The answer to that question is very long and onerous! Some members do more than others.
There is Ward work or case work: we listen to individuals problems and explain a reason why certain things happen, or we deal with the matter or pass it on. Knowing who to pass it onto can be difficult, but one must try. I feel I succeed in passing it on, but I'm not always satisfied with the response, so that may need more work.
In the last year I've dealt with Housing tenants issues from a roof falling in to excessively high bills and rogue cowboy builders for work done. I've dealt with massive high trees grown by a neighbour, and other border disputes.
Some sensitive issues have been dealt with too from Internet cons, Trading standards problems, noisy neighbours, child safeguarding matters and much more. Some of it is not very pleasant.
Fly tipping and pot holing reporting is a weekly activity & in the winter getting salt in road bins.
And there are some very specific problems that I work on from Oak Lane parking; yes I'm still trying, anti-social behaviour, other parking matters and MANY Planning issues and the Local Plan itself.
We attend Committee meetings and Council meetings. We try to attend Parish Council meetings and important community events.In my Ward I have 4 Parish Councils. Then we need to attend our political group meetings to ensure that we are "on the same track". Sometimes we are not. This needs further meetings with people.
There's regular training and awareness events to attend. We do need to know things!
Some just do the above and not all of the above but some do more. I get very involved in the political dimension, so does my Co-Ward Colleague. We lead, we inform, we steer and direct and take certain routes of policy. We NEED to do that to get others to grasp the RURAL dimension of our Ward. We do that with our MP and neighbouring MPs and County Council Members.
I also sit on a National Committee for Rural Affairs that sits in Westminster, I am also a Trustee of several outside bodies like Rural Kent/ACRE: Council for Rural England and the Medway Drainage Board.
I can honestly say I have raised the Rural importance of Maidstone over the two years of my term so far. Its shocked many. The many "townies" now know my agenda!
The Council is still a democratic process. My Vote only counts if others vote with me. I can only influence if I have others on my side. So raising the rural profile is important work. I seek all ways to do that. If I am to be a good Council Member for Headcorn Ward I must promote and push for my community. I must seek opportunity and I must relish assets and protect what is dear, but I must also be fair and pragmatic to address changes and new innovations. Where there are problems, threats, weaknesses and difference I must seek solutions or negotiate.
This means I must lobby and communicate with all. I do that often. I have to talk to other political parties too.
Yesterday I took a leading Liberal Democrat Member around Headcorns Gypsy sites. He had no idea what the reality and extent was of Headcorns situation, nor of the knock-on effects, that is also reflected in other parts of the south of Maidstone.
We then met Shellina-the other Ward Member:Cllr Prendergast - and had a discussion about what we could and should do about a situation that sees Headcorn overwhelmed with an issue that is affecting local social cohesion.
Now that needs some work! So I'm on it!
There is Ward work or case work: we listen to individuals problems and explain a reason why certain things happen, or we deal with the matter or pass it on. Knowing who to pass it onto can be difficult, but one must try. I feel I succeed in passing it on, but I'm not always satisfied with the response, so that may need more work.
In the last year I've dealt with Housing tenants issues from a roof falling in to excessively high bills and rogue cowboy builders for work done. I've dealt with massive high trees grown by a neighbour, and other border disputes.
Some sensitive issues have been dealt with too from Internet cons, Trading standards problems, noisy neighbours, child safeguarding matters and much more. Some of it is not very pleasant.
Fly tipping and pot holing reporting is a weekly activity & in the winter getting salt in road bins.
And there are some very specific problems that I work on from Oak Lane parking; yes I'm still trying, anti-social behaviour, other parking matters and MANY Planning issues and the Local Plan itself.
We attend Committee meetings and Council meetings. We try to attend Parish Council meetings and important community events.In my Ward I have 4 Parish Councils. Then we need to attend our political group meetings to ensure that we are "on the same track". Sometimes we are not. This needs further meetings with people.
There's regular training and awareness events to attend. We do need to know things!
Some just do the above and not all of the above but some do more. I get very involved in the political dimension, so does my Co-Ward Colleague. We lead, we inform, we steer and direct and take certain routes of policy. We NEED to do that to get others to grasp the RURAL dimension of our Ward. We do that with our MP and neighbouring MPs and County Council Members.
I also sit on a National Committee for Rural Affairs that sits in Westminster, I am also a Trustee of several outside bodies like Rural Kent/ACRE: Council for Rural England and the Medway Drainage Board.
I can honestly say I have raised the Rural importance of Maidstone over the two years of my term so far. Its shocked many. The many "townies" now know my agenda!
The Council is still a democratic process. My Vote only counts if others vote with me. I can only influence if I have others on my side. So raising the rural profile is important work. I seek all ways to do that. If I am to be a good Council Member for Headcorn Ward I must promote and push for my community. I must seek opportunity and I must relish assets and protect what is dear, but I must also be fair and pragmatic to address changes and new innovations. Where there are problems, threats, weaknesses and difference I must seek solutions or negotiate.
This means I must lobby and communicate with all. I do that often. I have to talk to other political parties too.
Yesterday I took a leading Liberal Democrat Member around Headcorns Gypsy sites. He had no idea what the reality and extent was of Headcorns situation, nor of the knock-on effects, that is also reflected in other parts of the south of Maidstone.
We then met Shellina-the other Ward Member:Cllr Prendergast - and had a discussion about what we could and should do about a situation that sees Headcorn overwhelmed with an issue that is affecting local social cohesion.
Now that needs some work! So I'm on it!
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