County Councillor Annual Report
This report summarises the activities of the following member of the County Council during
Name of Councillor: Deborah Taylor
Briefing Note
This form enables you demonstrate to your constituents what you have achieved during the year. The information provided will be published on the County Council’s website. The report will be tailored to the response. For example, briefing notes and any unused boxes will be removed.
1) Electoral Division activities
Briefing Note
Please specify any particular aspect of your work within your electoral division which you would like to draw attention to. This is an opportunity to set out your main activities, priorities, achievements, challenges etc .which you have been addressing in the past year.
Main Activities and the impact during the past year:
I have dealt with major highway changes in The Nook, Anstey. This affected many residents living in the area and also huge disruption for people travelling to and from school and work. I also managed to get agreement from LCC to landscape the top of the new roundabout rather than tarmac the surface. This was very much what the residents’ wanted as the previous roundabout contained greenery. The changes have helped the traffic to some degree but I am continuing to work with the developer and LCC to get the snagging list completed and push for further changes to help the traffic flows.
I highlighted to residents about the LCC online facility to report issues with grass cutting to enable residents to report problems themselves.
I issued fire safety information to residents’ following the Grenfell Tower fire.
I have worked hard following a developer’s refusal to look at the relocation of the main bus stop on Leicester Road, Anstey. The developers firstly agreed to look at the issue but then withdrew their offer. The relocation of the bus stop is important to residents to prevent the highway coming to a standstill due to 8 buses an hour stopping there. I have worked with Charnwood Borough Council, LCC, Anstey Parish Council and the developer to eventually secure £64,425 for the Parish Council to look into completing this project.
I have attended a joint Health Scrutiny Meeting with the City Council to hold NHSE to account over the proposed closure of the Children’s heart surgery at Glenfield hospital. I was delighted when the proposed decision was reversed and children’s heart surgery remained.
I have been dealing with 2 new housing developments within Anstey and the associated highway works, including construction traffic, temporary traffic lights and damage to the highways. This has included dealing effectively with many complaints from residents from surrounding villages as well as Anstey.
I have also dealt with highway issues due to road closures and disruptions by Severn Trent whilst they made improvements to their main water and sewer pipes. This affected a few villages within my division and also resulted in bus routes being altered and part of Cropston being left with no bus service at all. This resulted in my working with Severn Trent to provide and pay towards taxis for residents who were unable to get out to do any shopping or visit the doctors.
I am dealing with major traffic and parking issues in Newtown Linford due to the high volume of visitors to Bradgate Park. This is a real concern for residents. I have worked with LCC, Bradgate Park, Cllr Snartt, Newtown Linford Parish Council and a residents’ working party. This has resulted in some additional yellow lines and no loading restrictions within the village to stop dangerous parking on the road and paths. I am continuing to work with all parties to look at the village as a whole and see if further alterations can assist the residents with their traffic and parking issues.
Informing and encouraging residents to respond to consultations including the Early Years Review and the Passenger Transport Policy and Strategy.
I spent many months supporting Maplewell Hall Special School and families following the announcement to close the residential facilities at the school. I visited the school on two occasions to speak to the staff and headmaster to look at possible solutions. I also spoke on behalf of the school at the Children and Families OSG and at two Cabinet meetings to try and stop the closure. Unfortunately, the closure went ahead and is due to come into force in September 2018. I am expecting parents to need my further support later in the year when the closure takes effect.
Engagement with the Council, other statutory bodies and public utility companies (Water, Gas etc) about services in the area
I have had several enquiries regarding Broadband coverage within my area and I have dealt with these with LCC’s Broadband Team
I have had several dealings with Severn Trent regarding their major works through some of my villages. I have a good relationship with the project manager and I have been able to raise residents’ issues quickly and get them resolved smoothly. This has been very helpful in dealing with major works and disruption.
I have had contact with various departments at LCC for assistance with my case work.
I have dealt with various issues regarding Virgin telephone cabinets, drain covers, BT telephone cabinets and boxes etc and dealt with the relevant companies.
Priorities for the immediate future are:
Briefing Note This is an opportunity to recognise any issues which may be particularly relevant to the future well being of people within your electoral division.
- Parking and traffic issues in Newtown Linford
- Dealing with a planning application for up to 50 houses in Woodhouse Eaves
- Speeding traffic within many of my villages and the implementation of the speed camera trials on Forest Road, Woodhouse Eaves
- Rural Crime and the future of neighbourhood policing
- Supporting all the Parish Councils and Parish Meetings within my diversion
- Supporting Neighbourhood Watch Schemes within my villages
2) Council Activities
Briefing Note
Please specify any particular issues of note that you have been actively involved in connected with the following bodies.
Committees you serve on at County Hall
- Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee: Maplewell Hall Special School; closure of the residential facilities.
- Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee: Proposed closure of the children’s heart surgery at Glenfield hospital.
- County Council
- Fostering Panel: There were a few issues with the smooth running of the panels and I was able to resolve these.
- Children in Care Panel: Important to keep sight of the KPI’s, where LCC were not performing well and the action being taken to ensure our children in care are safe.
- Child Protection Panel: Important to keep sight of the KPI’s, where LCC were not performing well and the action being taken to ensure that all children were safe and action was taken when needed.
- DCRB Committee for 6 months: To maintain sight of planning issues within the County and ensure they not unsuitable while encouraging growth.
Local committees/Outside Bodies
- Bradgate Park and Swithland Woods Committee of Management
- Bradgate Quarries Liaison Committee
- Groby Quarry Liaison Committee
3) Learning and development:
Briefing Note
Please specify any learning and development activities which you have undertaken during the year.
- I attended the full training induction program when first elected
- Visit to First Response with Children and Family Services
- Strategic Growth Plan Briefing
- Resilience and Regulatory Services Briefing
- Corporate Parenting Briefing
- Scrutiny Training
- Visit to Warning Zone, Leicester
- Visit to Glenfield and Melton Project, Glenfield
- HS2 Briefing
- Equality and Human Rights Briefing x 2
- Health Care Briefing
- Maplewell Hall Special School visit x 2
- Passenger Transport Policy Briefing
- Data Protection training
- LLEP Briefing
- Charnwood Schooling
I attend as many briefing and training events as I can to keep up to date.
4) Other Matters:
Briefing Note
This gives an opportunity to include anything else which you think is relevant.
I write and publish a monthly report in ‘Your Local’ magazine that is delivered to all villages within my division: https://issuu.com/norwoodpress. I also add in a ‘tip of the month’ to highlight various topical issues and useful information for residents.
- I attend various coffee mornings within my division on a regular basis
- I attend village shows and events within my division on a regular basis
- I attend various church services and Remembrance services throughout the year
- I hold regular residents’ surgeries alongside my MP, also attending events with my MP
- I attend Parish Council and Parish Meetings within my division as often as I can and deliver a report of my activities relevant to their Parish
- I have attended three public meetings within my Division, Chairing one of them. They have been called by the Parish Councils following concerns raised by residents. They have covered issues on rural policing and crime rates, large rise in burglaries and parking and traffic issues
- I have attended events at LCC including the Flag raising ceremony for the Armed Forces, Communities Summit, Fostering Events
- I have attend many events at Leicester Cathedral including the Passchendaele Service
Social Media
Twitter: @CllrDTaylor
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CllrDTaylor
Signed by Councillor: D.Taylor
Date: 25/05/2018
