I knew it was going to be busy in October, but had no idea actually how busy I'd be.
Lets look at the Committees I sit on: Its also important to be involved and participatory and attend sub groups too, and keep the issues "revolving" by talking to people and meeting relevant people and badgering some more!
Scrutiny: OSC (Overview & Scrutiny Committee) for Planning Transport & Development
Scrutiny: OSC Community, Leisure, Environment (including Housing)
Scrutiny: OSC Economic & Commercial Development (as a Substitute, but attendance really helps anyway, to keep abreast of things!)
And because Planning and the LOCAL PLAN is so important to MY WARD:Headcorn, and its so contentious too, then other committees relate or complement to that subject so I attend those when I can. This includes Joint OSC meetings where we look at overlapping issues and integrating work.
As a Parish Council member I try to attend those meetings too and there are important issues with the Parish too, where I attend Staffing, Communications, Open Spaces and Council itself every month. Sadly I have missed some meetings because of Scrutiny needs.
I also am a member of Licensing Committee.
I believe in taking any training offered.
I have been appointed on several "outside bodies" too. I chose some because it may help MY needs, hopes and aspirations for my Community, but the knowledge I gain may help others, and such gains can help the rural communities I care so much for, or young people, or the elderly and disabled, or law and order and many of my keen interests.
The Outside bodies are the Upper Medway Drainage Board, Kent Youth Group, Maidstone Town Centre Management (yes I am a ruralist, but the Town Centre affects the rural areas in terms of people movement, people, jobs etc). These groups require communications often, in terms of phone calls, emails and meetings. We are official consultees and statutory bodies in some respects for various decisions. So its all hard work!
I also have 3 other Parish Councils to relate to and try to attend their meetings.
There are several OSC sub committees/working Parties, and these are truly real work and not talking shops. Transport affects Planning and jobs, so I sit on the Transport sub group and this involves setting up meetings with people like Bus Companies or User Groups, thankfully we have an excellent Scrutiny officer, a team, that do a lot of this work, but we still need to be involved.
We are examining all forms of alternative transport and so I am passionate about cycling & walking too.
Then on Community OSC I am working on aspects of loneliness, to the young, the old and because of various reasons and experiencing many manifestations and that means work with the voluntary sector, the County, the Health providers, Churches and so many more.
And of course the Council is a Corporate body, it functions with personnel, it has finance to manage, it needs to train, organise, provide legal services, have IT and comply as well as provide services. That all needs managing. Officers do the graft, but members do contribute. Some of the internal services are managed by an amalgam of Councils working together called Mid Kent Improvement Partnership/MKIP. Its got its problems and one of them is PLANNING support, the activities of seeing through a Planning application as well as IT, Legal services and Audit. If it affects Planning I want to know!
So I have a lot of reading too!
That usually involves writing in response.
I also have a duty to my Party. We have regular meetings to decide direction and policy. Of course the Local Plan is a big matter and issues close to it that relate or are part of it.
Thats some of it.
And most meetings are in Maidstone so that involves travel there. (2 or 3 times a day some days spread from 9am starts to 11pm finishes).
And why do I do it, as a Volunteer, for NO PAY? ( I get a small allowance, you can check that on the MBC website). Because I care about Headcorn and I try my best.
Sometimes I wish I hadn't bothered.
October made me realise how much work I put in and also how much abuse and stress I get for it.
Working part time, for lousy pay might be better, especially when I see how little commitment others put in! But I MUST SAY there are others who do put in a lot, and that includes not just the work in the Council House and with officers in Maidstone House, but also "on the street". Thats a key role and some do it better than others.
I wont bore you too much, but it is a review!
Now you have the gist of the areas of work I do I will not verbatim ramble on about the activities, the attitudes and frustrations, I'll just list the diary of activities and please assume theres a lot more to it. Then you may understand why I actually get hurt when abuse and rude gestures suggest we Councillors do nothing, at least some of us really do work at it! And very often I articulate views and DONT just nod, grunt and moan at meetings!
On the 6th I met the Senior Planning team and Cabinet member to discuss Headcorn with Parish Council members. Obviously it was quite charged!
