Annual Report 2018-19 Councillor Darren O'Donovan Dewsbury West

The past year has been another challenging but worthwhile and enjoyable one.

Myself and ward colleagues have responded to fly tipping, pot holes, highway safety, school admission, housing, waste collection and benefits issues from all corners of Dewsbury west.

Fly tipping remains a challenge for our ward as a minority of people choose to leave rubbish at the road side rather than use council services for collections.

I've completed an enlightening year working on the children's scrutiny panel where I've been clear with my opinion to give every child the best resources at the right time and to offer emotional well being support to children that need it.

This past year I've also served as Chair of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Community Safety Committee. It has been particularly rewarding on this to support officers keeping residents of West Yorkshire as safe as possible.

During 2018/19, Dewsbury councillors were able to secure the funds needed for the town centre Christmas lights switch on event which was a huge success. We also developed the primary school study clubs that were proudly started by Dewsbury west councillors back in 2012 and have since expanded across of all of Dewsbury.

During this past year Dewsbury west councillors wrote to carers in our ward to offer our support and recognition of what they do. Carers often have difficult but rewarding rolls for family and friends   and it's right that we do all we can to support them.

Tackling health, housing and education inequalities remains the ultimate challenge of 2019/20. We also continue to speak on behalf of Dewsbury west at Council meetings.

Dewsbury west Councillors remain accessible for all our constituents via surgeries, telephone, email, text and social media.

Annual Report 2016-2017: Cllr Darren O'Donovan

It's been a very rewarding year for me in Dewsbury west.

Over the year myself and ward colleagues have supported the formation of 3 new TRAs in the Dewsbury Moor and Scout Hill areas and continued to support the existing TRAs and other residents groups.

During the early intervention and prevention consultation we met with cabinet members and senior officers to ensure the appropriate offer of children's services in our ward.

Following those discussions we pleased to see that our sure start centre in Dewsbury Moor was kept as part of our future offer. We were really pleased that families with children would continue to have access to this valuable service in our ward.

As part of last years district committee we funded the development of community activities in scout hill, a project in Dewsbury Moor to support young girls, a day trip for people with dementia and their carers and contributed towards a job and skills project help support people in Dewsbury.

Having listened to constituents all over the ward we grew an understanding of the impact that fly tipping, littering and general lack of environmental amenity had on people's lives. With this in mind we developed a ground breaking pilot project to tackle these issues. We secured over £20,000 for the ward to run some environmental improvement schemes in target areas.

Myself and ward colleagues with our local MP have continued to support the campaign to save vital services at Dewsbury and District Hospital. We will continue to represent your views on this going forward.

During last years changes to the councils museums and art galleries services, we supported local residents in forming the group that now is working towards a positive future for the mansion house at crow nest park.

Supporting people to take part in sport and increase their physical activity and improve their health and well being has been high on our ward agenda. We contributed to the funding for the summer activity programme that has developed all over Dewsbury.

For the second year funding has been provided for the primary schools year 6 study clubs. Last years clubs resulted in the pupils at all of our Dewsbury way primary schools achieving higher levels in literacy and numeracy. This also have them a greater confidence and really boosted their self esteem.

During 2017/18 myself and ward colleagues will continue to be there for anyone needing advice regarding council services. We will continue to represent you and fight for the things that matter to you most.

Watch the Labour Group speeches made at the February 2017 Budget Council



Watch the Labour Group speeches made at the February 2017 Budget Council

 

Cllr Darren O'Donovan - Annual Report 2015-2016

It's been another enjoyable year filled with successes in the ward and lingering challenges facing the Council as a whole.

In the ward we have seen a huge amount of positive work carried out by the Council and partners from the community. Major highways priorities have been repaired or resurfaced. We have protected a number of green spaces including Crow Nest Park.

Through the district committee we have funded young people's activities, a dementia care project, year 6 study clubs and contributed to job clubs and town centre regeneration projects. 

We also started the work for this year looking at the issues of child and adult mental health and how we can work together tackle it. 

In my role as Kirklees Council delegate to the Environment Agencies Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, I highlighted the effect of the Christmas and new year storms to the committee and lobbied through council for greater funds to tackle Kirklees flooding issues. 

Nationally, the government have been reducing the funding to Kirklees Council every year since 2010 and the annual grant cut to the council will continue over the next few years. Council services we have all been used to will change and the Council will not deliver all the services in the same way. 

This year more than ever the Council and its communities will need to work together to improve our ward.

