It's been a busy time since I took over as leader of the Ipswich Conservative group and we have worked hard both in the community in all the wards, as well as holding the Labour administration to account.
Not that some members of the labour group seem to understand that part of my job is to hold them to account including calling in some of their decisions for overview and scrutiny to look at in more detail. I have also asked some pertinent questions at executive and for the most part have been happy to agree. When I do not, it is from a totally authentic and genuine place and it will remain that way.
The latest call in regarding the buying of the old arts building in Argyle street and leasing it to the Bangladeshi support centre, proves this point.
This had nothing to do with the group, who I happen to think do a sterling job - as I said at the O and S call in, this could've been the Salvation Army, WI, of any other group and I still would've called it in. I held the communities portfolio for many years and always believed we should treat all groups fairly and prioritise grants based on the value and benefit to Ipswich residents. A competitive process should have taken place and I still believe this on this particular opportunity.
You can see the whole meeting, if you so wish here from Ipswich Spy site.
The outcome was always going to be rejection as, apart from the chair (who didn't vote), there is only one conservative councillor on the whole committee. We knew that this would not be heard in full council but I did hope that the whole process would be scrutinised in the future and even some of the labour councillors welcomed that and agreed that it should be. Job done.
On another note, the SW area committee had it's regular meeting last night where Councillor Gardiner stepped down as chair. I asked for my thanks to be recorded, as he has been an excellent chair, always fair to me, the only conservative from 12 in the whole of SW and worked hard behind the scenes. Councillor Chisholm has a hard act to follow but he will get my full support.
There were a couple of awkward moments in his chairmanship last night but as a newby, he did alright and will soon get to grips with help from Councillor Gardiner. We agreed some monies for local charities and residents, which will make a difference. And that's what its all about. However I will have a moan about how Suffolk issues keep being brought to the meeting in a political ad hoc way, but I do not think the residents are fooled by it being anything else. I will let SCC stick up for itself with regard to any of the consultations they are carrying out. I have plenty to do!
The Tory group remain united, focused and hard working on the doorstep. Ben Gummer has been out most weekends with us and we are delivering, chatting, surveying and generally listening to residents.
Ben continues to host house meetings, public meetings and Ben in the Pub nights. He is a fantastic MP and I am only too happy to be by his side and walking down the street. In fact Pride is the word that comes to mind.
There are a few contentious issues coming up including the planning of building nearly a hundred council houses on the Ravenswood estate. Ben is holding a meeting about this, at the weekend where residents will be able to ask some questions. This is not my ward but I am keeping a close eye. Soon the Northern Fringe will come to planning and our group is united on this front - the masterplan is incomplete and below standard. Much more needs to be done.
There's also much to look forward to - Parade of the reservists on Sunday, and procession at the Cornhill Monday evening, Maritime weekend and the start of the new football season (hooray!).
My new season ticket has arrived safely into my hands and I am looking forward to a winning year. I will remain an optimist as I know Premiership is not going to be too many years away, hopefully 2015 along with a resounding win at the General Election.
I like numbers ending in 5........
Showing posts with label ipswich spy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ipswich spy. Show all posts
Wednesday, 30 July 2014
Sunday, 5 January 2014
Happy New year!
This is my first post for 2014 and since a month ago.
Christmas has come and gone so quickly and during that time I have reflected on my political year as well as my forthcoming re-election.
But first of all let me start by saying to all my readers and residents in Stoke Park and Ipswich - Happy New Year and may 2014 be the beginning of some better times.
There is much to do in this lovely town of ours and I feel that we are being let down by the Labour administration.
So much of what has been achieved has been delivered by Ben Gummer or instigated by the previous Conservative/Libdem administration but you wouldn't think so by the amount of credit councillor David Ellesmere takes. In fact Ipswich Spy wrote about it here
It might seem like a compliment from the headline but actually the writers notion of a good politician is one that describes a person that manages to get all the right publicity and doesn't let the truth get in the way of a good story. I'd say Spy is right in this context but I am rather hoping that Ipswich residents are a bit more savvy than that.
