Trees

Autumn. Probably my favourite time of year, weather getting crisper, kids back at school, getting out furry boots and snuggly jumpers, looking forward to the various celebrations of light in our City and trees turning to glorious shades of red and orange.

Many of the terraced streets in Westcotes and throughout the city are tree lined. They make an area feel brighter, more attractive and generally more pleasant to live in.  They also have some fantastic environmental benefits such as providing shade and reducing flooding (see the CABE report).

In 2007 the Leicester Labour Party pledged to plant 10,000 new trees in the City, a lot of people thought this was unrealistic and we would never do it. This commitment has been part of my Cabinet responsibilities for the last 16 months and I am proud to say that we will have exceeded that target, and delivered the promise, by the end of this year.

I've had the opportunity to take part in some of the tree planting sessions with communities from across the City.  Planting historic Elm's in Evington, gorgeous pink blossoming cherry trees at a Youth club in Mowacre, hedging at the Gorse Hill City Farm and countless fruit tree plantings at schools across the City.

Trees are important to me, my family trade is in coppicing (a traditional method of managing woodland and producing wood for business) and I have many happy early memories of watching my Grandad chopping trees and working with the wood afterwards to make benches, besoms (traditional brooms) and swill baskets.

 

Having said all that - the trees in Westcotes drive me mad!

We have lime trees that produce horrible sticky excretions that have to be pollarded about every 2 years leaving them looking like they've been hit by lightening. The photo is one from my street which I took a few years ago in horror the first time I saw the tree specialists leaving the tree looking like this!

We also have Fruit trees planted in bizarre places like Fosse Road South where the fruit cannot be picked but splatters all over the pavements in a thoroughly horrible way and makes walking under them a game of risk, to see if you'll be hit (I've felt them whistling past my ear twice so far this year).

Then we have the leaves.  Remember those gorgeous Autumn hues, the joy of wading through piles of crunchy leaves?

Then it rains and the leaves go from gorgeous to grim before you know it.

I can guarantee (unless it miraculously doesn't rain) that for the next month the majority of calls/comments I receive from people living in Westcotes will be about slippery patches of leaves.  Our cleaning crews switch from their normal routines into fighting the deluge of slimy piles of leaf debris that pile up again as soon as the wind blows. They get tracked into houses and shops and can make some parts of pavements resemble an ice rink.

I have found myself (nearly) wishing we could get rid of  them by Winter! Maybe I'm just following an age old tradition in this country of having a moan about how we seem to struggle to get everyday things right (come back in January for a snow post!) , luckily we also have a reputation for having a good sense of humour and this timetable I spotted at Birmingham New Street Station recently certainly made me smile!

Is Dialogue the best way forward?

During Cabinet questions at Full Council recently I was asked by Cllr Gary Hunt (Lib Dem Cllr for Knighton) if I thought "dialogue was a better way forward for our City than confrontation?".  Turned out to be a question about an element of our Licensing policy regarding Taxi Drivers (you can see my answer in full on the webcast  at question 30 if you're suffering from insomnia) but the question got me thinking about dialogue vs confrontation and talking vs acting.

Our Council meeting lasted for about 4 hours this time, not too bad I suppose, but it didn't feel like the best way for me to serve the people who elected me. We had ten minutes of questions from the public, two hours of questions and answers from other Councillors (this is one of the ways the opposition Councillors are able to hold the administration to account), a nod through of some really important reports from Children's Services (nodded through because everyone agreed with them) and then an hour debating constitutional minutiae such as if questions should come in 48 or 72 hours before Council meetings!

That isn't to say I don't recognise the importance of open questions and debate, just that it can be frustrating (and very dull).

I like getting things done, I like the practical stuff, getting graffiti cleaned, bollards put in, play equipment repaired, these take some talking but mostly you find out they're needed, work out how they're getting paid for and then get them done.

The big things though need a lot more discussion.  They need discussion to try and make sure we get them right. Take the Residents Parking zone that came into force in part of Westcotes recently.  People have been talking about residents parking in my area for about the last five years, some are powerfully in favour, some are adamantly against. We have now got an experimental scheme that allows us to keep listening to local people to make sure it works as well as possible (and if it doesn't work to take it out again).

Unfortunately there are also some groups whose only desire seems to be confrontation and no amount of dialogue can change that. The English Defence League (EDL) are intending to march through our City (despite the Council applying for and getting agreement from the Home Secretary to ban marches in the City that weekend to protect public safety) on October the 9th to try and convince people of their vile anti-Islamic views. I hate the idea of these football hooliganesque people being bussed in to cause trouble and try to spread hatred in Leicester and am very glad that the City Council and Police are working together with faith groups, community organisations and Hope not Hate to ensure these thugs are marginalised and that we have the opportunity to celebrate our diversity.