Flood Prevention Initiatives - motion to Council

The floods we have recently witnessed, which have left some communities devastated, are something we believe can be managed or contained far better, should we be given the requisite amount of funding.

 

This is why Labour Cllr Darren O'Donovan, sought agreement from Council to urge the Government to apply to the EU for the solidarity fund; a fund that is available to member states to mitigate the effect of natural disasters. 

 

The motion presented at Council to try and achieve this, which was voted in favour of unanimously by all political groups, is testament to Cllr O'Donovan's and Labour's commitment to doing the best for the communities they serve.

 

 

Read the motion in full, below:

 

Motion submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14 as to Flood Prevention Initiatives

 

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Sheard, O’Donovan, S Hall and Hughes;

 

‘This Council wishes to express its sympathy for those effected by the recent floods not only in Kirklees but more so in neighbouring Calderdale and Leeds.

 

This Council wishes to also express its gratitude to all the emergency services involved, particularly the Fire Service, who put their lives on the line to rescue those stranded or in danger of drowning.

 

Via our Emergency Planning and Highways service this Council was part of the reactive teams that responded to support these communities. We would like to thank officers from Kirklees and the Environment Agency for their dedication.

 

We would also like to acknowledge and thank the number of local people and voluntary sector groups from Kirklees that provided support.

 

Protecting the public from natural disasters and safeguarding the very existence of community and its infrastructure is one of the most important things a government does. If we fail to protect our homes, businesses, schools, places of worship and highways then we fail to protect people.

 

With a growing population and if we want to do more to sustain and improve local economies throughout the district of Kirklees, then those areas where threat of flooding is an issue need to receive the requisite amount of funding, minimising the threat of flooding, the result of which will be a protected, stronger and more vibrant economy.

 

The coalition and then Conservative Government have cut funding to the Environment Agency for flood defences each year since George Osborne’s comprehensive spending review in 2010 at a figure around £30m plus each year.

 

We call on the Government to raise the levels to funding to regional flood committees to adequately ensure new defences are built and existing defences are repaired and maintained.

 

We also urge the government to apply to the EU for the solidarity fund; a fund that is available to member states to mitigate the effect of natural disasters.’

Annual Report 2014/2015: Cllr Darren O'Donovan

Firstly, having recently been re-elected for Dewsbury West Ward to Kirklees Council, with the boroughs largest majority, I am looking forward to my second term representing local people and the authority. 

The past year has been a challenging yet productive year. I have attended all full council meetings. At February's budget meeting I took the debate for investment in Dewsbury Town Centre forward to secure the towns future development. 

Over the past year I have chaired the new Dewsbury and Mirfield district committee. Working with cabinet we continue to develop the notion of devolution at district level. 

I also sat on the Environment and Development Scrutiny Panel and worked to address issues such as waste management, building services , library and museums and CSE. 

I have also carried out my roll on the Environment Agency Regional Flood and Coastal Committee and secured new funding towards flood alleviation schemes in Kirklees.  

My role as executive board member at YPO proved to be an exciting time as we set up a limited company section at YPO to allow us to trade with different organisations; I now sit as a board member here also. 

I have continued in my role as a LA govenor at St Paulinus RC Primary School and Carlton Road Primary School. 

Regular and ad hoc surgeries have been held around the wards in 2014/15 and an immeasurable amount of case work for local people has been completed.

If you need to contact me please call, text or email me. Otherwise, the Dewsbury west surgery is the last Thursday of each month from 7-8pm at St Paulinus Parochial Hall, High Street, Westtown.

Annual Report 2013-2014: Cllr Darren O'Donovan

This report reflects my third year as a Kirklees councillor representing Dewsbury West.

Over the past year I have continued assisting residents with housing applications, waste collections, planning applications and school appeals to name just a few.

Locally I have secured funding and set up five new groups - Beckets TRA, Pilgrim TRA , 20/20 Foundation , Westtown Irish dancing club and St Paulinus parents group. The latter of which have just run a year 6 study support group for pupils at St Paulinus School.

I have continued to support the Dewsbury Moor big lottery partnership and took part in interviews for a new development worker. I will also take up my position as a trustee in due course.

I have continued to support the various resident, sports, schools and faith groups. 

Further afield I have played a valuable role in my position on the Environment Agency flood and coastal committee, in securing funding for feasibility studies to protect communities and businesses in Dewsbury and Huddersfield.

I also helped to steer YPO through a major development year in it's formation as a limited company, where I now sit as a director.

In my fourth year I will take the role of Dewsbury and Mirfield district committee chair. A role which I am really looking forward to.