The Long Fortnight

A busy and varied two weeks – mix of council, business including work for Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). 

Had a heavy start trying to resolve an ongoing issue in my role of school governor, but most of the rest of that week was spent either on FSB – Treasurer work for local & regional AGMs and monthly branch meeting – and other business ‘as usual’.

On the Saturday I attended the first Sparkle ‘Transgender and public integration day’ in the Brangwyn Hall, in part aimed at letting the public know more about the relevant issues. Over 25 stands were there, from advice & information to jewellery & makeup. It carried on into the evening with entertainment provided – some of you may remember the Swinging Blue Jeans who were practising as we were leaving.  From the quote from their website, here above right, it was obviously a very good start to what could be a long tradition of such events. 

Last week was back more in council mode with my regular monthly surgery, then meeting up with fellow councillor Nick Bradley to keep up with both cabinet news and issues affecting our ward. 
On Wednesday I attended community PACT ‘meeting’ – these are held by the police outside in various places across the ward, are often better than meetings in venues, and can also show that you are bothering to go out into your ward, willing to meet residents and listen to any issues they have. 
I went to WLGA Induction Training on Thursday : ‘The first 6 months …’.  As well as lots of useful tips, ideas & advice, I found I knew quite a bit.  But then it’s always helpful to get reassurance you are 'going int he right direction'.  
And finally full council preceded by a special meeting to award 7 former mayors as Aldermen/women.  These long standing councillors were from all walks of life, who no doubt would have had to handle the role of councillor & mayor at the same time as going to work and bringing up a family, and maybe even some hobbies.  Interesting, then, that one of our speakers at the morning’s induction gave the impression that when you become a councillor everything else goes out of the window.  There are times – oh, many MANY times! – when I feel I’m losing the ability to multitask to such a degree, but without all that variety of experience I truly believe that I’d make a very poor councillor indeed.

Les

And three nearly becomes four – double oops!!

Where DOES the time go?!  Admittedly I did manage to get away for a few (wonderful) days in Shropshire, just pottering around the countryside taking in the amazing autumnal colours.

One of the events I have been to over the last couple of weeks was a 20th Birthday party to celebrate LASA, the Swansea wide credit union, which had started life as the Hill Community Credit Union just covering Townhill before it expanded over the whole city.  For those of you who don’t know a credit union is sort of a people’s bank where as members we all save regularly, then use that money to lend out to other members who need a loan, at a reasonable rate of interest, unlike those handed out by companies like Wonga at over 4000%, yes you read it right, 4 thousand!!  Click here if you want to know more about it.

After missing a couple because they clashed with school governor meetings I went to a very interesting Equalities one on Hate Crime.  I have never understood how someone can actually hate another person who, in the majority of cases, they don’t even know, just because they look different, or don’t have the same beliefs, or dress contrary to some perceived norm etc etc.  And what worries me more is that this obscures the fact that good and bad people cut across all these differences.  On a more positive note, some of you will have heard about SRTRC – Show Racism the Red Card – which is trying to stamp this out on the football terraces.  Maybe we can take some comfort in the guy that was recently prosecuted who actually publicly stated afterwards what an idiot he’d been.

Earlier that same day I attended a public meeting to look at ways of providing more facilities for young people in one part of my ward.  It’s all very well, as the policewoman observed, telling kids to move along when they are hanging about but what if they have nowhere else to go?  Of course a common issue for many many communities throughout Wales and the UK, and I don’t suppose we’ll have all the answers but I’d at least like to help find some.

Les