Time still flying!

You will probably have noticed that again my posting has taken two weeks – as meetings will settle down you’d get bored (if you’re not already!) with me saying the same old stuff so to ensure a bit of novelty is allowed to creep in I’ll stick to this from now on.

In any case, the last two weeks have gone like a flash, yet interestingly not had so many council commitments – a useful reminder that I also run a business and do have some kind of life outside politics! 

Another first even though I’ve now been a councillor for a while now – went to a Student Liaison Forum meeting.  But then these are in a way governed by student activity which of course is virtually negligable in the summer months.  As most of you will know Swansea has a large student population and with it brings both good and bad.  The forum aims to bring together interested parties to help prevent in the first place but also resolve issues that residents raise eg parking, rubbish, recycling, and housing in general.

Those who know we well will be aware that I take being a councillor very seriously, and have done my best to be fully active in this role.  But of course it had to happen eventually, and so I’ve finally blown my 100% attendance record – not bad though after 4 months!

Les

PS I thought I'd posted this on Tuesday but obviously gremlins in the works - hopefully you agree better late than never!

Doesn't time fly!

Anyone who follows my postings regularly will notice that I haven’t managed one yet this week.  This has been for a number of reasons (bank holiday & others too tedious to mention so I won’t!) so here are two weeks worth …

The last fortnight has gone from the ridiculous to the sublime – from 8 council related events the week before last to only two this week.  But of course this is just how it goes.

And you will I’m sure be very pleased, even grateful, to hear that I’m not going to tell about them all, just two examples on procedural matters, both new for me, that I actually found quite fascinating (but feel free to yawn at any point!)

At full council last week it was the first occasion I was party to a ‘named’ vote.  It needs 10 councillors to stand up to indicate that everyone present has to verbally state their voting intention.  It felt a bit like being back in school as the appropriate council officer read out our names, and by the time it got to me – I’m second but last – I was convinced I was going to say the wrong thing!  (Another first – I can now say I have actually spoken at full council!!)

This week’s only formal council meeting was the full planning committee which can also potentially be attended by all councillors.  As with all such meetings, councillors are guided by recommendations made by the officers who are experienced in planning law and its many nuances.  However there are times when they might still get voted against, at which time there has to be a second vote on the reason for doing so.  This was a new experience for me, and curiously it actually relied to a certain degree on the same officers supplying the appropriate valid reason, but then this is politics!

Les

Which one?

Cymbals, rather than meetings, 'clash'
(Sorry the picture's naff - ran out of ideas!)

In a previous blog post I mentioned that I often have to make a decision whether to attend an event or not – you simply cannot go to everything.  What makes this process just that bit more interesting is when two or more events, or meetings, clash.

It was again a fairly quiet week council wise, with one meeting on Monday.  Still learning in that we did an exercise on how to plan of piece of scrutiny work – they call it ‘scoping’.  The real work is soon to follow.

The problem came on the Tuesday - two meetings, both important, so which one?  As it happened I had arranged to meet a resident at one, the PACT meeting so felt that it was important not to let them down.  Another time I don’t think it will be so straightforward!

Les

All Quiet on the Council Front

Well almost!  Just the one meeting, and that was an additional Labour Group. 

The idea is to have this one every month where us ‘backbenchers’ can have the chance to get & feel more involved - ask our questions, air our opinions, and put forward our suggestions.  I even managed to air mine, which was good practice for the day, which I guess will come, when I actually say something in full council!

Downside?  Yet another meeting, of course.  But for all of us non-cabinet members, both newbies & oldies, I think it’s a good move.

Les

Behind the Scenes

No official council meetings all week – chance to do some of the ‘background’ stuff …

Until I started to run my own business I never really thought I was an ideas person.  And even then it was only when a business advisor friend of mine pointed this out.  Even now I’m still not quite convinced I have original ideas but I do know I can take one that already exists and, in the words of my Dad, do a ‘mod’ on it.  So what’s this got to do with anything?  Well, I’m sure all councillors have parts of the role they like best.  For me, one of mine is I get a buzz out of creating ways to improve how we interact with residents - I've got a real 'bee in my bonnet' when it comes to communication, and how ineffective it so often is.  By rethinking or developing processes I’m forever coming up with ‘mods’ when producing literature, or planning surgeries, or putting on events, etc etc to help get the message across.

And it will often be something quite simple.  One of our surgeries was in the evening and very few ever went.  We’re now trying it out in the morning when it’s busier, and because the main meeting place is in a café I can put flyers on the tables & the counter.  So I was well chuffed when the other week a guy picked up my flyer and said ‘thank you, will keep this in case I need it’ – small beginnings but big potential.

And isn’t just great after you’ve delivered a direct mail letter, or general newsletter, when someone responds to it, even if they aren’t very happy about something - at least this proves you have actually managed to communicate with them so they know who you are and how to get hold of you!

To finish the week, and after the last few weeks' steep learning curve, it was great to have a relaxing get together with ‘the girls’ on Friday – swap stories, issues, problems, and good practice (and of course gossip!)

Les

Shortish & Sweetish

I’ll be fairly brief this week (partly because I spent most of the weekend either preparing for or clearing up after The Walton’s annual BBQ!)

Have had my fair share of phone calls, but on Monday had my first ever casework visit since becoming a councillor, then another first in going to the Equalities committee Tuesday followed by Labour Group.  (Then managed to take a ‘day’ off – Wednesday afternoon watched the first event of the London 2012 Olympics at the Millenium Stadium, with Team GB Women playing footie against New Zealand.   They won but boy was I hot!)

Back midday Thursday, in plenty of time to attend full council meeting late afternoon.  It was one of those that people tend to describe as ‘lively’ – read into that what you will, and/or read the article in the Evening Post last Friday, which includes a line stating that someone called someone else a liar.  I wonder who!

Finally on Friday afternoon quite a lengthy community meeting but well worth going to – for keeping in touch with what goes on in your own ward these are the kind of meetings that really count.

Les

PS Struggled to think of a suitable political picture hence the Millenium Stadium -  well, we went there this week!

A quieter week, lull before the storm?!

Went to my second councillor surgery in the Phoenix Centre – still early days but this time took up some flyers to leave in the café.  I could see people were reading them – one even made a very creditable paper dart out of it! – and another said thanks, and took it away with him for future use.  No enquiries yet but we only just changed the timeslot so people are getting used to it.  Back home had another ‘play’ with the flyers – when I worked for BT one of their 5 mantras was ‘continuous improvement’ which is an excellent idea but I find I don’t always know when to stop!

Had a break from formal stuff until Wednesday when I went to my last (I think?) training session.  It was on Equalities – what a huge area covered by just that one word.  A number of people have in the past pointed out that as everyone is different you cannot treat everyone equally.  Maybe not but what you can do is your utmost to treat them all fairly.  There are all the obvious factors that need to be considered, like race, religion, sexual orientation etc but treating people fairly really does cut across everything, and there are times when you really do need to think ‘outside the box’.  One of the short film clips we were shown was a good illustration - a couple both suffering from dementia had reverted back to the language they grew up with, yet they were provided with care assistants who spoke in another language - certainly not fair, and possibly, even probably, did more harm than good.

Afterwards managed to catchup with one of my fellow councillors - sorted quite a few things out – then did a bit of work on casework I’d picked up.

The rest of the week was ‘Civic-Centre-less’ which meant I could do some more background work - reading, research etc - whilst still keeping on top of business.  But I didn’t get completely away with it as on a Friday anything left in your pigeon hole is delivered by courier – my weekend reading would be the agenda for the next council meeting, quite small really at only just over 100 pages!!

Les