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

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