|
Notes:
WYRE FOREST DISTRICT COUNCIL
ANNUAL REPORT OF ACTIVITIES 2007/08
COUNCILLOR Helen Dyke
WARD – AGGBOROUGH AND SPENNELLS
Activities during the Year
It has been a very busy year in the Aggborough and Spennells Ward.
I have attended all the Partnership & Communities Together (PACT) Meetings which take place every 3 months and work with residents and other panel members (including the police) to find solutions and remedies for the issues raised at these meetings.
I have also attended all TCC (Tenants Consultative Meetings) throughout the year.
Residents have become increasingly concerned about anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and vandalism around the area especially around the shops and Community Centre on Spennells and I have been working with a multi agency group to prevent this problem escalating and to prevent it where possible. I also liaise with the police on a regular basis to make them aware of residents concerns about the area.
Local people have seen the potential of improving the wooded area behind Worcester Road and turning it into a form of Nature Reserve. I have completed a survey of residents living nearby asking for their thoughts and comments on this project and have passed on the results to the group involved.
It has been a traumatic time for residents living near to the new Easter Park Development on Worcester Road. Although unable to prevent the development as local residents would have preferred I have worked hard to try and minimise the general effect of the development of them. I have liaised on a regular basis with Planning Enforcement and Environmental Health and I have also attended 2 meetings with the Developers, Site Management, Residents and Council Officers to try and plan the way forward to avoid inconvenience to people living nearby.
Last year McDonalds Drive-Thru applied to extend its opening hours until 2am at the weekend. When asked by residents I provided information to them about how they could object to this proposal, submitted an objection myself as Ward Councillor and was prepared to speak on behalf of residents at the Licensing Committee if required. The application was subsequently withdrawn.
When the College Site on Hoo Road was developed nearly 5 years ago it was agreed as part of the planning conditions that a sum of money would be dedicated to implement a form of Traffic Calming on Hoo Road. After a long period of inactivity from the County Council I had to regularly contact the Officers responsible and continually remind them that time was running out for the plans to be proposed and implemented. I eventually managed to get the County Council Officers to arrange a viewing of the proposed plans for the area at the Scout Hut at Hoo Road on November 27th last year. The residents were asked to comment and found the suggested scheme too restrictive for their area. I and the residents are still seeking a simple, effective scheme that is acceptable to residents before the 5 year time limit allowed for the spending of the money is up.
I am at the moment working with some residents who live in the houses at the end of Wilden Lane who are suffering noise problems from a local heavy engineering firm who have changed their machinery recently. We have had 2 meetings so far attended by residents, Council Officers and representatives from the Engineering works. Some progress has been made and with continued negotiations hopefully things will continue to improve.
I have continually campaigned for improved road surfaces and repairs within the Aggborough and Spennells Ward, contacting the County Council on a regular basis.
I continue to inform residents of what is happening in the area, provide information and contact details through monthly editions of the Liberal Democrat FOCUS.
Case work is very important and I deal with issues raised with me by residents on a regular basis.
Both myself and Cllr Peter Dyke have used our Community Grant for the refurbishment of the kitchen and toilet of the KD1 Scout Hut on Hoo Road.
Council Activities
Vice-Chair of Community and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee
Planning (Development Control Committee)
Single Site Project Board (Kidderminster HQ and Depot)
Local Development Framework Core Strategy
Assisted Task Groups convened throughout the year to scrutinise various important issues
Outside Bodies
Wyre Forest Community Housing/Vice Chair of Sheltered Housing within the Group
Charter Trustees of Kidderminster
Member of the Corporate Parenting Group representing Wyre Forest at County Hall
Membership of Other Organisation
Trustee of Kidderminster War Memorial Trust
Secretary of Aggborough and Spennells Community Action Group
Community Governor for Heronswood Primary School
Panel Member for the Youth Offending Team
Through my employment I am also a member of the Town Centre Partnership and Vice-Chair of Wyre Forest Community Safety Partnership
Achievements During the Year
Please refer to Activities which incorporate achievements this year.
Members Surgeries
I have tried surgeries within the Ward but find that residents prefer to contact me by phone, letter or e-mail. I visit people in their own homes to discuss issues if they want me to and find that all these different ways of communicating work well.
Training and Development
Course Description Course Date
Scrutiny 21/05/2007
Chairmanship 31/05/2007
Planning 05/06/2007
Housing / Licensing 14/06/2007
Code of Conduct 26/06/2007
Attendance Percentage for 2007/08
88%
|
