Everything's quiet, well quieter!

Well, it has slackened off a bit over two last weeks on the council front, mainly through me having a not too serious hospital procedure which had me out of action for a few days.  The outcome was fortunately reassuring so you’re stuck with me yet awhile!

Did my usual monthly surgery, meeting up with a couple of residents, after which I had a mini meeting with parents, both ex-governors, to start looking at how to set up a credit union collection point in one of the local junior schools.  I expect some of you will have noticed the following irony – at the same time as payday loan companies are on the increase, who prey on those in financial difficulties to persuade them they need a loan fast which gets them into more debt than they were before, yet finally credit unions are getting the press coverage they need & deserve.  Even the Archbishop of Canterbury has been promoting them (although this was a tad spoilt by the revelation that some of the Church’s money is invested in Wonga!)

In this last week, after my recuperation, I have slowly got back into the swing of things by attending a few meetings.  One of these, on Wednesday, was concerning a scrutiny panel that I am on – Wellbeing & Attainment of Children & Young People.  We are nearing the end of this process, which is yet again a first for me.  Over the months we have done a lot of work to assess how well educational establishments are ensuring the wellbeing of their pupils & students, how this relates to attainment, gathering of a large amount of information & evidence, and consulting with many relevant professionals along the way.  So at that meeting we made a good start on deciding what recommendations we are going make as the way forward.  These will eventually go to cabinet with the aim that they then get actioned.

Finished off with something else new.  Yesterday saw the first Uplands Street Market, supported by all the local councillors, and it appeared to be very successful indeed.  Great variety of stalls, from craft to food, also giving visitors the chance to fraternise the shops as well, which in these difficult times must have been a welcome boost.  Hopefully as a market one of many more.

Les

Ups & Downs

As you all know I’ve been a councillor for over a year now but I’m sure most of you will understand when I say there’s still lots to learn – indeed I’m sure you never stop!  And sometimes you might move to another committee covering an area of the council’s remit which you haven’t done before.  And so it is with me, with yet another new learning curve for me to get to grips with, and with which I may need some help.  As it happens one of the meetings I was at last week included looking at specific training requests from councillors, so we could decide how these are to be met.  I am certainly very pleased that the authority takes this seriously, clearly understanding the importance of enabling us to effectively carry out our roles.  
 
Of course even at those meetings & events where I feel confident in myself, that is I have gained a good understanding and can ‘feel’ the purpose of meeting hence can contribute to its goals, this still requires a high level of commitment on my part.  So it’s always good to have a bit of light relief such as an event in the ward last week, where I turned up too early to draw the raffle so went away again.  And even better, there was the meeting later the same day in a community centre, where we ended up holding it in the kitchen (don't ask!) whilst being blasted from both sides by loud music!

And fortunately the rest of life has its bright spots – a lovely long weekend away, great weather for our annual BBQ chez nous, the Lions winning the rugby test series, and at last a British Men’s Tennis Champion at Wimbledon.  (After 77 of years of waiting I really don’t think I could have faced another year of the TV commentators going on, and on, and on … )

Les

Still some new firsts!

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. 

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.

Les

Give a little, get back a lot

In May I managed to remember to go to the LASA Board meeting (somehow I didn’t put the date in my diary for April so not surprisingly I didn’t get there!)  It’s been quite a learning curve even though I have been involved in both this, and other credit unions, in the past. There is just so much going on, and I’m having to learn about it all at the same time as brushing up on policies & procedures.  I’ve probably mentioned this before but for me the priority is to promote LASA as the right alternative to all the hundreds of legal loan sharks out there, who as I see it are making money by legally ‘stealing’ from the poorest in society.  I read an interesting article recently which pointed out that many people in desperate straights just don’t bother to think about how they will pay the money back, which is why it’s so easy for these companies to get away with it.

In the last fortnight have also been to Trustees meeting which isn’t held very often. This is usually quite rewarding as we are able to give small grants to various social enterprises and so far we have rarely had to say no to anyone. 

