It’s over a year but through Scrutiny there are always new committees that you can join. As it happens I finally managed to get to one that I had expressed interest in before Christmas! Called Service Improvement & Finance, this group does 'what it says on the tin' in that it looks at services the council offers in the aim of suggesting improvements where possible. Although I say I managed to get to it, typically I had another meeting with clashed with it so was only there for about half an hour. But even in that short time I felt I could identify with its aims. With a bit of luck I’ll do the whole meeting next time!
There are a number of initiatives being tried on the Hill to help those people living there, particularly when it comes to money & budgeting, something even some of the most intelligent & cleverest people can be known to struggle with. I went up to a drop in session in Phoenix Library to find out more about one such scheme, and also visited Gors Community Centre one afternoon for an advice open day,
with CAB, LASA credit Union, Age Cymru and so on. The worry I have, and probably all likeminded people, is that despite leaflets, flyers, social media, it can be very difficult to get people to come along to these. But not only because they don’t get to know about it but for all sorts of other reasons, like embarrassment, feeling stupid, don’t want to ask for help etc etc. Added to this the number who are needing this help is surely going to escalate.
There are a number of initiatives being tried on the Hill to help those people living there, particularly when it comes to money & budgeting, something even some of the most intelligent & cleverest people can be known to struggle with. I went up to a drop in session in Phoenix Library to find out more about one such scheme, and also visited Gors Community Centre one afternoon for an advice open day,
with CAB, LASA credit Union, Age Cymru and so on. The worry I have, and probably all likeminded people, is that despite leaflets, flyers, social media, it can be very difficult to get people to come along to these. But not only because they don’t get to know about it but for all sorts of other reasons, like embarrassment, feeling stupid, don’t want to ask for help etc etc. Added to this the number who are needing this help is surely going to escalate.
I’ve also been to Area 1 planning meeting for the first time – I swapped
from Area 2 as I felt I wanted to be able to hear about issues
affecting neighbouring wards even if the planning applications for
Townhill itself were rare. And I’ve had a double dose of Governors –
the Finance Sub-Committee & the final full Governors meeting for the
academic year.
Last but not least I chose to go on a day & a half Summer School looking at Credit unions. It turn out to be the ‘curate’s egg’ – good in parts, but bad in others! However I probably benefitted from it more than it felt like at the time.
Last but not least I chose to go on a day & a half Summer School looking at Credit unions. It turn out to be the ‘curate’s egg’ – good in parts, but bad in others! However I probably benefitted from it more than it felt like at the time.
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