It's been a long day - twice!

I know, its been a month (again!) since the last one but I’ve got loads of reasons – honest!

In that time I’ve endured a grotty cold – typically the worst of it was over a weekend! – and have had a couple of weekends away.  I’ve still managed to do my famous juggling act between business, council (and life!) and in the last fortnight have attended the two longest meetings so far at 4 & 5 hours.  Just imagine the delight of spending Valentines night discussing the council budget!!

The four hour extra planning meeting was mainly to discuss a specific wind farm application.  This is quite an emotive subject, raising questions about the possible environmental damage that might be done, and whether wind turbines are perceived a blot or a beauty on the landscape.  For me this issue is made worse by the often too biaised and inadequate information provided on both sides of the argument.  What a minefield, and not an easy decision for me to make.

I think it’s fair to say that thursday night’s ‘Valentine’ budget debate’s biggest concern was over the level of council tax increase to be imposed.  This is another issue which isn’t remotely easy to resolve – keep it low but then have to cut services or retain them but have to charge residents more?

I’ll leave it there for you all to ponder …

Les

And we’re off – again!

Boy, did I need that break over Christmas! 

Anyone else who runs their own business will know just how disciplined you must be to take time off.  For once I managed to pencil in two weeks when the office was closed which meant I could try and clear the decks a bit, both work and council, and have a few days off.

Back to the grindstone on the 7th, with council work kicking off proper at Tuesday evening’s  PACT meeting.  (These meetings are the ideal place to raise a community issue, with amongst others both councillors & community police present, but unfortunately they aren’t well attended.  Still trying to come up with a good ‘out of the box’ idea to get them to be ‘used’ more so any suggestions most welcome.)  A couple more meetings (plus casework) during the rest of the week but thankfully not too hectic a start for me.

Without taking on too much more I have booked myself on some of the governor training courses, and in this past week I’ve been to one on Finance & Budgets.  As it happens I got there about half way through as it overlapped with Equalities.  I think somebody must have been looking after me as I decided to stay at the meeting.  And when I got to the training they had almost finished going through a long spreadsheet looking at funding, line by line.  Now as an ex trainer even I concede that there’s not much you can do to make these exciting!  Fortunately the second hour was more general, and proactive, and what with the notes handed out I feel it was worthwhile going.

Last meeting for me this week was full council last night – shortest on record surely, finishing in well under an hour.  Home by 6pm which was just as well as spent the next couple of hours wading through and actioning e-mails.  After all that a can of lager never tasted so good!

Les

Year's End

This is my last instalment until the New Year.  And again I’ve slipped into four weeks worth …

Saturday 24th November I had a stand at the Green Fayre – as usual I’d left things to the last minute and was making stock any spare minute I had in the week leading up to it!  Annoyingly this clashed with the local Labour Party’s first Policy Conference.  Believe it or not I actually wanted to go to it but I’d booked & paid for the stand months before.  And as I’m sure I’ve said to some of you I believe you are no good as a councillor if you haven’t got a life, and this time ‘life’ came first.

December has been a slightly ‘gentler’ month what with Christmas on the horizon, (and this can make it all too easy to forget that for some people like the homeless it’s just another day).  Still had a smattering of meetings, like planning, Trustees (shortest meeting I’ve ever been to!) full council where we said ‘goodbye’ to Richard Parry, Director of Education, and former Chief Superintendent Mark Mathias, and a PACT meeting.  These are the ones where community police come to hear concerns raised by the public.  Although these are never that well attended by residents I still feel they are worthwhile even if only one person turns up.  Phone & e-mail are fine most of the time, but it’s great to see people face to face and hopefully help resolve an issue.

In the last week I visited TOPIC House & the Phoenix Centre to pass on seasons greetings, and also scoff a very naughty but nice fry-up in the café – strongly recommend going there as very reasonably priced and even the small breakfast is plenty.  Also went to Seaview School’s nativity play in St Nicholas Church.  I have an admission to make as I really don’t enjoy kids singing – usually too noisy and out of tune!  But you can’t beat these for enthusiasm, and the animals, ‘sheep’ especially’ were all very cute.

That’s it until January but as Arnie says ‘I’ll be back!’ (only not in that weird Austrian/American accent!!)

Les

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

Two weeks become three - oops!

I know, I know, late with the blog again!  Have I any excuses?  Loads probably but let’s just get on with it …

Talking of excuses, in the first week of October I had an excellent one for missing a meeting – I managed to fall UP a hill!!  My knees aren’t great at the best of times, and after my fall the left one looked like I’d done a few rounds with Mike Tyson, so Doctor Jeff advised rest.  Funnily enough I didn’t disagree!

But before you get the wrong idea, the last three weeks have been pretty busy with a number of formal council meetings, one lasting almost 4 hours, and informal meetings with officers, fellow ward councillors etc etc, plus other events, surgeries, and doing casework.  And there is the small matter of running a business, including working on my tax return!

And yet still something new – finance sub-committee for Seaview.  I’ve been to hundreds of meetings in my time and read lots of financial reports so this one stands out.  Why?  It was the first time I can recall having looked at one and more or less understood it before an explanation.  And there have been plenty where I’ve still not got a clue AFTERWARDS!

Whilst not my in role as a councillor I will finish by saying I had what I feel was a very worthwhile Saturday spent in London on the A Future that Works march.  Question is, unless something drastic happens, will it?

Les

Being a councillor can be fun!

Pretty busy these last two weeks ie up to the end of September (OK I know this blog posting is three days overdue!) what with having quite a bit of business work as well as council duties.

Mainly meetings outside council eg regular Phoenix Centre surgery, branch meeting, and yet another first – Seaview Governors meetings.  A lot of it was taken up with what sub-committees we would be prepared to go on.  Now I just need to do the training to help me know what I’m going to be doing!

And of course it’s not just meetings and surgeries which show you are bothered about your ward – socials can play a role too.  The former Fairfield Club, now the West End Football & Social Club, on Townhill Road, had their relaunch on the 22nd.  I’ve passed it many times and never knew just how big it is, with a ‘tidy’ sized function room.  It was an evening with a difference – as well as your standard food, drink, disco & raffle, they held a question & answer session with a panel of football players present and past including current Wales Coach Chris Coleman.  Beat that!

Les