Where I do disagree with Spy is on the point about Ben communicating in only a few wards. I have been delivering Ben's latest communication in Stoke Park which summarises all the good work he has done. As I have been ill for the last 2 weeks, I was'nt able to complete it by the year end, but I will continue to do the rounds.
My definition of a good politician is not the same as Spy's. Being less political and rather more proactive in doing what's right for my residents, I believe a good councillor does the following:
Responds promptly to e-mails, phone calls and letters from residents regarding issues they have.
Finds the right person to deal with it immediately and monitors the action, keeping the resident updated where necessary
Communicates in a newsletter what has been going on by positive actions
By attending as many community events as is possible where a councillor adds value or the event adds value to the councillor (as I am invited to so many this is the criteria I use to decide whether to go. I don't pay lip service or attend somewhere just for a photo opportunity).
By balancing council meetings and committee meetings with the work on the ground and with business/work that actually pays the mortgage!
Be accessible and approachable via several means including social media.
Liaises with the councils partners so that the best organisations are used to resolve problems in the town.
Help to formulate policies and creative ideas
By being honest, open and upfront, staying true to themselves even when it can actually lose them votes.
And I have tried my best to do all the above in the last 8 years, succeeding most of the time but sometimes falling short due to other demands. Being a councillor has been an honour and I never forget that.
I intend to stand for another 4 years in May and I accept that the national tide will have a big say in whether I win or not - however that will not be any excuse. A good councillor is hard to come by and I hope that the residents in Stoke Park will pick a hard and proactive worker, irrespective of whether they agree with David Cameron or Ed Milliband.
So Councillor Ellesmere is welcome to Spy's definition of politician of the year. When you read it you will see why I would rather have Honest, Hardworking & Efficient councillor of the year who is sometimes known not to do as she is told if she thinks it's right for the people of Ipswich. A bit of a maverick but someone who listens and gets things done.
If you want to help me or Ben Gummer MP, either delivering, knocking on doors or just to be kept informed of events, then let me know and I'll take you up on that!
If you want to know more about my beliefs, work, actions then follow me on twitter @stokeparkcllr and look out for my regular Nadia's News as well as the usual forms of communication..
I look forward to seeing some of you on the doorstep!
Here's to an exciting 2014!
Christmas has come and gone so quickly and during that time I have reflected on my political year as well as my forthcoming re-election.
But first of all let me start by saying to all my readers and residents in Stoke Park and Ipswich - Happy New Year and may 2014 be the beginning of some better times.
There is much to do in this lovely town of ours and I feel that we are being let down by the Labour administration.
So much of what has been achieved has been delivered by Ben Gummer or instigated by the previous Conservative/Libdem administration but you wouldn't think so by the amount of credit councillor David Ellesmere takes. In fact Ipswich Spy wrote about it here
It might seem like a compliment from the headline but actually the writers notion of a good politician is one that describes a person that manages to get all the right publicity and doesn't let the truth get in the way of a good story. I'd say Spy is right in this context but I am rather hoping that Ipswich residents are a bit more savvy than that.
Where I do disagree with Spy is on the point about Ben communicating in only a few wards. I have been delivering Ben's latest communication in Stoke Park which summarises all the good work he has done. As I have been ill for the last 2 weeks, I was'nt able to complete it by the year end, but I will continue to do the rounds.
My definition of a good politician is not the same as Spy's. Being less political and rather more proactive in doing what's right for my residents, I believe a good councillor does the following:
Responds promptly to e-mails, phone calls and letters from residents regarding issues they have.
Finds the right person to deal with it immediately and monitors the action, keeping the resident updated where necessary
Communicates in a newsletter what has been going on by positive actions
By attending as many community events as is possible where a councillor adds value or the event adds value to the councillor (as I am invited to so many this is the criteria I use to decide whether to go. I don't pay lip service or attend somewhere just for a photo opportunity).
