My New Duties

September 2010

During my first year as a District Councillor, my work included carrying out my duties on the Policy Development Panel .  My outside body duties, as a District Councillor, were for the Blind Society and also the Air Cadet Squadron in Spalding. I would like to say a hearty thank you to the committee members of both the Air Cadets and the Blind Society in making me feel so welcome.  I would also like to compliment members on the success of these organisations which is, in the main, due to the hard work that’s carried out by such dedicated members.

To give District Councillors a broader understanding of civic duties our roles are changed every two years.   This changeover means that District Councillors learn more civic duty skills and this, in turn, benefits you - the local council tax paying community.

I am now on an IT panel and the Development & Control Committee which deals with planning issues.  Because of my building background, I feel very at home on this Committee and I am looking forward to carrying out my new duties in the foreseeable future.   I am equally looking forward to the challenges of the IT panel.

Over the short time that I've been a District Council, I've had to learn very quickly that it’s possible to please some of the people some of the time but it’s not possible to please all of the people all of the time. 

Some of the constituency problems I’ve had to deal with during my first year have, I am pleased to say, had a successful outcome.   I’ve received emails and letters from satisfied constituents thanking me for the course of action I've taken but, unfortunately, I’ve also received correspondence from constituents who were unhappy with the course of action that’s been taken.  This is the only part of being a Councillor I find extremely difficult to deal with but there are two sides to every argument.    I always feel slightly sorry for the proposals I’ve voted against but I think this is called Democracy.”