This week I have mostly been…
: Mislaying my Blackberry, meaning that I haven't been able
to pick up my emails as quickly as I could have and thus making it much harder
to write my weekly round up. Thankfully I have found it later in the week, but then promptly left it
at home on Friday! Sometimes I think I would forget my head if it weren't screwed on!
: Monday saw a good meeting with the Leader and Solent
Stevedores in the Docks, kindly arranged by Derek. We talked all things
Biomass, Sulphur, City Deal, Development Opportunities and discussed Dave
Shields’ suggestion of a Consultative Forum for the Docks. Meeting with Business can be incredible refreshing in terms of their attitude. On too many occasions in council business I seem to be getting no as an answer even before I've asked the question. |
| This is what my desk looks like at the Civic Centre. All cabinet members share an office; one of our changes from last May. |
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| A different world, beyond the Millbrook Road and Railway lines... Into the docks... |
: Getting things progressing in terms of a mobile application for Environment and Transport Services, whilst also giving officers a kick with regards to increasing the ease and ability of making purchases online through our own antiquated website. Whilst other councils move far ahead based on years of experience, yet again we find ourselves playing catch up; what did the last administration actually do? All of their work just appears so short-termist.
: Having some fraught conversations with Balfour Beatty over
a perceived reduction in standards. As such, the first area I will be shining
the new Strategic Performance Management torch will be in this area. Suffice to say that in terms of the recent local article in the "press", they didn't write up my whole response, but really should I be that surprised? My comments in red.
Millbrook Conservative candidate Steve Galton has been complaining about pot holes in the Prince of Wales Avenue and Tilbrook Road areas for more than 18 months. Strange - he must have been complaining since the very day he was chosen as a candidate; if not before...
I am very pleased that Steve has joined my campaign to improve the state of road repair in Millbrook. Readers will be pleased to know that I often challenged the previous Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport on claims that potholes had been eradicated across the city. From memory, I believe that one of my first questions at Full Council was on the issue of Potholes. Unfortunately at the time neither Councillor Fitzhenry nor Councillor Smith accepted my requests to visit the area.
The council has patched up some of them but more and more keep appearing and when they are filled in the contractors often leave stones and debris in the street which potentially damages cars.
The number of potholes which appear is unfortunate particularly given the weather we have been having recently. What I do urge is that local people report these to the council so that they can be repaired. What the Council needs to get better at is letting residents know that officers are aware of a problem and that something is to be repaired in the near future.
What is not acceptable is when private contractors, working on behalf of the council do not get things right first time. We need to evolve into a council which gets thing right first time and every time. Leaving work sites in a messy and dangerous condition is not acceptable as was the case in Regents Park Road and why I have campaigned on behalf of the local community to put right road problems.
I would urge anyone who sees a pothole in the road to contact Actionline to report it. It is only with the support of residents that we can continue to tackle this ongoing problem.
He says the area is a heavily used rat run and needs to be improved – he wants the road to be completely resurfaced to prevent the problem.
Councillors of all parties across the Council have been advised as to the major resurfacing which is taking part this year so that they can inform their residents on the doorstep and through leaflets.
In addition, we have committed £200,000 to invest on reducing the number of trips and slips for our older populations - this will be carried out in targeted areas based in what local people tell us and what hospital admissions show. This is the first time in which the Council has specifically put money aside to work on this important issue.
In the coming weeks I also hope to bring forward proposals for testing a 20mph pilot zone in an area of the city. Following an evaluation of this pilot, we may see further 20mph zones appear if it is a success.
I thank Mr Galton for raising this issue with the Daily Echo and thank him for the publicity which his story may attract. It is only by politicians of all sides acknowledging that funding for roads are vitally important that we can lobby Government for appropriate funding settlements and thus Standing Up for Southampton.
: Checking out whether I could refer Peter Baillie for his inappropriate comments on the short story competition. Suffice to say that the Echo did not use my press release. SHAME!
Millbrook Conservative candidate Steve Galton has been complaining about pot holes in the Prince of Wales Avenue and Tilbrook Road areas for more than 18 months. Strange - he must have been complaining since the very day he was chosen as a candidate; if not before...
I am very pleased that Steve has joined my campaign to improve the state of road repair in Millbrook. Readers will be pleased to know that I often challenged the previous Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport on claims that potholes had been eradicated across the city. From memory, I believe that one of my first questions at Full Council was on the issue of Potholes. Unfortunately at the time neither Councillor Fitzhenry nor Councillor Smith accepted my requests to visit the area.
The council has patched up some of them but more and more keep appearing and when they are filled in the contractors often leave stones and debris in the street which potentially damages cars.
The number of potholes which appear is unfortunate particularly given the weather we have been having recently. What I do urge is that local people report these to the council so that they can be repaired. What the Council needs to get better at is letting residents know that officers are aware of a problem and that something is to be repaired in the near future.
What is not acceptable is when private contractors, working on behalf of the council do not get things right first time. We need to evolve into a council which gets thing right first time and every time. Leaving work sites in a messy and dangerous condition is not acceptable as was the case in Regents Park Road and why I have campaigned on behalf of the local community to put right road problems.
I would urge anyone who sees a pothole in the road to contact Actionline to report it. It is only with the support of residents that we can continue to tackle this ongoing problem.
He says the area is a heavily used rat run and needs to be improved – he wants the road to be completely resurfaced to prevent the problem.
Councillors of all parties across the Council have been advised as to the major resurfacing which is taking part this year so that they can inform their residents on the doorstep and through leaflets.
In addition, we have committed £200,000 to invest on reducing the number of trips and slips for our older populations - this will be carried out in targeted areas based in what local people tell us and what hospital admissions show. This is the first time in which the Council has specifically put money aside to work on this important issue.
In the coming weeks I also hope to bring forward proposals for testing a 20mph pilot zone in an area of the city. Following an evaluation of this pilot, we may see further 20mph zones appear if it is a success.
I thank Mr Galton for raising this issue with the Daily Echo and thank him for the publicity which his story may attract. It is only by politicians of all sides acknowledging that funding for roads are vitally important that we can lobby Government for appropriate funding settlements and thus Standing Up for Southampton.
: Checking out whether I could refer Peter Baillie for his inappropriate comments on the short story competition. Suffice to say that the Echo did not use my press release. SHAME!
 |
| Time for a change of career? |
: Other items bubbling along include: H&S across the
portfolio; washing up the Millbrook bus incidents; Driving a bus in First Bus Depot; Roll out of glass
collections (October); Body cameras for Traffic Wardens; Evening Parking
Charges; Letting agents boards; Home composting; Residents permits; Recycling
reward scheme; Smart ticketing; Carlton Crescent conservation area; Flood risk
management funding; and further Pinch Point bids…(gather breath).
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