By balancing council meetings and committee meetings with the work on the ground and with business/work that actually pays the mortgage!
Be accessible and approachable via several means including social media.
Liaises with the councils partners so that the best organisations are used to resolve problems in the town.
Help to formulate policies and creative ideas
By being honest, open and upfront, staying true to themselves even when it can actually lose them votes.
And I have tried my best to do all the above in the last 8 years, succeeding most of the time but sometimes falling short due to other demands. Being a councillor has been an honour and I never forget that.
I intend to stand for another 4 years in May and I accept that the national tide will have a big say in whether I win or not - however that will not be any excuse. A good councillor is hard to come by and I hope that the residents in Stoke Park will pick a hard and proactive worker, irrespective of whether they agree with David Cameron or Ed Milliband.
So Councillor Ellesmere is welcome to Spy's definition of politician of the year. When you read it you will see why I would rather have Honest, Hardworking & Efficient councillor of the year who is sometimes known not to do as she is told if she thinks it's right for the people of Ipswich. A bit of a maverick but someone who listens and gets things done.
If you want to help me or Ben Gummer MP, either delivering, knocking on doors or just to be kept informed of events, then let me know and I'll take you up on that!
If you want to know more about my beliefs, work, actions then follow me on twitter @stokeparkcllr and look out for my regular Nadia's News as well as the usual forms of communication..
I look forward to seeing some of you on the doorstep!
Here's to an exciting 2014!
Thursday, 27 June 2013
On the Buses - (Yes our own comedy version)
Last night we had our full council meeting at the Town hall in Ipswich where I invited residents to hear questions from me about Ipswich Buses and subsidy for route 16.
Following the petition I instigated in my ward, Ipswich Buses went from taking out the service altogether, to a reduced service starting at the end of July.
Despite the confirmation of Councillor Smart and Ellesmere, at executive Tuesday, that the route would be fully subsidised and that the service would run 'as it does now', this is not true at this moment.
From trying to clarify that the service would have exactly the same timetable as it does now, I have ascertained and they have confirmed that there are options on the table and that Councillor Smart feels there will be a 'positive outcome'.
My husband asked a couple of questions in order to extract an apology from the leader of the council for misleading the residents about the Conservative position. Of course he never expected one because Ellesmere would prefer to joke around and poke fun at people rather than be serious about the fact that the Labour group had put out nasty literature.
What they need to know is that their letter bombed with the residents - they hated the political spite and many of them sent me a copy in the post with their comments of how disgusting it was. But this is their style and they were never going to admit that the petition prompted Ipswich Buses to change their mind or that they have absolutely no idea what we did or didn't know about route 16. Councillor Smart certainly had some 'smart' comments ready (they do receive the questions beforehand) including one about me still being a councillor next year after I asked to be kept fully informed. At least he confirmed something - that the situation with bus 16 will not need looking at again for nearly a year (strange how the solution at executive was for only the next 6 months though).
So we wait to see the final 'option' that is decided and I will be keeping a close eye and ear so that my residents can be informed professionally and in a proper manner.
I think the labour group must take masterclasses on how to behave in council. It probably goes something like this:'Think of a time when you were back at school - see what you saw then, hear what you heard then and think about the times you so enjoyed making a lot of noise, like blowing raspberries or hectoring the teacher. Perhaps you enjoyed walking around in a pack making these noises. Yes that's right, remember how you felt.Now apply all that to the full council meeting.'
As a resident said to my husband about the labour group as she left the full council meeting - it went something like this:-
That's my first and last time I attend one of these, they behave as if they are still in the school playground.
Anyway. the following is from Ipswich Spy who summarised it nicely.
Yes indeed. In fact the flavour of the whole meeting was obvious. the portfolio holders barely asked one single question we put to them and the mayor lost control of the meeting at one point.
Not one of IBC's finest full council meetings.
Following the petition I instigated in my ward, Ipswich Buses went from taking out the service altogether, to a reduced service starting at the end of July.
