Ali Chaudhry's Blog Full Post View | List View

This blog is to keep you updated with news, issues and events in Anglesey. These are my personal views only.

More Tory revelations

Uttoxeter Town Council saga rumbles on. Who is to blame??

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/burtonmail/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=346600

It is interesting that the Tories are fighting each other. It's a blame game and no one appears to take responsibility.

Saturday 6 September 2008 - 10:36PM (BST) Permanent Link | 0 Comments

Drains cleansed

I am pleased to report that the surface water drains (Gullies) have been cleaned in Branston Road. The recent heavy rain is a test that drains are now working fine as there are no puddles. People can now walk on the footpaths without being splashed by passing vehicles.

The County Council dealt with this problem very efficiently.

If you have got a blocked gully in your street please report it through CLARENCE on 0800 232323

Saturday 6 September 2008 - 10:54AM (BST) Permanent Link | 0 Comments

Week as a Councillor

Apart from a full time job and a lot of travelling from Sutton Coldfield to Suffolk I have attended the following meetings this week.

Monday - Council Meeting

Tuesday - Scrutiny Meeting

Wednesday - Labour Group Meeting

Thursday - Parish Council Meeting

Friday - I am shattered having returned from a trip to Newmarket and Cambridge on notorious A14.

Why do I do it??

When I returned home this evening, I had a message from one of my elderly constituent that an issue she raised with me at the weekend has been resolved. I am pleased that I was able to help. To be able to help my constituents and make a difference to their quality of life is my motivation.

Friday 5 September 2008 - 09:59PM (BST) Permanent Link | 0 Comments

Gully Cleaning

After LEAP event last week, the County Council is out again tomorrow cleaning gullies in Branston road.

The County Council has undertaken a variety of improvements such as repairs to footpaths, potholes and street lighting works. The damaged pedestrian fence in Queen Street is also replaced.

We are grateful to the County Councillor Peter Davies for his efforts and ongoing improvements in the Anglesey area.

Wednesday 3 September 2008 - 09:22PM (BST) Permanent Link | 0 Comments

New Scrutiny Structure

The Council is implementing new scrutiny structure to replace Scrutiny Panel System which has not worked under Conservatives in East Staffordshire. The object of the scrutiny system is to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability in local government.

The new structure consists of Scrutiny Programme Board(SPB) and 5 task and finish groups.

http://www1.eaststaffsbc.gov.uk/CMISWebPublic/Binary.ashx?Document=4842

The aim is that new structure will be more inclusive i.e. all members of the Council will be able to contribute, it should make review process more efficient and Scrutiny should be independant of the cabinet.

I think it is a positive move and if Cabinet did not interfere then it stands a chance of being productive and hopefully should lead to better services for the residents of ESBC.

This is from IDeA web site and does it sound familiar?

How to kill overview and scrutiny

Not everyone in local government wishes overview and scrutiny well

If you are working in an authority where you can only conclude that someone means to stifle or smother the work of overview and scrutiny, it may well not be that you are suffering from an advanced case of paranoia.

Undoubtedly powerful political and officer interests in some authorities have developed successful strategies for undermining overview and scrutiny.

The most common causes of an early demise are detailed below. All scrutiny chairs and vice-chairs need to be aware of these strategies - in order to avoid them!