Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Councillor’s Report for August/September St. Mellons Community Linx
Councillor’s Report for Linx
This article is not the place for Party politics but I’m sure the Editor will allow me to thank the 2,500 people who took the trouble to vote in the Council elections in June and to thank especially those who voted for me. Sadly three-quarters of the 10,000 + eligible voters in the Ward did not bother to exercise their democratic right to vote.
Since the election it has been very much a case of business as usual. As I write (mid July) I am pleased to see the new children’s play area at Caerleon Park being constructed, especially as I had promised this before the election. In addition I received notice that my bid for funding for a perimeter fence around the ABC Park (adjacent to Brookfield Drive), to prevent incursions by motor-vehicles has been successful. Work will begin on this barrier before March 31st 2005. Again just after the election the Council acceded to my request for large boulders to be placed across the unlawful shortcut between Trefaser Crescent in Trowbridge and Elmfield Close.
During the election campaign I was asked what a Councillor actually does. Referring to these articles and our own newsletter “The St. Mellons Rose”, questioners suggested that whilst progress in the improvement of St. Mellons was being made, the workload did not appear to be very great. The answer is of course that much of what we do is not included in the newsletters.
For instance, it would be inappropriate in a public newsletter to detail the work Councillors carry out on behalf of individuals or groups of residents. But this work, nevertheless, consumes a considerable amount of time. We play a role in the local community as well: liaising with voluntary and statutory agencies (such as the Police and Housing Associations) that affect the lives of local people; we assist community groups and serve as school governors. We also have duties to the Council, including serving on its Committees. Work within our political party is also vital as political parties largely determine the Council’s priorities and contribute to the development of its policies.
During the five years, since the 1999 Council elections my colleagues and I developed and have largely begun to progress, various strategies for improving St. Mellons (and Trowbridge of course). The next four years will hopefully see the implementation of the outstanding elements of these strategies. We are, therefore, able to turn our attention to issues that we were unable, due to lack of time, to progress at an earlier stage. Many of these only have significance for a few residents or streets in St. Mellons but they will require considerable effort and will not be easily resolved.
In all our work we will be in the hands of you, the residents on behalf of whom we are working. Clearly we will not be able to please everyone but we, nevertheless, welcome your views and hope to be able to work with you over the next four years.
Councillor Ralph Cook
This article is not the place for Party politics but I’m sure the Editor will allow me to thank the 2,500 people who took the trouble to vote in the Council elections in June and to thank especially those who voted for me. Sadly three-quarters of the 10,000 + eligible voters in the Ward did not bother to exercise their democratic right to vote.
Since the election it has been very much a case of business as usual. As I write (mid July) I am pleased to see the new children’s play area at Caerleon Park being constructed, especially as I had promised this before the election. In addition I received notice that my bid for funding for a perimeter fence around the ABC Park (adjacent to Brookfield Drive), to prevent incursions by motor-vehicles has been successful. Work will begin on this barrier before March 31st 2005. Again just after the election the Council acceded to my request for large boulders to be placed across the unlawful shortcut between Trefaser Crescent in Trowbridge and Elmfield Close.
During the election campaign I was asked what a Councillor actually does. Referring to these articles and our own newsletter “The St. Mellons Rose”, questioners suggested that whilst progress in the improvement of St. Mellons was being made, the workload did not appear to be very great. The answer is of course that much of what we do is not included in the newsletters.
For instance, it would be inappropriate in a public newsletter to detail the work Councillors carry out on behalf of individuals or groups of residents. But this work, nevertheless, consumes a considerable amount of time. We play a role in the local community as well: liaising with voluntary and statutory agencies (such as the Police and Housing Associations) that affect the lives of local people; we assist community groups and serve as school governors. We also have duties to the Council, including serving on its Committees. Work within our political party is also vital as political parties largely determine the Council’s priorities and contribute to the development of its policies.
During the five years, since the 1999 Council elections my colleagues and I developed and have largely begun to progress, various strategies for improving St. Mellons (and Trowbridge of course). The next four years will hopefully see the implementation of the outstanding elements of these strategies. We are, therefore, able to turn our attention to issues that we were unable, due to lack of time, to progress at an earlier stage. Many of these only have significance for a few residents or streets in St. Mellons but they will require considerable effort and will not be easily resolved.
In all our work we will be in the hands of you, the residents on behalf of whom we are working. Clearly we will not be able to please everyone but we, nevertheless, welcome your views and hope to be able to work with you over the next four years.
Councillor Ralph Cook