The 7th I went to attend a Licensing Hearing as a Sub member, and was not needed. So I attended a Transport review Sub Group of OSCin Maidstone House. I then met Officers in Headcorn to attend an Aerodrome Consultative Group meeting at the aerodrome. I am hoping to develop opportunities at the Aerodrome.
I then returned to Maidstone House for an OSC meeting briefly before going back to Headcorn to meet the Neighbourhood Plan "Headcorn Matters" group.
The next day the 8th I went to Croydon to meet people called the Business Improvement Development Group to see the process that supported local businesses to set up a tram system. Its more complex than that but I found out! And of course we went on the tram!
I then had a choice, Cabinet of MBC or Headcorn Parish Council, I went to the PC meeting.
9th: OSC Review Group, more emails etc and then join the Mayor with Parish Councillors and friends to promote Headcorn at a Curry Night. It was a lovely evening though.
10th I met a business to discuss a Planning application in East Sutton in the morning and then attended a Conservative Group meeting in the evening.
11th Parish Surgery and Cabinet roadshow in Headcorn.
13th Meet DHA the Developers behind the contentious housing site proposals behind the school to discuss their plans and with County and school people to look at a way forward. Not an easy meeting!
Then meet with a mother and with the County Councillor to discuss schooling issues for a child.
14th meet a business with aspirations to grow and attend with an Officer. I set up the meeting. Its important to support local business.
15th I prepared all day. I presented a petition to the Joint Transport Board to "calm" a hot spot in the Headcorn area. I took a Parish Councillor with me.
The 16th I attended a Planning Meeting of Maidstone BC. The Junction 8 proposal that is so toxic was discussed and defeated, for the 3rd time, but "re-invented". It haunts us! I had worked with other Council members to present a Rural case. Bearsted led. Sadly I missed a Parish Communications meeting for this.
The 17th, another OSC review Group in Maidstone, and then I visit many others, mainly officers in Maidstone House, "having a go" about issues!
20th: Housing Workshop
21st: I had to go to hospital in the morning and then meet the Mayor to celebrate the success of our local Ghurkas at the recent Invictus Games. Then off to a joint OSC Planning and Econ Dev meeting. It went on till 11pm. It was a long tiring day. It was also controversial where we discussed a Strategy. The Econ Dev strategy that is tied into Transport/Roads and Planning/Homes!
22nd and I'm tired, really tired, but have Financial Ombudsman Training at 9.30pm
At 7pm the KALC group met, the group of all Parishes across the Borough. Another challenging meeting! Planning! Junction 8! Transport, Jobs!!!!
23rd I've got IT problems on the MBC site. I had to sort it out and access my emails. Then meet local School "leaders" to discuss what OSC really does. I love working with young people and helping them, We hoped to get them involved in understanding our "Loneliness" work.
24th Another Tory Group meeting.
25th meet a local volunteer that could help with some important work in view that the Parish Clerk has resigned and his experience is useful for the local business community.
27th A MBC Budget meeting- critical for all, the Borough and Parishes. More topics came up. A number of opportunities arose, to make money and save money.They MUST be examined. I offered myself for some of the work! I actually understand some of it!
On the 28th I actually did MY PAID JOB and role. Its only consultancy, but I get an hourly rate and I needed the work!
29th I attended a Briefing. Water, flooding, drainage are important to Headcorn.This was an Environment Agency briefing. Naturally I set up meetings as a result and spoke to key people.
30th I met Planning people, Parish Councillors from Ulcombe, Grafty Green and the cabinet member to discuss Local Planning issues. Another charged meeting! The Mayor and I do these meetings together and it works well.
31st another Tory Group meeting!!!! (after a hospital consultation in the day).
And what have we discussed? HOUSES, Planning, jobs, roads and the same old same old issues that affect all of the above:flooding, drainage, the Schools, Parking & Speeding etc! And every angle and new opportunity on these issues is taken up. We really do keep bashing away!
Its not an easy time, not a simple agenda and not a standard solution as we discuss SO MUCH.
And a REALLY IMPORTANT issue came up. The KCC Community Wardens are under threat with funding cuts. There is a consultation and petition. I want people to support this valuable service, so I mention it at KALC, OSC and any other meetings and most chance conversations.
