For those of you who wonder just what Councillors do, here is an example from It’s Our County Jim Kenyon. It is the first in a series we hope to run. It shows just how busy Jim is and how very difficult the task, negotiating a way through a maze of opposing opinions, and helping people in predicaments. Jim has to be both a caring social worker and a very firm accountant. He finds his rugby background was a good training.
My week in January:
Before I was a Councillor I had a busy life, or so it seemed to me at the time, as boss of a busy pub in the middle of Hereford, plus family and life commitments I didn’t have much time left for hobbies, but once elected, I’ve had to fit in so much more. This week I went over what I did as councillor and jotted it down. Here is the list, in no particular order:
I had three one to one meetings over housing issues in Hereford, negotiating with tenants and various authorities.
I arranged a meeting in early February with Cabinet Member Cllr Blackshaw, all ward Councillor’s and Amey for a final discussion and decision over the Park and Harold Street Resident Parking Survey.
I organised a Grit Bin to be put in place on Park Street,
I’ve dealt with about six trees issue’s in the ward through discussions with Amey
Pot holes, only two this time, I have booked them for repair with Amey members
Investigation of a fence put up across “footpath” in my ward, and have found a potential solution, I went on radio over this one.
A spin off from the Adult Social Care Meeting from the Task and Finish Group found me with my fellow Councillor in the ward Marcel Lloyd Hayes at a difficult meeting, but with a good result, sorting adult fostering/ caring and respite care.
I have also dropped in a on a health and wellbeing meeting last week and contributed to that meeting.
I was involved in two social work issue over help and funding, both issues are now resolved.
I visited ‘Pack It the day care centre in Widemarsh with Councillor Pat Morgan. I continue to support those projects with visits and have arranged Sunshine Radio to help promote it.
In addition to this constituency work I have a fairly heavy work load on Scrutiny Committees. Each meeting needs several hour’s preparation and I need to be alert and firm at the meetings themselves, if anything is to be achieved. I am a member of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and at the moment sit for Cllr Julie Woodward on the Planning Committee while she is occupied with Mayor Duties. I am also on two Task and Finish Groups, one involving Local Procurement where I keep an eye on Amey and the other on Adult Safeguarding in care homes.
How do I fit it all in? I don’t know, but I do know I am always on the go and always attached to my iPhone!
Cllr Jim Kenyon
Member Tupsley Ward
Tel 07711 316013