Week one!

The new picnic (feasting?!) table at Arena Park

It's been a funny old week. On the one hand, a lot has happened - or at least there has been a lot of activity - on the other, no "proper" meetings have started at the Council yet. Last weekend I spent time with the family, and sleeping a lot, to get over the exhaustion of the campaign. That said, I still stopped by the family fun day at a rather blustery Arena Park with my partner, Jenny, and Cllr Moira MacDonald where the new outdoor sports cage and the stunning new picnic tables (courtesy of Carving Communities) were unveiled. I was quickly put to work by David & Cathy Coles who were telling me about the area's community composting scheme. The estate has two large composting bins, but as we enter grass-cutting season, these are insufficient, leading to people simply scattering their cuttings on verges and in hedges, which in turn leads to rancid odours as the vegetation rots openly. I am now working with the County Council trying to find a way to secure two more bins for the area.

Best thing I've seen at the Bike Shed Theatre
this year... and that includes a hustings!

On Monday night, Jenny and I went to see the Exeter Blitz Project at the Bike Shed Theatre. If you haven't seen it, it is on until 19th May and really is excellent - please do go and watch and support this important local work. The production is based on interviews with survivors of the blitz attacks on Exeter in 1942, and the excellent characterisations really brought home the impact of the war on ordinary civilian households. It is also hugely interesting to hear how those bombing raids have shaped the modern face of the city - and as I was to learn later in the week, also shaped the economics. Large areas of Sidwell Street and Newtown, South Street and Fore Street were badly bombed. These areas were subsequently rebuilt by the City Council, and the council retains the freehold on the sites, deriving a healthy rental income from the city centre businesses that now occupy them.

Dodgy Council photo!

After the Bank Holiday, on Tuesday I went in to meet some of the Member Services team - the team from Exeter City Council that help support councillors' work, and arranges and offers administrative support to the Council's committees. The days immediately post-election are a busy time for this department as new councillors need setting up with I.T. and new email accounts,   security badges, parking permits, web pages and organising councillor inductions and training. However, the team were very welcoming, and after I signed my declaration and submitted my various forms, we chatted about the role of councillors in Exeter, and how best we as elected representatives could work together with officers for the best outcomes for the city. It was a very positive meeting... except the quality of my now "official" Council photo on my profile page!

Tuesday evening was great. Exeter Labour HQ in Clifton Hill was buzzing with 24 Labour Councillors, 5 of us newly-elected. This was the meeting to sort out who would serve on which committees, who would hold which portfolios, and who would hold which offices within the local Labour Group for the next civic year. The results of the meeting (and all appointments) will become public after tomorrow's (15th May) Full Council meeting...

Looking forward to working with Sarah Ward
again... a fellow refugee from W&PBC!

On Thursday, 5 new Labour councillors, plus Pennsylvania's new Tory councillor, Jake Donovan, attended an introductory meeting with the Exeter City Council Directorate team - Philip Bostock, the Chief Exec; with Karime Hassan and Mark Parkinson as strategic Directors. It was good to hear some of the things from Council officers that we had been saying on the doors just weeks before: Exeter is "bucking the trend" as far as the national economy is concerned, and is growing, attracting business growth and start-up investment. Furthermore, Exeter has the lowest district Council tax in Devon, and the 5th lowest in the country. Real value for money for local tax payers! I was also pleased to be hearing that I will soon be joined at Exeter City Council by another refugee from the shared-services Councils of Weymouth & West Dorset as Sarah Ward, a very able Housing Manager joins ECC as Assistant Director for Housing. Sarah is a very able manager, and I look forward to working with her on Exeter's significant housing challenges, but also I hope she embrace our enthusiasm for new housing solutions, including co-operative models of housing for the city. 

Pinhoe Pantomime - one of the highlights of America
Hall's year, every year.

Finally for now, it was a privilege to be approached by Angela Roberts, Hon Sec of the America Hall committee to be asked if I would join the committee. America Hall is a valuable community facility and hub in Pinhoe, but like any community venue, it needs to have one eye on its own future survival. I know that community resources like that are more often than not kept alive by the hard work and dedication of a few community activists, and I look forward to joining them at their AGM on 31st May. If you would like to get involved in helping this great project why not drop Angela a line at secretary@americahall.co.uk?