I have been an Elected Member representing the Droylsden West Ward for the last 19 years. For most of that time, I also worked part-time for a retail outlet as an Administrative Assistant. I have been married for 41 years and have two grown up children. I have fitted in, with difficulty at times, all my responsibilities as a working wife, mother and Labour Councillor into my life.

Participation At Council Panels

I am a member of Speaker’s Panel (Liquor Licensing), which has dealt with a large volume of applications following the delegation of responsibility for licensing of all pubs, clubs, etc, to the Local Authority.

I am also a member of the Technical and Environmental Services Scrutiny Panel. This Panel has the responsibility for considering all elements of Council policies in relation to the provision of engineering and transport services, environmental health and the environment in which we live and the economy and prosperity of Tameside. This year, the Panel has looked at road safety measures around schools and recycling/management of waste from Council premises and operations.

Participation At District Assemblies

The Droylsden District Assembly constitutes a very important part of my council duties. We have six Labour councillors in Droylsden, who work as a good team. We work in the community, listening to people and consulting with the advisory group, to give the best service and “Best Value” we can when allocating where, and on what, we spend the budget in Droylsden.

This year I have continued to serve as Deputy Chair of the District Assembly. Each of the Councillors on the District Assembly is allocated specific areas of responsibility. I deal with the needs of young people, although I do get involved in all aspects of the Assembly’s work. The advisory group to the District Assembly are consulted, so we do work with, and take note of, our community advisory representative.

We have many meetings with the Town Manager, who has to consult with the Councillors and the advisory group regarding the needs of our town. We hold regular District Assembly meetings in most of our schools, so that we meet the people from all parts of our town. The police, officers from the Council, advisory group, Town Manager, young people’s representatives and, of course, the six Droylsden Councillors attend these public meetings. We have an open forum, where questions can be posed directly by members of the public to any of the groups listed above. The District Assemblies are a great success. They make us answerable to the people in our town.

Participation On Outside Bodies

I am a member of the following outside bodies:

• Board member, Water Adventure Centre
• Board member, Fair Share Trust Fund
• Chair, Fairfield Community Centre

As a Councillor, I attend many public meetings with the police, tenants’ and residents’ associations and Homewatch groups. I have organised many seminars for the elderly in warden-controlled accommodation to inform them about crime, safety in the home, fire prevention and services available from Age Concern.

Participation On Governing Bodies

I am a governor at Manchester Road Primary School in Droylsden.

Achievements During The Year

I believe that we have achieved a great deal in Droylsden, providing services that the public wants.

The town centre has been greatly improved. We are investing in better street lighting, roads, pavements, crime prevention and we are continuing to try to get better facilities for the young and unemployed in our community.

I am very pleased to report that new swimming pool at Medlock Sports Centre continues to thrive and provides a first-rate facility for the whole community to enjoy. A fantastic new children’s play area and a superb fitness centre have been added to the facilities provided here.

Members' Surgeries

I hold four surgeries each month in different venues in the Ward, so that members of the community can come along and see me with any problems. I also have a large caseload of enquiries that I receive via telephone calls to my home.

Training And Development Activities Undertaken

I have taken part in several of the training seminars offered to member this year through the Members’ Development Programme. 

For many of my years on the Council, I was on the Direct Services Committee, which covered grounds maintenance, building services, engineering, catering, cleaning, refuse collection, street cleansing and lighting in the Borough. This committee gave me the best training, as it dealt with many different services. You will find that we provided a very good service in-house under CCT regulations. I have also been on the Housing Services, Economic and Property Services, Personnel, Leisure, Education, Best Value and Debt Recovery committees. Serving on all these committees as a councillor has given me a wealth of experience in dealing with the many services that the Council provides. Unfortunately, these committees no longer exist under the government’s modernisation of local government.