Councillor Joe Kitchen

Participation at Council Meetings/Committees/Panels

I have participated at Council meetings and been in attendance at the following:

• Executive Board Meetings
• Executive Cabinet Meetings
• Employment Appeals Panel - Chair
• Joint Overview Panel
• Audit Panel
• PACT Meetings
• Standards Committee

Participation at District Assemblies

• Hyde District Assembly
• Longdendale/Hattersley District Assembly

Participation on Outside Bodies & Partnerships

I have attended the following outside body meetings:

• Hattersley Development Trust - Chair
• Hyde Business Forum
• Ken Ward Management Committee – Chair
• Stalybridge and Hyde CLP – Treasurer
• Tameside Labour Group - Chair
• Tameside Local Government Committee
• Greater Manchester Police Authority
• GMPA – Value for Money Committee
• GMPA – Quality of Service Committee
• GMPA – Standards Committee

The past year has been spent actively working within the community and local businesses, always willing to help my constituents with their various problems e.g. housing, social services, education, safety and environmental issues and anti social behaviour etc.

I am readily available to my constituents via the telephone, email and by the use of surgeries.

I am also happy to attend residents’ meetings and have done so on several occasions.

Constituency Work

• I have participated in the distribution of funds from the Ward Monies Scheme for Godley
• I have taken part in meetings with colleagues and officers in relation to ward and District Assembly issues
• I have met with local businesses and residents’ group representatives
• I have dealt with a variety of constituents’ problems during the year, liaising where necessary with our member of Parliament and his staff
• I have met with Residents, Police, Patrollers and officers regarding Anti Social Behaviour issues.

Achievements During the Year

• The Rutherford Art Gallery is now open
• Completion of Phase II of the Ken Wards Sport Centre is now complete and is now open.
• Hyde Leisure Pool has now been refurbished and is now open
• The £200M regeneration of Hattersley is well underway
• I have managed to secure over a million pound from the Council to refurbish the football pitches and provide new changing facilities on Walker Lane, Godley
• I along with my colleagues have setup the Hyde Business Forum to work in partnership with Businesses. The aim is to bring extra funds into the centre of Hyde, to improve the infrastructure and street furniture and to bring more businesses and jobs into the centre of Hyde
• I along with my colleagues have managed to secure million pounds of investment into Hyde over the next 3 years which includes:
  • A new Hyde Technology School £25.3 million
  • Hyde Town Centre Improvements £1.2M
  • A Dale Grove Key Stage 2 School (constructed on the High Technology Site) £3.5 million
  • Godley Hill Development and access road £1.1 million
  • Refurbished Hyde Park Tennis Courts and Games area
  • New pedestrian facilities on the junction of Mottram Road and Halton Street

Members’ Advice Surgeries

I hold regular surgeries on the first and third Saturday’s in the month at Hyde Town Hall and every third Saturday a surgery is also held at Hattersley Community Centre.

Training and Development Activities Undertaken

I have received training in my capacity as a Councillor and as Chair of Council Business. 

I will continue to attend training and seminars in my capacity as Councillor, as I believe this to be an important part of my role, which benefits both myself as a Councillor and Tameside Council.

Wherever possible I will promote good practice in Tameside and implement policies efficiently and effectively in the interest of all concerned.