Councillor Margaret E Downs

Participation at Council Meetings and Panels

Technical, Economic and Environment Scrutiny Panel - I have attended as many meetings as possible. I have been pleased to be part of such a far-reaching panel. We have been looking into energy use in all the council owned buildings for quite sometime now and review the system periodically. Last year I referred to a recycling plant that mixes garden and food waste together. Since then I have been privilege to be invited to one closer to home, this plant is at Bredbury tip and recycling plant. What a huge and exciting place it is, many people reading this will probably take their rubbish already not knowing the marvellous recycling and other innovative schemes that are taking place working towards saving the planet.

Road safety outside schools is still an issue, parents continue to be the major players in endangering their children. Again this area is continually monitored and will be reviewed as to whether our recommendations are working.

The biggest piece of work is the condition of the roads generally - no one would argue that they are in bad shape but there are problems of resources to put all these right. Since the bad weather in December, with snow and freezing conditions for such a long period, the roads are breaking up and potholes have developed in many places. Would we had a magic wand to get them done in one fell swoop. Unfortunately we don't so we have to do our best and prioritise the worst roads. There is no easy answer.

I have been working and training with Childrens Services since I came onto the Council in 1992 and have been pleased to continue with this. I am a member of the Fostering Panel which I enjoy. I am also a member of the Children's Panel of which I attend as many meetings as I can. I also visit Children's Resource Units, but not as often as I would like. We visit in pairs and sometimes it is difficult to arrange dates that suit.

Full Council- I have attended all but one meeting.

Participation at District Assemblies

Denton and Audenshaw District Assembly - I have attended all all but one of these meetings and have been elected to serve as the Chair. I feel a lot closer to the community in this role and enjoy working with the Denton and Audenshaw members and officers. Haughton Green playing fields continues to be a success story, people of all ages now using the facilities there. We hope to bid for further funding for adult workout machines similar to those you get in a gym. To see what
they are like go to Granada Park and try one or two out there, let me know what you think. Remember none of this funding comes out of Council monies, dedicated volunteers make these things happen, ie from Friends of the Playing Fields and The Haughton Green Community Forum. The playing fields attained a Green Pennant for the fourth year running and also won a Green Flag in 2010. Let us hope we can do this again though we will all have to pitch in to make it happen.

Our young artists are still submitting their paintings through their schools and are displayed for a year on the walls in Denton Town Hall. We do invite people to come and look at these if they are in the area. I must say it is very difficult to judge them as every picture we see should be displayed - we are fortunate to have such talent in our midst.

What is most pleasing is the involvement of the Housing Associations encouraging their tenants to take part in the garden competition and the Tameside in Bloom. When walking round estates just look at some of the gardens, they look fantastic. Some Associations have their own beds on open areas and it makes such a difference. Shrubs and flowers, scents and colour do make a huge difference to how people feel. I know when the spring arrives with colourful shrubs, daffodils, snowdrops and bluebells my sad time is over for the rest of the year. I almost forgot our super Gardeners who make our parks look so wonderful, not to mention the hanging baskets and flower tubs.

Participation on Outside Bodies and Partnerships

• New Charter Homes Ltd
• Haughton Green Community Forum (Chair)
• DAM (Denton and Area Minibus Project)
• Tameside Ring and Ride (Chair)
• Denton and Audenshaw Carnival Committee (Deputy Chair and Parade Organiser)
• Tameside Third Sector Coalition. (Director)
• Denton Town Twinning Association (President)
• Haughton Green Centre (Chair)
• Friends of Haughton Green Playing Fields
• Police and Community Together (PACT)
• Denton South Partnership (Deputy Chair)
• Tameside Community Chest (Panel)

Participation on School Governing Bodies

• Corrie Primary and Nursery School (I have now retired from school governors but support all schools whenever I can.)

Constituency Work

The Denton South Partnership is still having a big impact in the ward as a whole. Working with all the agencies ie Primary Care Trust, Regeneration Team, TMBC, Police, New Charter Housing, Irwell Valley Housing, Regenda Housing, District Assembly Environment Team, my own councillor colleagues, Sure Start and Children's Services, local churches and especially local residents. All these organisations and individual people working together are making the difference. I must congratulate all of them for their vision for the future, it really is coming together.

Some of the complaints I receive are ever ongoing, ie holes in the road, cracked and broken pavements, dog fouling; we are getting more prosecutions of anti-social dog owners. Homelessness, expanding families needing bigger houses, Council Tax problems, debts, drugs, alcohol problems, rubbish (and we have plenty of it in and around the ward but remember the council doesn't drop the litter). I also get asked about funding issues for voluntary organisations, and enquiries about constitutions. As I have said in the last two-year's annual report nothing can be done in isolation. I work with the people and their concerns which in turn leads me to working with officers, if its the police or council. Parking problems are still ongoing in the ward, so many families have more than one vehicle. When estates were built in the past I do not think multi car ownership would have been thought possible. Because of this, together with traffic restrictions, it is a nightmare. The other problems relating to Denton South and cars is the fact that people are parking on grass verges which can lead to the area looking run down. I cannot understand why people keep on doing this. If you are one of the perpetrators beware because I will be taking car numbers and reporting to the powers that be. All your neighbours and people who have never met you have to pay to reinstate the verges - now I feel if you don't care well I do - I get the complaints from upset people and on their behalf I aim to put it right. Everyone has been asked nicely in the past not to do it so if you persist you will pay to put it right!