Despite the confirmation of Councillor Smart and Ellesmere, at executive Tuesday, that the route would be fully subsidised and that the service would run 'as it does now', this is not true at this moment.
From trying to clarify that the service would have exactly the same timetable as it does now, I have ascertained and they have confirmed that there are options on the table and that Councillor Smart feels there will be a 'positive outcome'.
My husband asked a couple of questions in order to extract an apology from the leader of the council for misleading the residents about the Conservative position. Of course he never expected one because Ellesmere would prefer to joke around and poke fun at people rather than be serious about the fact that the Labour group had put out nasty literature.
What they need to know is that their letter bombed with the residents - they hated the political spite and many of them sent me a copy in the post with their comments of how disgusting it was. But this is their style and they were never going to admit that the petition prompted Ipswich Buses to change their mind or that they have absolutely no idea what we did or didn't know about route 16. Councillor Smart certainly had some 'smart' comments ready (they do receive the questions beforehand) including one about me still being a councillor next year after I asked to be kept fully informed. At least he confirmed something - that the situation with bus 16 will not need looking at again for nearly a year (strange how the solution at executive was for only the next 6 months though).
So we wait to see the final 'option' that is decided and I will be keeping a close eye and ear so that my residents can be informed professionally and in a proper manner.
I think the labour group must take masterclasses on how to behave in council. It probably goes something like this:'Think of a time when you were back at school - see what you saw then, hear what you heard then and think about the times you so enjoyed making a lot of noise, like blowing raspberries or hectoring the teacher. Perhaps you enjoyed walking around in a pack making these noises. Yes that's right, remember how you felt.Now apply all that to the full council meeting.'
As a resident said to my husband about the labour group as she left the full council meeting - it went something like this:-
That's my first and last time I attend one of these, they behave as if they are still in the school playground.
Anyway. the following is from Ipswich Spy who summarised it nicely.
'Cllr Lockington was concerned that the new bus route 39, introduced to replace services 22 and 31, both deregistered by their commercial providers, didn’t give the same coverage for residents of St Margaret’s Ward, and Cllr Smart agreed, explaining that Ipswich Borough Council were hoping that Suffolk County Council would split the 39 service returning both the original routes – which IBC would be prepared to help support. And Cllr Smart also pledged to support service 14/14A at the current level of service.
But the real row broke out over the contentious route 16, where Tory councillor Nadia Cenci has been attacked by Labour councillors over a leaflet she distributed as part of a petition. Her husband used public question time to demand an apology and retraction from Cllr David Ellesmere, Labour leader of the council, over allegations made in a letter from Labour councillors to residents, but none was forthcoming.
As for Cllr Cenci herself, she tried in vain to tie Cllr Smart up in knots. At Tuesday night’s Executive committee meeting, Cllr Smart had told councillors that the “existing situation” on the routes 14/14A, 16 and 19 would be achievable for £30,000 which he obtained approval for. This position was summed up by Cllr David Ellesmere, who said “all the existing routes should be able to be kept.” So far, so good for residents.
Yet one line from Cllr Ellesmere caused confusion and led to last nights requests for clarification, which still didn’t shine a lot of light. Cllr Ellesmere implied that the service 16 would be maintained by a commercial service off peak, hourly, and supplemented by a peak time service supported by Ipswich Borough Council.
This follows what was expected, following a letter from Ipswich Buses managing director Malcolm Robson, sent to right wing blogger James Spencer.
Because of this confusion, Cllr Cenci attempted to get a firm declaration from Cllr Smart in the meeting, yet from the public gallery the situation appeared less clear after the questions than it had before. Cllr Smart told us that he would give as firm an assurance as he could, for legal reasons, that the service 16 would continue as it is now. But when asked to commit to the current half hourly service, he prevaricated.'
Yes indeed. In fact the flavour of the whole meeting was obvious. the portfolio holders barely asked one single question we put to them and the mayor lost control of the meeting at one point.
Not one of IBC's finest full council meetings.
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