Councillor Andrew Doubleday

Participation at Council Panels and Committees

I have served as Cabinet Secretary to Councillor David Sweeton, Cabinet Deputy for Economic Services, and Councillor Peter Robinson, Cabinet Deputy for Technical Services. I also worked alongside Councillor Jim Fitzpatrick First Deputy (Performance and Finance) who holds the responsibility for ICT for the council

I have also attended the majority of full council meetings held this municipal year.

Participation at District Assemblies

Denton and Audenshaw District Assembly I held special responsibility for the environment and local liaison. I have attended the majority of meetings held within this municipal year.

Participation of School Governing Bodies

I have not served on any governing bodies this year however I have fully supported the Schools within the Denton south ward both primary and high schools protestant and catholic.

Constituency Work

I have dealt with many complaints throughout the year from local residents.

We also deliver the Denton South Ward Labour Party Newsletter produced by myself to approximately 5,250 homes keeping everyone informed of the good work the Denton South Labour Team do throughout the year. I consider it a great privilege to represent the residents of Denton South Ward on Tameside Council and as a Dentonian (Truly a local Lad) I am very, very proud to have been able to do this for the past 11 years.

I receive enquiries over the telephone, by e-mail, letter, through regular surgeries, or when I am simply stopped in the street, down the pub or in one of the local Curry Houses and even when I am working the plot on my allotment at Colliery Fields. I go on regular "walkabouts" in the Ward with Lilly Dog, where I have the opportunity to chat to friends old and new and answer questions and deal with complaints.

I have worked with local residents groups, the Police, Fire & rescue service Tameside youth service, Tameside Patrollers, Groundwork Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Trafford, Tameside, local schools, and registered social Landlords in the ward such as Irwell Valley Housing Association, New Charter Housing Trust, and Regenda Housing looking at the various problems within the community, i.e, neighbour nuisance, crime, vandalism, "grot spots", etc.

Achievements during the year

Once again this has been a very successful year; with the continuation of the improvements and maintenance of facilities for all age groups in the Denton South Area.

The Denton South Partnership has had another successful year, ensuring all agencies working in the ward are aware of what is going on and opportunities are not lost and resources not wasted.

I am very proud that the Denton South Partnership was started six years ago by the elected members for the ward, to give local residents/organizations a chance to be involved in the decision making process for the allocation of the Safer Stronger Communities Fund and now the Working Neighbourhood Fund that is available to benefit the ward and helping tackle worklessness.

Haughton Green Young People's Centre the birth place of the Denton South Partnership continues to survive through the dedication of the volunteers, in particular Maureen Grundy, the wife of the late Councillor Arthur Grundy who was the Chairman of Haughton Green Young Peoples Centre, and passed away following his re-election on the 6 May 2006, also Jean Doyle, Jean Shields and not forgetting Rene Plant who is still young at 74yrs of life , they all give up their time to keep the doors open for our children and their children’s children and one day these children will replace us and continue the work that was started in 1969, when the club first opened as Haughton Green Boys Club, history is important to the locals and we should never forget our roots.

August 2009 saw the 40th anniversary of the Haughton Green Young Peoples Centre and to celebrate this milestone the management committee held a family fun day for the wider community that attracted over 1700 visitors, this event has now been running since 2006 when the then new committee decided to hold a fun day to celebrate five years of success after the new committee took over the running of the club in April 2001 just two weeks before the doors of the centre were to be closed, due to lack of commitment from members of the previous management. These events continue and this years will held be on Sunday 10th July 12 – 4pm

The Friends of Haughton Green Playing Fields continues to grow in strength, working with local sports groups and neighbours of the playing fields, continuing to ensure this local amenity attracts the attention that is needed to maintain this green space to the quality that has been achieved through hard work and love.

The PACT meetings (Partners and Communities Together) have been a great success again this year and I have been privileged to have been able to work alongside Greater Manchester Police Officer, community beat manager for the Denton South Ward PC Ian Rowley who sadly passed away in February 2011 and who will be missed by the wider community in Denton South RIP Ian.

Ian’s team, Police Community Support Officers Kimberly Burgess and Brendan McNamara along with Tameside Patrollers and not forgetting local lad community Fire Officer Peter Goodwin Continue with the work that Ian put his heart and soul into. It has been a great honour and privilege to work along side Ian who did make a difference that changed the area for the better.

Members' Surgeries

I have held advice surgeries Saturdays at Haughton Green Library and Yew Tree Community Centre and on Mondays at Haughton Green Young People's Centre. These were well attended by local residents throughout the year although now more and more people are using new technologies to contact myself by E-mail, Text or Telephone.

Training and Development Activities undertaken

I have attended training courses this municipal year, which have been offered to members as part of the Member Development Programme.