Time still flying!

You will probably have noticed that again my posting has taken two weeks – as meetings will settle down you’d get bored (if you’re not already!) with me saying the same old stuff so to ensure a bit of novelty is allowed to creep in I’ll stick to this from now on.

In any case, the last two weeks have gone like a flash, yet interestingly not had so many council commitments – a useful reminder that I also run a business and do have some kind of life outside politics! 

Another first even though I’ve now been a councillor for a while now – went to a Student Liaison Forum meeting.  But then these are in a way governed by student activity which of course is virtually negligable in the summer months.  As most of you will know Swansea has a large student population and with it brings both good and bad.  The forum aims to bring together interested parties to help prevent in the first place but also resolve issues that residents raise eg parking, rubbish, recycling, and housing in general.

Those who know we well will be aware that I take being a councillor very seriously, and have done my best to be fully active in this role.  But of course it had to happen eventually, and so I’ve finally blown my 100% attendance record – not bad though after 4 months!

Les

PS I thought I'd posted this on Tuesday but obviously gremlins in the works - hopefully you agree better late than never!

Doesn't time fly!

Anyone who follows my postings regularly will notice that I haven’t managed one yet this week.  This has been for a number of reasons (bank holiday & others too tedious to mention so I won’t!) so here are two weeks worth …

The last fortnight has gone from the ridiculous to the sublime – from 8 council related events the week before last to only two this week.  But of course this is just how it goes.

And you will I’m sure be very pleased, even grateful, to hear that I’m not going to tell about them all, just two examples on procedural matters, both new for me, that I actually found quite fascinating (but feel free to yawn at any point!)

At full council last week it was the first occasion I was party to a ‘named’ vote.  It needs 10 councillors to stand up to indicate that everyone present has to verbally state their voting intention.  It felt a bit like being back in school as the appropriate council officer read out our names, and by the time it got to me – I’m second but last – I was convinced I was going to say the wrong thing!  (Another first – I can now say I have actually spoken at full council!!)

This week’s only formal council meeting was the full planning committee which can also potentially be attended by all councillors.  As with all such meetings, councillors are guided by recommendations made by the officers who are experienced in planning law and its many nuances.  However there are times when they might still get voted against, at which time there has to be a second vote on the reason for doing so.  This was a new experience for me, and curiously it actually relied to a certain degree on the same officers supplying the appropriate valid reason, but then this is politics!

Les