Some weeks are more busy than others, and this one certainly has kept me well occupied!

On Monday I took the afternoon off work to attend a training session at the council house entitled ‘People Not Politics’, but rather than an officer plot to get us to ditch our parties, it was a three and a half hour course/discussion on community engagement. I probably didn’t learn anything new, but it was a healthy reminder about how we councillors need to be listening to, engaging with and working for the communities we are elected to serve. Quite right too!

On Tuesday I took the morning off work to attend a meeting of the Combined Authority Scrutiny Panel. I had thought it would be a short meeting, but a papers received by the clerk of the meeting just minutes before it was due to start – from Andy Street no less – caused a great deal of extra discussion, particularly about how we could approve something based on details we hadn’t been given time to read! There was also some head-scratching around why Andy thought it necessary to ask for £1 million to be set aside for public transport re-branding, but not for something many of us care about – Ring n Ride. I can tell you as someone who spends time with those who use it that this is a much-beloved service, and its protection should be a priority.

Last night I attended the first meeting of the West Locality Strategic Partnership Board. Though the two Tory councillors from the Willenhall area did not turn up, and one of the UKIP councillors who did attend was sceptical throughout, the meeting was largely a success, with officers patiently explaining how the new localities model was going to work for people in Willenhall and Darlaston. Only time will tell, but I am really optimistic that this new approach to government in Walsall will actually lead to much needed improvements.

Tonight I am leaving work a little early to attend a presentation on ‘Selective Licensing’. As always, I shall keep an open mind.

Dan

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