A week is a long time in politics – a fortnight is even longer!

It’s been an interesting but very heavy going fortnight.  We attended not one but two full council meetings this week, with the extra one dedicated to the difficult issue of where to have a second council maintained gypsy traveller site.  Many of you will know that this is still unresolved as it was genuinely felt that none
of those proposed fitted the bill.  So we begin again but not from scratch, and in any case this is far too important a decision to be made in haste but get it wrong.

And there are more clouds on the political horizon with the news confirming that the budget would need substantial cuts next year.  The cabinet members have been wrestling with the figures to see how this can be achieved with the least impact, and as a council we have opened up the debate to staff and the public.  It’s still not going to be easy but maybe with their involvement we can at least work on this together instead of giving everyone affected a fait a complis.

It was good to end on a high note by attending a training session Friday morning on what being a Corporate Parent is all about.  What was very encouraging is the obvious dedication of the professionals who came to explain their roles in helping ‘looked after’ children.  It was clear to me that there was, almost without exception, the right balance of caring & expertise, to give children in care the best possible opportunity to develop their potential just like any other.

Les

Past, Present & Future

Causeway to Lindisfarne, Northumberland

Put off blog entry from last week as had a well earned (well, I think so!) long weekend away –  bit of a trek all the way to Northumberland but had a lovely 2 days there.

It’s good when something positive happens in your ward, whether or not you had any hand in it.  Cabinet Member Mitch Theaker managed to get a half-pipe skateboard run installed at the top off Gors Park which been very popular from the outset.  You may have already had the fortune (or mis!) to see my mugshot in the local paper recently, alongside Mitch, amongst others, watching kids truly excelling themselves – very uplifting.

After this photo op, as well as those which are becoming regulars, such as Equalities, Democratic Services & Planning, over the past couple of weeks or so, I've even had the chance of going to three meetings at the same time!  But as I’m not quite that flexible it meant, of course, choosing the one most relevant at that time.  It’s rather strange but whenever this has happened it’s never been that difficult deciding which one’s best.

Mingled with doing business, today I've been catching up on casework - a mix of phone calls & e-mails, some new enquiries and some where chasing up existing ones.  Amazing how long it takes!

Just to tease you I’ll finish by saying that my next blog will include what happened at what is probably going to be quite a contentious meeting, but you’ll just have to wait!

Les

Fighting the Good Fight

Now just what have I been doing over the last three weeks?  Yes, I know it’s three, and no I’m not a week late – some time ago I decided to try and stop spreading myself too thin, so with that in mind I’d keep this to just twice a month. But never fear, for those of you who need more (really?!) there’s always my political blog onto which I have just posted an item entitled HOGGOF.  You’ll have to go and look at it - lesleywaltonpolitics@blogspot.com - to see what this awfully corny heading means!!!!!

Les at Campaign Launch Sat 31st August 2013

Back to what I’ve been up to …  As I reported in my last blog I am now on a group that is campaigning against payday and other such legal loan sharks, including the methods they use to lure unsuspecting people into a downward spiral of debt.  It’s true that some people do take out a payday loan literally to bridge the money gap up to payday, and if it suits them, fine.  But even then it still doesn’t remotely justify the interest rates being charged, or the way some of these companies will not easily let you pay off a loan, but keep offering more & more, hence the debt gets worse & worse.  Continuing on my soapbox (on a roll now, sorry!) and possibly stating the obvious, but not everyone is naturally good with money – just think how many people say Maths when asked what was their worst subject at school!  And these are the people who are going to be very vulnerable when it comes to persuasive advertising for ‘easy money’, and people knocking on your door who wont take no for an answer.
So I’m sure you will agree that there are a lot of challenges around this issue.  However both from our meeting this week, and from the campaign launch the other Saturday – went really well, lots of people there, good item in the press – we have amassed some great suggestions as to what we can do in fighting this campaign.  Really quite exciting!

Other than this I’ve had the usual smattering of meetings, including one looking at how we are going to scrutinise Public Engagement.  This is I think will get to be quite a hot topic, as the council is going to be opening up discussions on the budget for 14-15.  Interesting times ahead.

Les

Mainly Ward Matters - it certainly does!

Yet another first, and this after well over a year as a councillor.  I went to a meeting of the Audit Committee – very roughly described as ‘auditing the audits’.  I suspect this sounds as dry as dust to most people but I actually found it interesting, which surprised myself, and that I was able to contribute then & there.  (After this 2+hours meeting I went straight on to another, this time wearing my business hat, and finally getting home after 10pm.  Thank goodness this doesn’t happen every week!)

Also over the last couple of weeks I have been involved in looking at some interesting ward issues, ranging from trees to credit unions.  And my regular monthly surgery proved very useful as I managed to touch base with a number of people to progress some of these matters.  I have also just joined the group who are jointly behind organising the Pay Day Loan Big Action Day on Saturday 31st August, in the Ocean Room, National Waterfront Museum, from 12 til 2pm – for latest Evening Post article click here.  The other driving force is a group of mums from Bonymaen who have been caught up in the payday debt spiral – see their story here – and they will have some strong messages to give on the subject.

To finish, a salutory tale …  As a rule I prefer e-mails & texts to phoning because you can do them in your time, and decide on exactly what you want to say.  However I’ve been reminded how easy it is to send one which you think says what you want it to say but in fact gives totally the wrong impression!  And of course this is where a phone conversation can make all the difference – the person can hear the tone of your voice and respond accordingly, and more often than not it leads to a discussion where each can have their say.  So from now on I will ask myself “phone call and/or e-mail?”

In fact I’ll make one right now – just need to decide what toppings I want on that pizza …

Les

Out & About

Student Liaison felt a bit deja vuish – these meetings are not that frequent so I suppose it’s understandable that they go over the same ground to a certain extent.  And it’s quite a big group so not easy to make practical decisions, so I found it heartening that we formed a subgroup to do just that.  I am sure this is the best way forward.
 
Went to a very successful community event in Paradise Park – Teddy Bear’s Picnic – with lots of helpful & interesting stands & activities aimed at families.  Without a doubt one of the highlights was a police car where kids could have a go at activating the siren – the PCSO must have been deaf by the end of the day!  I was there particularly to support the anti-food waste stand, which was doing a great job handing out loads of kitchen waste boxes.  

They were also promoting the Real Nappy campaign 
where families can get £100 worth for free.  (Do get in touch if you want to know more – e-mail me at lesley.walton@swansea.gov.uk.)  Gone are the days when you had to boil them, now you can just put them in the wash with everything else!  Not only that, they no longer just come in white but all colours and designs.  And no, I’m not being paid to say this!!

Equalities Wednesday and what could have been the driest meeting of all which was actually quite interesting – an overview of the 2011 census data.  Makes you realise just how much councils up & down the country must depend on this information in order to use their resources as effectively as possible.

Unfortunately later that same evening Jeff & I were mugged which put a slight dampener on things.  However we think ourselves every lucky that we weren’t badly hurt, and they didn’t get away with my handbag – it always amazes me how instinctively stubborn (possibly foolish as well) I can be, but there was no way they were having it!

Most of this week I have been following up casework with just the one meeting – another scrutiny panel that I’m relatively new to, basically looking at the effectiveness of various council services, something which I feel is going to be increasingly important in the years to come.

Les

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