And the last council meeting was one of the lighter ones I’ve been to.  It included a very interesting presentation on the Penllergare Trust who are doing excellent reclamation work on the woods in that area of Swansea.  A Welsh speaking councillor was critical of the spelling but as it happens although not strictly correct it is in keeping with the way the word was spelt at the time the house existed, and those grounds laid out.
 
In the same meeting we also enjoyed an excellent answer from the deputy leader to a question about what will replace the members’ coffee machine. You may have seen the article on the front page on the local paper.  They made it look like for years the council has been squandering loads of taxpayers money on tea & coffee!  The point is we realise that it’s a waste so not only are we getting rid of an expensive ‘toy’ but we all agreed we would now pay for this from now on.  The paper, of course, failed to mention that!  Anyway, she inferred that because of the changes we would definitely require a drinks monitor, and fortunately her intended ‘target’ laughed as loud as the rest of us!

And to end on a nice note, I was invited to the launch of the first smoke free playground in Swansea, opposite the Phoenix Centre.  There’s always a feelgood factor when you are able to do something that will benefit kids, giving them a better future.

Les

A Time of Two Halves

In the end I didn’t get to the ceremonial council this year but it must have been very strange.  Some of you will be aware that the Lord Mayor Denis James had just died so it would have been one of the few times, if ever, where the incumbent would not be able to pass on to the new Lord Mayor.  I was however able to go to the funeral, where I was privileged to hear about Denis’ life, especially through his son.

Other than that it’s been half & half over the last two weeks – 3 ‘indoors’ and 3 ‘outdoors’.

‘Indoors’ I went to a very useful & interesting session on Child Protection, which was held in Seaview Community School so it meant I also met up again with parents, teachers and other governors.  This week I went to the Well-being & Attainment ‘round table’ where all the relevant professionals gathered to give their input, and this will help us make the best recommendations to go to Cabinet.  And finally Democratic Services.  This is one committee I get a lot out of as it looks at the organisation that backs the work of councillors, and as such it’s more practical so I feel I can get my teeth into it more.

‘Outdoors’ I’ve had my usual council surgery, attended the first Mobile Police Station – this is where a highly visible police van parks in the community so people can come to get help & advice from the police and anyone else there such as councillors.  And finally a very useful meeting looking at an ongoing car park issue which I feel certainly went a long way towards resolving it – amazing what you can do when people come together!

Les

A Whole Year!

Where has the time gone? It does seem quite incredible that I have now been on the council for 12 months.

Last night we had the AGM of full council, so I now know what committees I will be on for the coming municipal year, the same as before plus the Audit Committee.  (I have a role description for this but you can never really get to grips with the purpose of a particular committee until you start going – so watch this space!)  I’m still waiting to hear if I will be the local authority representative on any other organisations that have links with the council – neither of those I was on last year panned out.

In the meantime I have also joined another scrutiny panel Corporate Improvement Budget Performance (what a mouthful!)  Whilst the words have meaning it will be interesting to see what we will be specifically looking at.  Again, I’ll keep you posted.

Now for an exciting Friday afternoon task to finish the working week – enter dates in my diary!

Les

Easter Time

Bit of a lull over Easter, but since I last blogged I attended an extra Council meeting solely to appoint Head of Corporate Sevices.  This was quite interesting, especially being on an ‘interview panel’ potentially 72 strong!

Some years back I was very involved in LASA, 

139 Walter Road Swansea SA1 5RQ.
Telephone: 01792 643632
Email: query@lasacreditunion.org.uk

the local credit union, and recently felt that the time was right to renew my aquaintance.  Hence I have gone back on the board, and since then attended the AGM and my first board meeting.  I do feel both very desperate and very angry about people being conned by firms like Wonga – personally I think their TV adverts should be banned!  So I’m hoping that by being involved again I can actually do something practical to help.  Tackling payday loan companies is definitely top of my list.

Also went to the shortest council meeting on record, for me at least – unavoidably late but only by a couple of minutes and they had already got to AOB!!!

Les