Participation at Council Meetings and Panels:

I have attended the following meetings, in a formal or quasi-formal activity:

• The Council meetings
• The Annual Council meeting
• The State of the Area meeting
• The Budget Council meeting
• Executive Cabinet meetings (Chair)
• Executive Board (Chair)
• Tameside Strategic Partnership (Chair)
• Hattersley Land Board meetings (Chair)
• Energy Panel (Chair)
• Overview (Audit) Panel
• Audit Commission meetings
• Briefing meetings with the First Cabinet Deputy and Chief Executive
• Progress meetings with Cabinet Deputies
• Progress meetings with Cabinet Secretaries
• Progress meetings with Project Heads of Heritage and Recreation
• Policy meetings with Heads of Service Units and Cabinet Deputies
• Liaison meetings with Tameside Senior Police Officers and relevant Officers of the Council
• Design and Progress of Capital Works meetings
• Budget preparation and regular Finance meetings
• Briefing meetings with Members of Parliament
• Strategy meetings re: Area Improvements
• District Assembly meetings - Longdendale/Hattersley

Participation at District Assemblies

• The Longdendale and Hattersley District Assembly

Participation on Outside Bodies and Partnerships

• North West Regional Assembly
• North West Regional Assembly Transport Forum
• Association of Greater Manchester Authorities - Executive & Council
• Special meetings re: the setting of the Greater Manchester Police Precept
• South Pennine Integrated Transport Strategy
• Manchester University Archaeological Unit re: Heritage of Tameside
• Business and Commerce Groups
• Local Government Assembly
• Conferences and Strategic Seminars
• Greater Manchester Pension Fund (Chair)
• Parliamentary Lighting Group - Westminster
• Discussions with Government Ministers - Westminster and Tameside
• Local Groups and Community organisations
• Attendance at openings of prestigious buildings, new build or major refurbishments
• Opening of a number of works of Street Art
• Standards Committee
• Public forum relating to the preparation of the Budget of Council

Training and Development

I have attended numerous training events throughout the year.

Achievements during the Year

The Council, under my leadership, continues a pace to improve and to maintain its lead position, finding itself in the top 10 UK Councils with regard to the CPA where we have a score of 4 stars, with a direction of travel “improving strongly”.

Further to a wide ranging parcel of capital and revenue growth items, the Council has again, due to its strong financial base, been able to promote a 3 year Council Tax strategy with a guarantee of holding the collective sum to under 9% growth.

A residents survey carried out in early 2008 has found that the community is satisfied with both the running of the Council (70%) and Tameside being a good area to live (85%), results which underpin the achievements of this year.

Regeneration of the borough continues – for example:-

• The refurbishment and rebuild of Hattersley township
• Near completion of St Petersfield’s Commercial Area, Ashton
• Ashton Moss Business Park
• Droylsden Marina
• The rebuild of Ashton Market Hall
• Hyde Library and the Rutherford Art Gallery
• The commencement of the work to enable BSF to proceed to a physical start
• A successful bid to the Lottery Fund for £5 millions to refurbish Stamford Park

The Public Inquiry for both the Ashton Northern Bypass and Longdendale Bypass commenced. The former is concluded, the latter has been put back to a September 2008 start.

Major discussions have been held via AGMA regarding City Region Governance and we are moving to a conclusion and hopefully a potential bid to government, likewise with the bid for improved public transport, we await government approval.

The whole range of projects from Art on the streets, In-Bloom, through to domestic waste recycling via a managed collection system are on track and have seen significant movement over the last year.

The year has been important in that it has prepared and moved the Council and area on to receive the next stages of our long term goals and programme which are commensurate with the communities’ priorities.

Ward Issues

Significant developments in Longdendale Ward have been achieved, not least with the preparation work required for the refurbishment of Hattersley.

Community groups, churches and sporting bodies have all benefited from the activities of the local District Assembly. Individual problems have been met and generally dealt with, in the main to a satisfactory conclusion.

Borough Wide

The whole borough continues to improve, both at physical and service level. This is in line with the Council’s objective programme of maintaining the area at the forefront of local government.