More next month, as some issues "hot up".
Lets look at the Committees I sit on: Its also important to be involved and participatory and attend sub groups too, and keep the issues "revolving" by talking to people and meeting relevant people and badgering some more!
Scrutiny: OSC (Overview & Scrutiny Committee) for Planning Transport & Development
Scrutiny: OSC Community, Leisure, Environment (including Housing)
Scrutiny: OSC Economic & Commercial Development (as a Substitute, but attendance really helps anyway, to keep abreast of things!)
And because Planning and the LOCAL PLAN is so important to MY WARD:Headcorn, and its so contentious too, then other committees relate or complement to that subject so I attend those when I can. This includes Joint OSC meetings where we look at overlapping issues and integrating work.
As a Parish Council member I try to attend those meetings too and there are important issues with the Parish too, where I attend Staffing, Communications, Open Spaces and Council itself every month. Sadly I have missed some meetings because of Scrutiny needs.
I also am a member of Licensing Committee.
I believe in taking any training offered.
I have been appointed on several "outside bodies" too. I chose some because it may help MY needs, hopes and aspirations for my Community, but the knowledge I gain may help others, and such gains can help the rural communities I care so much for, or young people, or the elderly and disabled, or law and order and many of my keen interests.
The Outside bodies are the Upper Medway Drainage Board, Kent Youth Group, Maidstone Town Centre Management (yes I am a ruralist, but the Town Centre affects the rural areas in terms of people movement, people, jobs etc). These groups require communications often, in terms of phone calls, emails and meetings. We are official consultees and statutory bodies in some respects for various decisions. So its all hard work!
I also have 3 other Parish Councils to relate to and try to attend their meetings.
There are several OSC sub committees/working Parties, and these are truly real work and not talking shops. Transport affects Planning and jobs, so I sit on the Transport sub group and this involves setting up meetings with people like Bus Companies or User Groups, thankfully we have an excellent Scrutiny officer, a team, that do a lot of this work, but we still need to be involved.
We are examining all forms of alternative transport and so I am passionate about cycling & walking too.
Then on Community OSC I am working on aspects of loneliness, to the young, the old and because of various reasons and experiencing many manifestations and that means work with the voluntary sector, the County, the Health providers, Churches and so many more.
And of course the Council is a Corporate body, it functions with personnel, it has finance to manage, it needs to train, organise, provide legal services, have IT and comply as well as provide services. That all needs managing. Officers do the graft, but members do contribute. Some of the internal services are managed by an amalgam of Councils working together called Mid Kent Improvement Partnership/MKIP. Its got its problems and one of them is PLANNING support, the activities of seeing through a Planning application as well as IT, Legal services and Audit. If it affects Planning I want to know!
So I have a lot of reading too!
That usually involves writing in response.
I also have a duty to my Party. We have regular meetings to decide direction and policy. Of course the Local Plan is a big matter and issues close to it that relate or are part of it.
Thats some of it.
And most meetings are in Maidstone so that involves travel there. (2 or 3 times a day some days spread from 9am starts to 11pm finishes).
And why do I do it, as a Volunteer, for NO PAY? ( I get a small allowance, you can check that on the MBC website). Because I care about Headcorn and I try my best.
Sometimes I wish I hadn't bothered.
October made me realise how much work I put in and also how much abuse and stress I get for it.
Working part time, for lousy pay might be better, especially when I see how little commitment others put in! But I MUST SAY there are others who do put in a lot, and that includes not just the work in the Council House and with officers in Maidstone House, but also "on the street". Thats a key role and some do it better than others.
I wont bore you too much, but it is a review!
Now you have the gist of the areas of work I do I will not verbatim ramble on about the activities, the attitudes and frustrations, I'll just list the diary of activities and please assume theres a lot more to it. Then you may understand why I actually get hurt when abuse and rude gestures suggest we Councillors do nothing, at least some of us really do work at it! And very often I articulate views and DONT just nod, grunt and moan at meetings!
On the 6th I met the Senior Planning team and Cabinet member to discuss Headcorn with Parish Council members. Obviously it was quite charged!
