So May 2015 I am starting off my 16th year in
total of been an elected member on Kirklees Council and my second year on
cabinet. I have the same portfolio as last year working with a good team
of officers and some good hard working members.
We have the same old problems regarding paths that are overgrown and the one that really annoys me is fly tipping . The mindless thick stupid people who throw takeaway cartons on the roads and paths and the lazy dim wits who put the crap under their car and then drive of waiting for the rubbish fairies from the council to come along at night and clean it up.
On the strategic planning committee we had another very good
year getting some big applications done which I am sure will enhance Kirklees.
Highways was and still is a problem due to the lack of money
from the government . We have borrowed £2.85 million to buy new plant such as
11 new gritters at just over £100.000 each a white line painting vehicle at
£116.000 and six new bin wagons at just over £150.000 each.
Potholes we have 4 pieces if kit coming in to the council
for a period of weeks to try them out in different terrains and for our
workforce to try out and give much needed feedback. We are still one of the
most cost effective councils in the country filling just short of 3 holes to
other councils 1.
Taxis is still one of our top priorities and we are leading
the way at city region.
Ward work with Dave and Viv was much the same we still have
a continual battle with travellers breaking into council land that has had
locks and gates fitted already. More money has been put to one side for other
pockets of land to be made secure but there is only so much that can be done
against angle grinders and small mechanical diggers.
We have the same old problems regarding paths that are overgrown and the one that really annoys me is fly tipping . The mindless thick stupid people who throw takeaway cartons on the roads and paths and the lazy dim wits who put the crap under their car and then drive of waiting for the rubbish fairies from the council to come along at night and clean it up.
As far as the council in general goes it is getting worse
regarding cuts. We are going to have to make cuts to services that no one
thought we would have to. Our citizens are living longer we are having people
identified through the early intervention and prevention strategies that all
councillors and officers are being trained in. It is now this year the
government have realised that social care for local authorities is costing more
than we have to spend .The fact that we can put council tax up an extra 2% is
still not enough and it’s the public that is having to pay for the Tories
getting it wrong.
The council is getting nearer to having its local plan put
in place . At the moment we have developers prancing about like Rocky Balboa
trying to take the council and its citizens for complete muppets by putting in
applications to build on urban green space so any appeals that are taken out
against planning authorities is very important.
I have attended the full council meetings and cabinet
meetings . District committee meetings NMG meetings when they have
not clashed. Officer briefings with, the CEO and managers.
Labour group meeting and constituency meetings.
Training meetings for Planning and Licensing.
That is a roundup of what I have been doing over the last 12
months while we still have a council.
