My attendance at all Council meetings, Cabinet, Board, Committee and relevant outside bodies has been almost 100%. Any absences in the main being caused by other Council commitments.

I am totally committed to my brief as Cabinet Deputy for Technical Services, both in terms of time and volume of work, terms of reference having overall responsibility for:

• strategic planning and UDP/LDS (Local Development Scheme) policy
• highways, engineering planning and development;
• construction and maintenance of infrastructure;
• street lighting, signals and signing facilities;
• PTA and public transport;
• traffic control and calming;
• parking and town centre control;
• highways, lighting and grounds maintenance.

The second Tameside UDP is now in place and work is now well underway to put in place Tameside's local development scheme (LDS) to replace the UDP documents over the next few years.

A number of Supplimentary Planning documents (SPD) have now been adopted by the Council and are already guiding development, advice and decisions.

My brief represents the Council's views on matters of corporate or strategic policy and to take urgent decisions on matters within the terms of reference.

I am heavily involved in many important projects which when fulfilled will, I am sure, be of benefit to the environment and people of Tameside.

Tameside is and will benefit from transport improvements for which I have worked very hard on the outside bodies on which I represent the Borough i.e. Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (currently Chair of Network), sitting on the Authority, network and policy committees; Tameside Local Transport Group and the Association Greater Manchester Authorities Planning, Transport and Environment Executive Members Group. I am also a Greater Manchester representative on the Trans Pennine Rail Group.

I also represent GMPTA as a delegate to the Peak Park Forum, South Pennine Integrated Transport Strategy (SPITS).

Already we have more frequent train services, with further improvements to come. The start of Quality Bus Corridors in the Borough and the advent of Metrolink, are amongst issues that I have had considerable involvement.

I have lobbied very hard to fill the evening gaps in the present rail timetable. We now have a uniformly spaced timetable. I am constantly lobbying for more services and capacity on our local rail services. We can now see Sunday Services at Mossley for the first time in many many years, via the introduction of the Trans Pennine local stopping service between Manchester and Huddersfield. This also provides a Sunday Service for Ashton to the east of the Pennines, for the first time in many years.

People are now enjoying the benefits of the £1.1M refurbishment of Ashton Railway Station. Hyde Bus Station is now completed and open for services, receiving very favourable comments from the Public. I had considerable involvement in the achievement of both these schemes. Work is progressing well on the design of a new state of the art bus station in Ashton, in conjunction with the major town centre expansion of the Arcade Shopping Centre.

The Rail Network, Transpennine and Northern Rail franchise have major implications for Tameside. Keeping abreast of the various options and their consequences on Tameside's railway services, particularly protection of local services is a key role for my brief. The agreement between First Trans Pennine and GMPTE for £1.5M improvements to Stalybridge Station resulting in major progress already for example: the raising of the platform levels to a safer height. Work on the provision of a new booking office and waiting room is now underway.

I am co-signatory to Tameside's street project along with the divisional commander of Greater Manchester Police. This is part of a major road safety scheme project incorporating speed restrictions, of 20 mph zones etc. It is a key element in our Public Service Agreement with the DETR. We are experiencing a continued reduction in serious accidents as a result of these policies.

I take a full and active part in the Ashton District Assembly and am keenly interested in Ashton Town Centre and its issues as well as continually seeking improvements in Hurst ward.

I have recently signed CPO orders inconjunction with the Ashton Northern Bypass which is timetabled for public inquiry later this year and if successful will provide more town centre opportunities.

I also chair the Ashton Town Centre Steering Group which overviews the partnership with the towns' traders, community interests and Council.

I have played a major role in:- the securing of funds of over half a million pounds to transform the redundant Broadoak Primary School into a flagship facility for all ages and for all the community now up and running at peak capacity, so much so, that an extension was required and is now built. I am also Chair of the Management Committee of this Community Association. The Centre is now home to the Police point for Hurst and St Michael’s neighbourhood police officers, thanks to funding from the SSCF – (Stronger Safer Communities Fund) which I also chair. The fund has also provided the local police with an ‘area customised’ spy-hawk vehicle.

The project of at last delivering a brand new three and a half million pound state-of-the-art Community School to the Higher Hurst/ Hazelhurst area of Ashton at Rose Hill is now a reality and benefiting many.

I am heavily involved being the chair of the Ladysmith Community Sports Initiative, on the Rose Hill site in partnership with the school, a local cricket club and junior football club. This project is progressing well and professional Table Tennis coaching is now included as part of the project. My next key task in this area is to help the initiative to make Tennis facilities a reality. I have now managed to aid funding for the initiative, to completley refurbish and floodlight the outdoor Tennis Court. As well as being very instrumental in helping to get the funding for the fire damaged Cricket pavillion – to be completed by Summer.

I am easily and readily available to my constituents by phone and by holding regular surgeries and attending residents meetings. As a result I deal with many issues e.g. housing, environmental, safety, transport etc.

I was a full and active member of the Sure Start board and will remain with the Board in its new monitoring function.

I take every opportunity to affect the improvement of the environment for my constituents.

I am more than ready to gain more knowledge by attending relevant training and seminar sessions both within and outside Tameside.

I also hold the Secretarys' position on the Council's controlling group.