Another year has raced by with wide range of meetings and events attended, and an increasing number of challenging issues and casework to deal with. During this year I have been a Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health, Sport and Physical Activity, and the Chair of the Health & Wellbeing Board as well as continuing to be one of the three Labour councillors for Heckmondwike ward.
Amongst a range of activities, in my Cabinet role I have visited several care and nursing homes, participated alongside staff members in developing and improving the Direct Payment Service for Social Care; visited the All Age Disability service; met with local businesses to discuss the issues and challenges in providing residential, nursing care and supported living for disabled or elderly residents of Kirklees. I have also toured sport and physical activity sites and visited a range of voluntary and community activities which provide opportunities for ill, disabled or elderly people.
I have dealt with a wide range of casework relating adult social care and health issues.
I was honoured to be asked to speak at the launch of the Carer’s Charter in Kirklees, the CHART Launch event and the graduation event for the Safer, Healthier Homes Programme.
Of particular interest to me have been the developments of actions and events relating to dementia. Batley & Spen District Committee had Dementia Friends training, Kirklees Dementia Action Alliance held the Living Well, Safe & Active conference. There was also a Dementia & BME Summit and the very successful Dementia Friendly Lindley event. I attended and participated in all of these events and am continuing to meet colleagues to plan further dementia projects.
I was pleased to work with Pennine Visually Impaired Bowlers and Calderdale & Kirklees Community Transport to ensure that they had access during the winter months to indoor bowling facilities.
I took part in an LGA Peer Review Team in East Riding Council and participated in the Peer Challenge in Kirklees.
One issue that was of great concern to me were the proposals in the Government White Paper on Housing to apply a cap to housing benefit for supported living and extra care housing complexes, which would have seriously disadvantaged many disabled and elderly residents in Kirklees. We hosted a Northern Housing Consortium meeting on this issue and following that Kirklees Council submitted evidence to the Communities & Local Government Select Committee. I was invited to go and give evidence in person to the Select Committee, which I did and the report from the Committee accepted the points that I and other witnesses made.
Despite all this whorl of activity, the whole world for Batley & Spen came to a horrified standstill when our MP Jo Cox was murdered. My colleague and friend was killed; a stupefying loss for all. However, we believe that there is more that unites us than divides us, as will be born out in June 2017 when the people of Heckmondwike hold a community celebration of Jo’s life, as will the other wards in Batley & Spen; and across Kirklees and around the world. Jo expressed an essential and invaluable truth for us all.
Council Meetings Attended
I attend Council and Cabinet meetings regularly in addition the Batley & Spen District Committee and a sub-group of that committee on Health & Wellbeing in the district.
I have chaired the Health & Wellbeing Board throughout the year and the Children’s Centre Advisory Board until my ward colleague, Cllr Steve Hall took over that role. I also chair the Tackling poverty Working Group.
Other Council meetings that I have attended, include:
Health Protection Board meetings
Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny meetings
Kirklees Youth Council
Kirklees Involvement Network
Foster Panel
Meetings with a range of partner organisations which commission and/or provide social care and health services.
Participation on Outside Bodies
West Yorkshire Health & Wellbeing Board Chairs Meetings
Ward Work and Achievements:
In addition to the casework that arises from social care and health, I have had a large number of cases from residents in Heckmondwike ward concerning issues such as neighbour disputes, planning issues, benefit problems, highway repairs, fly tipping, traffic calming, housing issues etc.
I was pleased to help establish a Friends of Firth Park Group and I attend various local TRA meetings. I have supported Heckmondwike Petanque Club in obtaining further funding to develop their playing terrain in Firth park and organised the setting up of monthly coffee mornings where Heckmondwike residents can come and meet their local councillors to raise issues or receive information.
We have held public meetings about planning issues.
I have supported a number of pensioner groups – luncheon clubs, coffee mornings, events and parties.
Amongst a range of activities, in my Cabinet role I have visited several care and nursing homes, participated alongside staff members in developing and improving the Direct Payment Service for Social Care; visited the All Age Disability service; met with local businesses to discuss the issues and challenges in providing residential, nursing care and supported living for disabled or elderly residents of Kirklees. I have also toured sport and physical activity sites and visited a range of voluntary and community activities which provide opportunities for ill, disabled or elderly people.
I have dealt with a wide range of casework relating adult social care and health issues.
I was honoured to be asked to speak at the launch of the Carer’s Charter in Kirklees, the CHART Launch event and the graduation event for the Safer, Healthier Homes Programme.
Of particular interest to me have been the developments of actions and events relating to dementia. Batley & Spen District Committee had Dementia Friends training, Kirklees Dementia Action Alliance held the Living Well, Safe & Active conference. There was also a Dementia & BME Summit and the very successful Dementia Friendly Lindley event. I attended and participated in all of these events and am continuing to meet colleagues to plan further dementia projects.
I was pleased to work with Pennine Visually Impaired Bowlers and Calderdale & Kirklees Community Transport to ensure that they had access during the winter months to indoor bowling facilities.
I took part in an LGA Peer Review Team in East Riding Council and participated in the Peer Challenge in Kirklees.
One issue that was of great concern to me were the proposals in the Government White Paper on Housing to apply a cap to housing benefit for supported living and extra care housing complexes, which would have seriously disadvantaged many disabled and elderly residents in Kirklees. We hosted a Northern Housing Consortium meeting on this issue and following that Kirklees Council submitted evidence to the Communities & Local Government Select Committee. I was invited to go and give evidence in person to the Select Committee, which I did and the report from the Committee accepted the points that I and other witnesses made.
Despite all this whorl of activity, the whole world for Batley & Spen came to a horrified standstill when our MP Jo Cox was murdered. My colleague and friend was killed; a stupefying loss for all. However, we believe that there is more that unites us than divides us, as will be born out in June 2017 when the people of Heckmondwike hold a community celebration of Jo’s life, as will the other wards in Batley & Spen; and across Kirklees and around the world. Jo expressed an essential and invaluable truth for us all.
Council Meetings Attended
I attend Council and Cabinet meetings regularly in addition the Batley & Spen District Committee and a sub-group of that committee on Health & Wellbeing in the district.
I have chaired the Health & Wellbeing Board throughout the year and the Children’s Centre Advisory Board until my ward colleague, Cllr Steve Hall took over that role. I also chair the Tackling poverty Working Group.
Other Council meetings that I have attended, include:
Health Protection Board meetings
Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny meetings
Kirklees Youth Council
Kirklees Involvement Network
Foster Panel
Meetings with a range of partner organisations which commission and/or provide social care and health services.
Participation on Outside Bodies
West Yorkshire Health & Wellbeing Board Chairs Meetings
Ward Work and Achievements:
In addition to the casework that arises from social care and health, I have had a large number of cases from residents in Heckmondwike ward concerning issues such as neighbour disputes, planning issues, benefit problems, highway repairs, fly tipping, traffic calming, housing issues etc.
I was pleased to help establish a Friends of Firth Park Group and I attend various local TRA meetings. I have supported Heckmondwike Petanque Club in obtaining further funding to develop their playing terrain in Firth park and organised the setting up of monthly coffee mornings where Heckmondwike residents can come and meet their local councillors to raise issues or receive information.
We have held public meetings about planning issues.
I have supported a number of pensioner groups – luncheon clubs, coffee mornings, events and parties.
