Participation at Council Meetings and Panels

Technical, Economic and Environment Scrutiny Panel – I have attended as many meetings as possible. This Panel also requires research and visits to other areas when scrutinising the various subjects. I have been pleased to be part of such a far-reaching Panel. During the past twelve months we have been looking into energy use in all the Council owned buildings. We are still working on innovative ways of re-cycling. We have looked into road safety outside schools and will review whether our recommendations are working from time to time. The biggest piece of work (in my opinion) 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. This work will be ongoing.

I have been working and training with Children’s 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 that I enjoy. I am also a member of the Children’s Panel. I attend as many as I can. I also visit Children’s Resource Units again 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 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. Victoria Park now has a multi use games area. The park is also a recipient of the Green Flag award the eighth year running. Ryecroft Hall looks well the flowerbeds and the surround of the Hall much admired they were fortunate to win the Green Flag award. Haughton Green playing fields are another success story, people of all ages using the facilities there now. The playing fields attained a Green Pennant for the second year. The gardening competition is a huge success also the young artists whose pictures are displayed for a year on the walls in Denton Town Hall. 

Participation on Outside Bodies and Partnerships

• New Charter Housing (South) Ltd.
• Haughton Green Community Forum (Chair)
• D.A.M. (Denton and Audenshaw Minibus Project (President)
• Tameside Ring and Ride (Chair)
• Denton and Audenshaw Carnival Committee (Parade Organiser)
• Tameside Third Sector Coalition
• Denton Town Twinning Association (President)
• Haughton Green Centre (Chair)
• Friends of Haughton Green Playing Fields
• Police and Community Together (PACT)
• Denton South Partnership (Chair)

Participation on School Governing Bodies

• Corrie Primary and Nursery School
• Two Trees Sports College

Constituency Work

The Denton South Partnership is 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, West Pennine Housing, District Assembly Environment Team. My own Councillor colleagues, Sure Start and Children’s Services, local churches and especially local residents. As Chair of the Partnership it has been my good fortune to work with all these people and organisations working together we are making the difference. I must congratulate all of them for their vision for the future it really is coming together. I have been working closely with residents groups on a large number of issues.

We had a wonderful surprise when the Home Secretary Jackie Smith MP called to see the Centre to see those people involved with the Partnership I felt so proud of everyone as they were able to demonstrate what true partnership was all about. Her comments were “I wouldn’t mind some of that enthusiasm and buzz the whole set up is truly amazing”

Some of the complaints I receive are ever ongoing- 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 said in 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, be they the police or council.

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 336 9354” 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 acting as reference for voluntary organisations.

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 new neighbourhood-policing scheme seems to be working well and the PACT meetings are well attended. 

The Haughton Green Community Forum is flourishing we have many new projects in the pipeline beneficial to voluntary organisations in the area. Because of the nature of the make-up of the forum we have sub groups to concentrate on different projects. There is the Transport group and we have encouraged Denton and Audenshaw Minibus (DAM) to come under our umbrella. Working together we have a good chance of upgrading the bus DAM already has and offer the support of a very strong committee. We also have an events group lead by the Deputy Chair. This group is arranging a fun day in June and lots of goodies have already been booked including an Ice Rink. The Forum is not a political platform and cannot ever be used as such.

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 to name a few. Please feel free to call at the centre to find out just what is going on or call me, don’t be shy you will feel right at home.

The Haughton Green playing fields now have a new modular building replacing the old Neighbourhood Centre. The new centre called the Green Park Centre will be having its official launch on Sunday 25 May. Many events will be happening on the field so come along and see for yourself. Bowling teams have been set up and training for young people is in place. The centre can be booked for various events. 

Members' Advice Surgeries

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

I do hope however that if a group of people need to talk to me/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.

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; because of the recycling objectives the council has for everybody where it is obvious that no attempt has been made to recycle the glass, the plastic and the paper and for some garden waste the black bins will not be emptied. It is up to you.

On off road motorbike etc. much needs doing. I understand how annoying this is not to mention darn right dangerous. I will of course keep pursuing this problem.