Annual Report 2013-2014: Cllr Mahmood Akhtar

This annual report highlights my tenth year as councillor for Batley East Ward. Once again with the support of the community I have been given an opportunity serve the people of Batley East. I would like to thank the electors of Batley East wholeheartedly for my re-election success.

This is a great honour for me and I am very pleased to be able to continue this service to my local community. Working with my dedicated ward colleagues, Cllr Amanda Stubley and Cllr Hanif Mayet, this year we continue to work together to help resolve matters that affect our local residents.

 

Participation at Council Meeting Committees

I have attended all full Council meetings and most Labour Group meetings and I am member of the following Council Committees and Panels:

Scrutiny Panel for Children and Young People Service

District Committee
Planning Sub - Committee (Heavy Woollen Area)
Scrutiny Panel for Development/Environment
The Labour Group Substitutes Panel

Participation on Outside Bodies

This year I continue membership of the following outside bodies:

Soothill Community Forum

Pakistan Muslim Welfare Society (Batley)

Ward Work

Ward work continues to be the most important part of our responsibility as local councillors, as this is the time we meet residents, listen to their concerns and try our best to help with their problems. This year has been centred on dealing with a number of immigration cases and mainly issues relating to anti-social behaviour. I have been writing letters in support of immigration applications as well as counter signing driving licences and passport applications.

We continue to work alongside the Batley Policing team and other agencies to tackle crime in local areas. In addition to this, we continue to have a good working relationship with officers from Street Scene ensuring road safety is a priority in our local ward. Some of the road surfaces have been renewed in the area such as Mount Pleasant. In addition to this, complaints about pot holes/patch up to roads were also addressed.

I continue to help resolve traffic issues and street parking problems, which have caused concerns for residents. Street lighting, overgrown trees/shrubbery and refuse collection have continued to be ward issues affecting local people, which I have been involved in resolving.

We have also continued to show our support for local support groups and improved play facilities for children, this is ongoing development that we are supporting. My ward colleagues and I try our best to attend local community meetings. I attend ward meetings regularly and also continue to conduct home visits to address resident's concerns.

This year has been another pleasant year in which I feel very grateful that I have had the opportunity to help my constituents to the best of my ability.

However some of the challenges in the Batley East Ward for the year ahead include the lack of suitable and affordable housing provision, lack of leisure activities available for young people and also need for more health and well-being facilities for the community, in particular for BME residents.

Training and Development

I have tried to keep up to date with developments and training that has taken place this year for ward councillors, in order to help me do more for the local community and carry out my duties to the best of my ability.