Wyke, Gillingham Ward

Political Management Panel 24th November

The proposed parliamentary boundary changes were discussed.

Budget Workshop 30th November

This was a very interesting and important session with Helen Watson. As councillors representing our constituents it is imperative for us to have a grounded knowledge on the subject of how moneys are accrued and spent at the District Council level just as it is for Town Councillors to have an understanding of how the Precept is set.
Thankfully I remembered from one of our induction days, many, many, many months ago the difference between Revenue and Capital and what they mean in the world of the “Local Authority”.
I found the workshop truly fascinating, especially when we were put into the position within our small groups, of answering the important questions of how we would spend the money available and whether we would borrow or sell assets to cover any short fall, knowing the effects that our decisions would have upon the people of North Dorset.
There was a very serious side to the whole day, for though we do not know precisely how much money NDDC will have over the next term, through Government grants, New Homes Bonuses and Council Tax etc, we do know for certain that it will be less than we are working with now. New ways must therefore be found to provide the same services but with less money, thankfully this is a problem that NDDC has learnt to overcome in the past by forming Partnerships with neighbouring districts e.g. “The Waste Partnership”, enabling them to share running costs (Revenue that is; ha ha how smug am I?)

Media Skills Workshop 5th December

This was a workshop that I attended in my role as spokesperson at Cabinet to Cllr Audrey Burch. Who if you have been following these reports, you will know holds the portfolio for Communities and is the link from NDDC to The Three Rivers, our Community Partnership Executive in North Dorset.
It was a very enjoyable, though terrifying day which we seemed to spend being interviewed in front of a camera or analysing the recordings of ourselves being interviewed on camera. I learnt a great deal about dealing with the media.

Development Control Site Visit 6th December

There was only one site visit which was in Stalbridge.

Gypsy and Travellers (and Travelling Show people) Public Consultation 8th December

During the hours 10am – 1230pm a Public Consultation was held at Gillingham Town Hall, which was well attended by local people though 99% seemed to me to have come to ask questions relating to the site suggested at Plant World, Milton on Stour.
Not only was the morning well attended by local members of public but also by Senior Planning Officers from NDDC who were only too willing to answer the questions arising from such a contentious subject. At no point did they run to the hills, in fact I think that they showed themselves in a very good light

Policy Review Committee 14th December

Tomorrow I will be sacrificing my Christmas Lunch with the Citizens Advice Bureaux, (Yes I dare say I could cope with missing a meal) to attend a Policy Review Committee meeting at NDDC. This will be of particular interest to me as Chairman of Gillingham Job Club (www.gillinghamjobclub.co.uk) as one of the guests is a representative of “Job Centre Plus” who is coming to speak about the future of that organisation. I pray that it will always have a future, Job Centre Plus is essential to North Dorset, with unemployment drastically on the increase and 40% of Dorset working in the Public Sector, which is taking such a hard hit.
I found out from Hilary Ritchie an hour ago at a meeting discussing unemployment and NEETs (such a cute word for something so horrific) that North Dorset was the second from bottom (bottom being the lowest) in a list of unemployment in this region; sadly we are now seventh from bottom.
On a happier note, at the end of September, the last quarter figures, Gillingham’s unemployment figures had gone down, which is why towns in Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset have approached our Job Club to help them set up their own. “Thank you” to all of our hard working volunteers and a ….

VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL

All agendas and minutes can be found on the www.dorsetforyou.com website