There must be something about this year as again I've missed out a month, s here's a catch-up on both June & July. (Hope it's worth the wait!)
Awarding the Freedom of the city is a very special honour and generally occurs occasionally so unusual in that had three in the space of a few weeks. In June it was given to Wales International & Ospreys Rugby player Alun Wyn Jones, then in July for both actress Catherine Zeta Jones, and the 157 (Welsh) Regiment of the 
Royal Logistic Corp (RLC). The latter celebrated being granted the freedom of Swansea with a parade and march in the city centre on July 27.
I don't manage to get there very often but attended Armed Forces Day which this year was a prelude to the annual Airshow. As a lot of the stands there are connected in some way with the armed forces it seems a sensible idea to hold it on the same weekend even if not the official day.
I was at the lengthy full Council in June, mainly due to three motions, and I spoke on one of them. I tend not to do this very often as I feel quite strongly there's no point me speaking just for the sake of hearing my own voice (despite the fact that others do precisely that!) And in any case I'd like to think people realise that I only speak when I have something worth saying.
Amongst the 'regulars' there have been Audit, this term's Governor's meeting, and as well as the regular monthly Licensing, it was my turn to attend a one-off subcommittee where I was one of just three members of the committee reviewing a single specific licence application.
All three of us ward councillors went to visit Townhill School, seeing at first hand the enthusiasm of both staff and pupils in turning their central rectangle into a community garden. We also went to inspect Mayhill Park, the area next to the new health centre, meeting up with relevant officers. We were there both to assess it's suitability for the playbus to park there one day in late summer, and also review the future option of redoing the play area. We have been looking for match funding in order to pay for this project, and hopefully in the not too distant future it will finally come to fruition.
Les
May marks the end of one 'municipal' year and the beginning of the next, so it's when we hold the council AGM. As a formal meeting it's one of the most important of the year but it can also be the shortest! And the other annual occasion in May is the changeover of Lord Mayors, a very traditional event full of pomp & ceremony.
Street issues continue to dominate with another two coming to light. These both warranted a meeting, which in both cases turned out to be a very useful start of an ongoing process with the aim of resolving that particular problem.
Other than these the month was generally quite quiet 
meetings wise but I am now involved in a group which is addressing period poverty, to help women access sanitary products regardless of their circumstances. End of May saw the launch party -
a well attended event, and very encouraging.
Les
I've obviously blinked for three months as it appears I haven't managed to do this so called regular monthly blog! So a quick catch up with anything other than the usual monthly committee meetings, surgeries etc I attend ...
The Friends of group - Mayhill Washing Lake & (Hillside) Community Food Garden - celebrated it's 2nd Birthday in February, and in March won an award for the progress it has made. It has to be said that this group has been a real success story so far, involving lots of people either volunteering or giving their support in other ways. And we are at last finalising the Information Board that will be situated above the pond & picnic area. So do look out it as I hope it will be there soon (at least by the end of the year!)
Went to first session of Repair Cafe Wales. This is an excellent initiative to encourage people not to throw things away but get them repaired instead ie 'Re-use', just one of the three environmental RRRs. It's in the Phoenix Centre on the first Saturday every month from 10.30 to 1.30pm.
And over the last few weeks all three of us ward councillors have attended a plethora of site visits - seems suddenly, just like buses, a lot of street issues have all come at once!
Les
All councillors were required to undertake a training session looking at our role in an emergency. This rang a chord with me as one of the examples quoted was the fire that occurred last October at the bottom of our garden! Fortunately we were not seriously affected at the time, but the training highlighted what I could have done in my capacity as a councillor, and I would certainly put this into practice if ever the need arises again.
I made a site visit to a resident before my normal monthly surgery, and quite by 
coincidence the topic of fixed versus street surgeries came up later in the month at Democratic Services Committee. Personally I feel strongly that there's a place for both. As it happens I carry out my fixed surgery in the Phoenix Cafe which means 1) I'm seen by residents so they know I'm there if they need me 2) I can hand out business cards for anyone to take away, and 3) I am also able to check with staff if they have any issues, confirming the support all of us ward councillors to the continued success of the centre. Street Surgeries are also well worth doing as they show councillors out & about their ward, and hopefully goes some way in dispelling the myth that we are only seen at election time.