I will also repeat what I said in last year's report "please do not be worried about contacting me on my home telephone number 0161 3369354". I was elected to serve Denton South constituents to the best of my ability, I hope you feel I do. The quality of life and the environment are extremely important to me as they are to you. Denton South is a really nice place to live and bring up a family.

I have attended meetings with the police, local residents, and social meetings. I am often asked to sign passports, and other documents such as bids for funding or acting as reference for voluntary organisations. I will always be happy to help, but if I can't I probably will know someone who can.

Achievements During the Year

As the Chair of Denton and Audenshaw District Assembly, I will continue to improve relationships with the constituents, council officers, police, the community support officers and the Tameside patrollers. They need our support as we need theirs; we have some fine officers doing a great job in difficult circumstances. The PACT meetings have been well attended. It is regrettable that they have discontinued. However, you are our eyes and ears. If you don't tell us about a problem then we assume everything is ok. In many ways we are only as good as you allow us to be. As a councillor I have a responsibility to ensure your interests are looked after, I will continue to do this always.

The Haughton Green Community Forum is flourishing .. Because of the nature of the make-up of the forum we have sub groups to concentrate on different projects. We would always encourage anyone who has an idea to come and share it, you never know 'you may make the difference' for a lot of people. It is important to support all voluntary groups especially now we are going through a tough time, funding will be at a premium. We are happy if we can share any equipment we own to help support the events of any voluntary group within Denton South.

The Forum has been successful in getting the new "You Choose" funding from the money that comes from recycling - we have been awarded £4000 to encourage very young children to grow some of their own food (usually a fast grower), the children being up to 5 years old. Also some sport and play equipment including a small painted area to learn their road drill. This is for the play compound which the Forum leases from Irwell Valley.

The Haughton Green Centre is going from strength to strength with a large amount of people coming through the doors. There is a unique partnership working from here for our community offering many services from podiatry to baby clinics and bingo to tai chi, smoking cessation classes, armchair exercises plus walking clubs, Citizens Advice Bureau, Credit Union, and Time Bank to name a few. Please feel free to call at the" centre to find our just what is going on or call me, don't be shy you will feel right at home.

The former Transport Group sub group is now an organisation with its own constitution. We hope that members of voluntary groups will contact this group and register their membership. This group is now picking up as it is getting wider known and has been fortunate to be able to train people to drive the bus in the MIDAS fashion.

As the Deputy Chair of the Denton and Audenshaw Carnival Committee and also parade organiser - I was so pleased to see the Carnival a great success again last year, thanks to everyone who came to watch. This year it will be on 11 September and bookings are well underway. If you want to take part or know anymore details my telephone number is at the bottom of the Annual Report.

The Denton Town Twinning is going from strength to strength with many activities with students from Montigny coming here and our students going over to France etc, not to mention football teams these have met with great delight between the families.

On 18 June in Victoria Park there will be 80 Honda bikers from France, Germany and of course Denton, Manchester. This will be quite an occasion and if you like bikes come and have a look round you will be welcome.

Members Advice Surgeries

I have surgeries at Haughton Green Library on Saturday mornings, the Young People's Centre Monday evenings and the Yewtree Community Centre the last Saturday morning in the month. These surgeries are held in rotation with my colleagues and are advertised in the local newspapers.

I do hope however that if anyone person or group needs to talk to me, or myself and colleagues together, they will contact us. We are always ready to talk with you.

If you are housebound and want me to come and see you please ring me. I am more than happy to come and have a chat and a cup of tea, if one is on offer of course.

Training and Development

I have attended as many training sessions as I possibly could.

Any other comments

As I have mentioned previously there is still much to do. A number of people telephone to say their bins have not been collected. Some of these complaints can be rectified; however I have been walking round the ward recently and have noticed that many black bins are overflowing - these will not be emptied by the council. It is obvious that no attempt has been made to recycle because of what is showing on the top of the bin. It is only a question of time before we follow other areas and have chips put on the bins and weighed, you will then be charged accordingly. This is not just to save the planet, which is important enough, but because there is a shortage of infill sites, the costs are going up. This may sound rather sharp but if we don't get this sorted Council Tax will rise. It's your choice it is up to you.

The good thing that has arisen from recycling is the 'You Choose' Community Funding. The money raised from your glass, paper, garden waste and food waste goes into a pot which is divided up into District Assembly Areas. Voluntary groups etc can put a bid in for up to £4000 for a particular project. Look on Tameside website to find out more.

Don't forget if you want to know anything or just want to ask me to do something that is in my remit as a Councillor my number is 0161 336 9354.