The 7th I went to attend a Licensing Hearing as a Sub member, and was not needed. So I attended a Transport review Sub Group of OSCin Maidstone House. I then met Officers in Headcorn to attend an Aerodrome Consultative Group meeting at the aerodrome. I am hoping to develop opportunities at the Aerodrome.
I then returned to Maidstone House for an OSC meeting briefly before going back to Headcorn to meet the Neighbourhood Plan "Headcorn Matters" group.
The next day the 8th I went to Croydon to meet people called the Business Improvement Development Group to see the process that supported local businesses to set up a tram system. Its more complex than that but I found out! And of course we went on the tram!
I then had a choice, Cabinet of MBC or Headcorn Parish Council, I went to the PC meeting.
9th: OSC Review Group, more emails etc and then join the Mayor with Parish Councillors and friends to promote Headcorn at a Curry Night. It was a lovely evening though.
10th I met a business to discuss a Planning application in East Sutton in the morning and then attended a Conservative Group meeting in the evening.
11th Parish Surgery and Cabinet roadshow in Headcorn.
13th Meet DHA the Developers behind the contentious housing site proposals behind the school to discuss their plans and with County and school people to look at a way forward. Not an easy meeting!
Then meet with a mother and with the County Councillor to discuss schooling issues for a child.
14th meet a business with aspirations to grow and attend with an Officer. I set up the meeting. Its important to support local business.
15th I prepared all day. I presented a petition to the Joint Transport Board to "calm" a hot spot in the Headcorn area. I took a Parish Councillor with me.
The 16th I attended a Planning Meeting of Maidstone BC. The Junction 8 proposal that is so toxic was discussed and defeated, for the 3rd time, but "re-invented". It haunts us! I had worked with other Council members to present a Rural case. Bearsted led. Sadly I missed a Parish Communications meeting for this.
The 17th, another OSC review Group in Maidstone, and then I visit many others, mainly officers in Maidstone House, "having a go" about issues!
20th: Housing Workshop
21st: I had to go to hospital in the morning and then meet the Mayor to celebrate the success of our local Ghurkas at the recent Invictus Games. Then off to a joint OSC Planning and Econ Dev meeting. It went on till 11pm. It was a long tiring day. It was also controversial where we discussed a Strategy. The Econ Dev strategy that is tied into Transport/Roads and Planning/Homes!
22nd and I'm tired, really tired, but have Financial Ombudsman Training at 9.30pm
At 7pm the KALC group met, the group of all Parishes across the Borough. Another challenging meeting! Planning! Junction 8! Transport, Jobs!!!!
23rd I've got IT problems on the MBC site. I had to sort it out and access my emails. Then meet local School "leaders" to discuss what OSC really does. I love working with young people and helping them, We hoped to get them involved in understanding our "Loneliness" work.
24th Another Tory Group meeting.
25th meet a local volunteer that could help with some important work in view that the Parish Clerk has resigned and his experience is useful for the local business community.
27th A MBC Budget meeting- critical for all, the Borough and Parishes. More topics came up. A number of opportunities arose, to make money and save money.They MUST be examined. I offered myself for some of the work! I actually understand some of it!
On the 28th I actually did MY PAID JOB and role. Its only consultancy, but I get an hourly rate and I needed the work!
29th I attended a Briefing. Water, flooding, drainage are important to Headcorn.This was an Environment Agency briefing. Naturally I set up meetings as a result and spoke to key people.
30th I met Planning people, Parish Councillors from Ulcombe, Grafty Green and the cabinet member to discuss Local Planning issues. Another charged meeting! The Mayor and I do these meetings together and it works well.
31st another Tory Group meeting!!!! (after a hospital consultation in the day).
And what have we discussed? HOUSES, Planning, jobs, roads and the same old same old issues that affect all of the above:flooding, drainage, the Schools, Parking & Speeding etc! And every angle and new opportunity on these issues is taken up. We really do keep bashing away!
Its not an easy time, not a simple agenda and not a standard solution as we discuss SO MUCH.
And a REALLY IMPORTANT issue came up. The KCC Community Wardens are under threat with funding cuts. There is a consultation and petition. I want people to support this valuable service, so I mention it at KALC, OSC and any other meetings and most chance conversations.
More next month, as some issues "hot up".
No comments:
Post a Comment