I would like to thank the Dewsbury East residents for all your continued
support throughout the year. My
appreciation and thanks also go to my fellow ward councillors Eric Firth and
Paul Kane for their continued support together we have challenged and supported
services for our ward.
It’s been yet another interesting and challenging year, where I have continued
to Chair the Democracy cross party working group. I was also appointed to Cabinet
Leading Member on Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing, Specialist Housing and supported Living, and leading Kirklees Democracy.
My role as councillor
is even more demanding as the effects of some of the cuts from the council
budget are having an impact on residents. The impact it is having within our
communities, people need more support and help with Universal Credit,
Universal Job Search, the PIP Assessment Child Tax Credits. There has been a
rise in bereavement poverty were residents have contacted me who cannot afford
to bury their parents. The lack of social housing and affordable housing has
also added to local people’s frustration. Currently at the moment we have over
15,000 housing applications with less than 100 houses available. Every week the
lists increases by approximately 100. We have a duty in Kirklees to support
people to meet their basic needs in housing that is why we need to be
innovative working in partnership with other partners and providers.
I am also conscious that for housing we need to
look at the word “affordable” quite often is out of reach for local people. The
whole area of housing needs revisiting from us supporting the council bringing
its own land forward for development. Planning permission has been granted for
8 Council houses to be built in the Golcar area, which I’m looking forward to
the completion. Housing growth is a
challenge across all tenures and provision types. 1,730 new homes are needed
every year between 2013 and 2031, with an annual net imbalance of 1,049
affordable homes over the next five years. Market housing is out of reach for
many. There is a commitment by the Council to enable and facilitate the delivery
of 10,000 new homes by 2023, maximising the use of council owned land to provide
1,000 of those new homes. I was
delighted to present the Housing Strategy 2018 – 2023.
Participation at Council Meeting
Committees
In addition to attending all the Full Council meetings, please see below the
other meeting I have been involved in.
You can click on the link to look at the webcast library of all the
different meetings held by council.
Cabinet
Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing
Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing
Licensing & Safety Committee
Licensing chair meetings
Planning Heavy Woollen Committee
Regulatory Panel
Scrutiny Committee
TRA Meetings
Licensing chair meetings
Planning Heavy Woollen Committee
Regulatory Panel
Scrutiny Committee
TRA Meetings
Democracy Cross Party working Group
Labour Group of councillors
Labour Group of councillors
Dewsbury Forward
CSE Briefing Dr Peel
CSE Briefing Dr Peel
National Association of Councillors
I have outlined below some of the other meetings below to give you an
insight of what I do.
Heavy Woollen Planning
I continue to enjoy my role on the Planning Committee. This is a very exciting role and allows me to be involved in decisions for new development, and regeneration of existing sites. We also look at physical and social impact on applications.
Democracy Commission - Growing a stronger local democracy, from the ground up
I’m currently the portfolio lead and Chair for the cross party group. Kirklees Democracy Commission is finding out what we need to know to design democracy for the next generation in Kirklees.
Based on Residents and members feedback we have listened to their views and bring democracy closer to them. One area was to have a Question time in local area to ask question to the leaders of different political parties. This was also hosted at the Huddersfield University. There has been continued opportunities for online participation alongside every event, live webcast live wherever possible on all democracy cross party meetings.
I continue to enjoy my role on the Planning Committee. This is a very exciting role and allows me to be involved in decisions for new development, and regeneration of existing sites. We also look at physical and social impact on applications.
Democracy Commission - Growing a stronger local democracy, from the ground up
I’m currently the portfolio lead and Chair for the cross party group. Kirklees Democracy Commission is finding out what we need to know to design democracy for the next generation in Kirklees.
Based on Residents and members feedback we have listened to their views and bring democracy closer to them. One area was to have a Question time in local area to ask question to the leaders of different political parties. This was also hosted at the Huddersfield University. There has been continued opportunities for online participation alongside every event, live webcast live wherever possible on all democracy cross party meetings.
Please click on the link to
see the work we have done. http://www.democracycommission.org.uk/
Licensing Committee
The main responsibility of the Licensing Panel is to consider and decide upon licensing applications, if objections have been raised. This relates to premises selling alcohol for consumption either on or off the premises. The licence may also cover music, dancing or other forms of entertainment. The Panel would also consider some other types of licence application where there are objections or where Officers recommend refusal of the application.
The Panel consists of three Councillors who are drawn from the membership of the Licensing Committee.
The main responsibility of the Licensing Panel is to consider and decide upon licensing applications, if objections have been raised. This relates to premises selling alcohol for consumption either on or off the premises. The licence may also cover music, dancing or other forms of entertainment. The Panel would also consider some other types of licence application where there are objections or where Officers recommend refusal of the application.
The Panel consists of three Councillors who are drawn from the membership of the Licensing Committee.
Ward Work
I continually give the best advice and
assistance to residents in Dewsbury East or signpost them to the relevant
agencies. I attend as many local community group meetings as possible so I have
a greater understanding of what is happening in the community. I’m also keen to
support them in projects.
This work has been quite varied from housing needs to highway problems. This year has seen the rise in residents needing support in getting housed and sign posting residents to food banks. This is the reality of the government cuts and sanctions on welfare claimants this is also impacting on people who work they are also facing greater hardship and also using food banks. I enjoy working with people and taking up the challenges or resolving their issues and supporting them in lobbying for services in their area. I attend Tenants and Residents meetings throughout the ward. Also there has been the lack of dentist’s provision in Dewsbury. Dewsbury East councillors have used their ward budget to provide a Dentaid mobile surgery this was welcomed by local however it was a short term fix, I continue to lobby for dentists in the area.
As ever there have been many contentious issues
throughout the ward from Planning to Licensing to bin collections. Budget cuts
have affected households across Kirklees and will continue to do so as we are
implementing cuts of £1 million pounds per week. The harsh reality is that the
Council can no longer operate the way it did before and will be focussing on
its statutory responsibilities.
Members Surgeries
My colleagues and I still hold regular surgeries at Dewsbury Town Hall.
This gives residents the opportunity to get to know us in person and to raise
their concerns and issues. We get a good gauge of the feelings of the community
we serve towards the Council and their elected representatives.
1st Wednesday of the month
Dewsbury Town Hall 6.00 - 7.00 pm
In the event you cannot attend you can make an appointment, and I will try and accommodate you as best I can.
Training and Development
1st Wednesday of the month
Dewsbury Town Hall 6.00 - 7.00 pm
In the event you cannot attend you can make an appointment, and I will try and accommodate you as best I can.
Training and Development
In addition to receiving regular policy updates
at Labour Group meetings, I have undertaken the following training and
development
Planning Training (UPDATE)
CSE Training with Dr Peel
Licensing Training (Update)
Safe Guarding Protocol Training
Planning Training (UPDATE)
CSE Training with Dr Peel
Licensing Training (Update)
Safe Guarding Protocol Training
Risk and vulnerability Team
