, and a lot come home traumatised, and/or wounded, or in a box.
I then went to have a chat with my Chief Whip – rather wonderful as it is now a ‘she’ after years (probably decades!) of having a man. Some of you I’m sure are familiar with the term, but maybe not so aware that as well as keeping us all towing the line – going to meetings, voting the right way etc – they are also there to give support, particularly with the mechanics & machinations of council meetings.
Tuesday – started off by visiting a constituent looking to transfer to another area, then home to learn about election data input so it can be used for instance to help in campaigning to get more people to vote, or find out why they don’t. And finished off with a very useful catch-up with one of my fellow ward councillors.
Wednesday – trawled through a number of e-mails giving dates of future meetings. You may recall I was getting a bit inundated with information during the induction period. I now see that was nothing compared with some of the agendas and associated paperwork I’m now getting - paperless office, ha ha! Before all those 'greens' out there start muttering may I add that I print off as little as possible, and use scrap where I can without compromising confidentiality, but it's the nature of the beast.
After wading through all that had a meeting later in the day looking at how future work will be aimed at helping with some of the issues in my ward, amongst others, and how it is going to be managed. It’s a daunting task and it’s easy to feel you are only scratching the surface at some of the problems, but when I stop wallowing whatever I can do is better than doing nothing.
Thursday – a slight lull in the proceedings (including a very pleasant lunch date with Jeff) but the rest I was keeping up with yet more meeting dates and the requisit paperwork (as well as actually doing some ‘work’ work!)
Friday – work took a proper hold as I had a deadline to meet which meant missing a meeting ‘on the Hill’. But as it happens I’ve been getting quite a lot of background information on part of this group’s remit, and will certainly try to keep on top of its activities even if I can't always get there.
I used to be a Wimbledon fanatic, not so much these days. But I did manage to find some time to watch some great play. After all, all council and no play would make me a very dull girl indeed!
Les
Have had my fair share of phone calls, but on Monday had my first ever casework visit since becoming a councillor, then another first in going to the Equalities committee Tuesday followed by Labour Group. (Then managed to take a ‘day’ off – Wednesday afternoon watched the first event of the London 2012 Olympics at the Millenium Stadium, with Team GB Women playing footie against New Zealand. They won but boy was I hot!)
