Allan Siao Ming Witherick

Not a duty (well depends how you see it!), but a night off for dinner and a film, Ratatouille. Great fun.

This is the group which looks at issues as diverse as:

• How can we improve the service we provide to members of the public who might be deaf for example, or indeed our own employees?
• Are the force using Stop and search powers appropriately across all communities?

We had a series of short confidential meetings afterwards where one of the key things was looking how we could help move issues and concerns forward.

We have these every so often with a range of both senior and key officers where we look at where the Police should be going in future. I found it incredibly informative, and can only hope to see some of the ideas successfully implemented.

This is the group which brings together local parties and council groups to help hold the County Councillors to account and make sure that we’re doing what is needed. It’s a useful touchstone and helps supplement our direct work with the communities we represent.

After a brisk walk putting out newspapers in some of the areas with flats (so you have to go early in the morning for tradesmans button- councillors get no rest) off to County for an indepth look at Health.
Or, to be more exact, the Health consultation. This is because the committee can only refer back issues to the Secretary of State where we believe the consultation hasn’t been done properly.
Sadly this meeting brought to light the truth of how much local Labour activists had lied to residents. Hatfield Hospital was never going to happen. The numbers never stacked up and this is why it wasn’t part of the consultation.
We were left hands virtually tied because to refer the consultation back now would just drag things out and waste more money, the joys of being neutered by Labour Legislation. To add insult to injury some of the District Councils present could not vote because of the rules put down by the Tory County Council.

This was an usual meeting if only because for once I was not substituting for one of my colleagues- we have three spaces for five county councillors so if one can’t attend for illness or whatever I often get summoned. As it was four of us out of five were there.
Key concerns for my residents which I raised, or were there to keep an eye on:

• Why reports on Double Yellow lines in Boundary Road area weren’t presented- These were still being prepared.
• For a report back on why Hert Highways had advised that there were no objections to a cross over in the middle of a lay by, yet when the St Albans District Council refused and the person went to appeal, the Planning Inspector ruled in favour of the District Council and in direct conflict with the Herts Highways advice.
• To help ensure that area such as Henderson Close, Cavan Drive, Batchwood Gardens, Sparrowswick Ride and others like Margaret Wix school were agreed, despite at least one Conservative voting against them.

But perhaps the most positive thing was talking to a resident who had helped to organise and present a petition. Too often people talk about action but we forget how few people actually take action and so speaking to her to thank her and encourage her was a joy for me as well.

Sadly not Men in Black- there is a reassuring number of females around the table. The Board pulls together senior officers to discuss, implement and monitor Constabulary IT projects. Because of this pretty much the entire meeting is “Part 2″ (Confidential)- other than the list of who is invited to attend!
So whilst not Men In Black it’s still shrouded in mystery…

Anyone else notice the irony of “I’m a Councillor, get me out of here.” When the aim is to stay in?…

From the next two weeks (or until I’m evicted!) I’m in “I’m a Councillor, get me out of here.” for Hertfordshire. The project organised by “The Big Vote” is designed to bring young people and councillors together (via the internet-www.bigvote.org.uk) to discuss the issues that affect them and their communities and to challenge councillors about what they do or for that matter how they do it!

Young people from local high schools ask questions of local councillors and we have to answer them in a satisfactory way or when its time to vote we may get kicked out. One of the aims is to raise awareness about politics and local government and the issues we face.

This is all part of the wider Local Democracy Week initiative.