Amongst others, couple of other meetings in the month that I have been able to attend in January ...
General Licensing - looks very dry on paper and yet always more interesting than it sounds, and it's never just a 'talking shop' as there's always an actual decision & outcome
Student Liaison - part of its remit is to help tackle misunderstandings between students & other residents, and as such there's representation from all interested parties including the Student's Union, and a dedicated Student Liaison member of staff.
Les
December isn't necessarily a quiet month, but it just so happened I didn't have so many meetings. Of those I did have was the Phoenix Centre Trust's Annual General Meeting, both positive and short! I was then over to St Nicholas Church just opposite, to join the Voices on the Hill in singing a couple of carols. We were just one of the 'acts' at this community service - an excellent annual event, always a church full.
Amongst the fewer 'regulars' I went to the Poverty committee, where along with other topics, we continued to assess how the local Have a Heart scheme supporting the homeless has been doing. This part of the national Diverted Giving project, which recommends donating money to collection boxes in certain retail shops rather than direct to those who are homeless and on the streets.
Not so regular I attended the once-a-term Governor's meeting at Dylan Thomas. As these are relatively infrequent I was pleased to get there to keep myself in touch with how the school is progressing, and lend whatever support I can. It's always good to see the enthusiasm and commitment of the teachers who on are the committee.
Behind the scenes, as it were, a consultation has been launched to make residents aware of the proposal for housing to be built on the now vacant Townhill Campus site. I aim to be involved in future discussions to do as much as I can to ensure a good outcome.
Les
Probably the most important event I attended in November was the Remembrance Service in St Mary's. I found it quite moving in that it was actually on the 11th, and also very privileged to be there.
As well as regular committee meetings - Council, Poverty PDC which looks at how to tackle financial hardship, HCDT Board who run the Phoenix Centre, amongst others - this month included a special one to discuss issues around parking across the city, with the starting point broadly being 'too many cars and not enough spaces' (nothing new there!). Some good suggestions came out of it, which are to be further investigated, and will definitely help if they can be put in place.
But the main focus of the month was certainly the Friends of group, with a committee meeting, the AGM, and having a very successful stall at the Green Fayre. Thanks to a good core of volunteers the picnic area around the pond, just down the Black Road from Creidiol in Mayhill, has improved no end, and the community food garden keeps 'growing' with more to come. If you get the chance do go and have a look, and you can follow it's progress on the Facebook page, Friends of Mayhill Washing Lake and Community Food Garden.
Les
Another month where I spent more time on things other than standard committee meetings, such as :
- had two site visit to Gors Playing Fields, aiming to tackle the problem of people driving their bikes across them - second one in the rain! Hopefully blocking off one of the gaps that they get through will help resolve the issue
- attended a very interesting meeting with both my ward colleagues looking at how & where it might be possible to introduce cycle routes in Townhill; the Welsh Government have made a pot of money available trying to encourage people to cycle as part of being more active
- went to the Ceremonial Council where we voted to give Karl Jenkins, currently the most performed living composer in the world, the Freedom of the City; he began his acceptance speech by pointing out that the last time he was at the Guildhall he got a parking ticket!
- as well as Mayhill, now support another Friends of 
group, this one being of the Ganges Field, AKA
Pentyla Playing Fields; went to their fundraising do, and also had a very pleasant stroll round the field on Sunday morning, taking in the planted wild flowers which were doing well, whilst others decided where they were going to plant daffodil bulbs for the spring
- and being concerned about youth engagement in the area around the Phoenix Centre I took part in a very good community brainstorming session on the issue; sounds so obvious but probably best thing to come out of it was in agreeing that to provide the right activities for young people is to ask them what THEY want!
And finally just blowing my own trumpet, as well as getting to some of my usual meetings such as Licensing, Poverty Policy etc I spoke at full council probably only the third time I've done so. My mantra is don't bother saying something unless it's worth saying - there are plenty of others who do so no need to add to them! - but I was inspired to comment on a particular topic. I think my words went down well.
Les
Royal Logistic Corp (RLC). The latter celebrated being granted the freedom of Swansea with a parade and march in the city centre on July 27.