On Friday there will be a peace vigil at the Clock Tower at half four where people will also be asked to start wearing Green Ribbons to symbolise our City's solidarity in the face of extremism and our pride in our diversity and cohesion.

I'm looking forward to taking my kids to the 'One Leicester Together' celebration event in Humberstone Gate on the Sunday too. My kids attend schools where there are over 20 languages spoken, where they celebrate each others traditions and festivals and are empowered to understand and enjoy them. I am incredibly proud of the breadth of understanding and delight they have for a full range of religious and cultural beliefs  and know they are being given the opportunity to grow up as active and inclusive citizens of Leicester.  This is what we will be celebrating on Sunday. This is why I am confident that the EDL will not divide our City, will not spread their hatred and will not leave a lasting impression.

Of course dialogue is important, whether it be getting to know your next door neighbour, learning about and celebrating new cultures, ensuring everyone has a voice and doesn't feel left out or left behind or listening to what people want and/or need when developing new policies. 

This is the dialogue to take our City forward and our actions in celebrating this together on Sunday and in the future will stop confrontational aggression having any place in Leicester.

Over Protective?

People who know me and/or read this blog will know I care about where I live and represent, so when I got a call on Tuesday Morning ,from the fab press team at the City Council, to say that Radio Leicester had a show on that had gone from a piece about a business closing due to retirement to open season on Narborough Road, I was quite concerned. 

I agreed to go on the drive-time show to talk about some of the comments and said I'd listen back on the iplayer first. I really wish I hadn't! I only got an hour in before I was so foot stompingly angry that I had to stop listening.

Tony Wadsworth said on his show he was "ashamed" of this area and that it was "a disgrace" and his show gave airtime to some awful racism and scaremongering phone calls. They also talked about a dirty, dangerous, unfriendly place with nothing other than cars and take-aways.

Now I'm not blind, I know my area isn't perfect (very few are) but when people who clearly don't live in the area start making awful unsubstantiated statements it feels a bit like someone having a go at a friend or family member.  I'm not the only one to feel like this, someone rang in during the show (a Katherine from Sykefield Avenue) to point out how wrong people and some of the misconceptions were and I'm confident that if more people in my ward heard it they'd feel the same way.

My take on the area around Narborough Road - An exciting, vibrant, friendly and diverse area, shops selling everything you could need; clothes, books, music, stationary, white goods, jewellery, beds, bathrooms, hardware, carpets, food - well the food deserves a sentence of it's own! We have food from all over the world, spices, breads, fruits, vegetables, pastries, cakes, meats, cheeses - it's incredible. We have bars, restaurants and take-aways catering for everything from the traditional pub (the Black Horse), intimate charm (Yesim Patisserie), open terraces (the fab new Natterjacks) , gourmet cooking (Entropy) to relaxed breakfasts (Jones') and so many opportunities to sample fantastic South Asian cooking I can't name them all (Mithas and Saardar's are good starting points though).

We also have a friendly and interested local Police beat team, a cleaning crew that cover the ward 7 days a week,  a City Warden working with residents and businesses to make the area better, amazing outward looking engaged faith organisations and most crucially some of the friendliest and most welcoming people you could hope to meet.

I really appreciated Martin Ballard giving me the opportunity to set the record straight on some of the comments made and I (with Andy, the Police and many other people locally) will keep working to make the area even better.  If you live locally come along to the next Ward Meeting (Tuedsay 21st at the East West Community Centre) and put forward your ideas about how we can do this..

I may be over-protective about Westcotes but it doens't mean I'm wrong. For anyone who isn't convinced come and see for yourself, don't just drive through on the way somewhere, stop, take a walk about, talk to people, enjoy the unbeatable range of Independent shops and taste the fabulous food.

A strange time of year for resolutions?

I, like many parents of school aged children, think September seems more of a 'New Year' than January, so I've done some of my reflecting now rather than when we're racing round the country trying to see as many relatives as possible over the Christmas break!

My reflections have been triggered by a tragedy.  My second cousin Deyanne died very suddenly a couple of weeks ago.  I haven't seen her for years and, as she was five years older than me, we were not close when growing up. That five years suddenly seems very small. She died aged 35 and leaves behind a 13 year old daughter and 4 year old son.  The tributes that poured into the local paper from people in our home town of Ulverston were incredible, to see the number of lives she had touched and the number of young people who she had championed - working with and for them, was humbling.

When I returned from the funeral one of the things waiting on my desk was my form to fill out if I wish to be considered for re-selection by the Labour Party to fight next years local elections. I fill in forms regularly, some for the party, lots for the Council and other partners, I even quite like filling in those questionnaires that offer a years free shopping, this one though, I really struggled with.

Mortality makes you question things more thoroughly than you otherwise may do. Is this what i want to be doing? Do I spend enough time with my gorgeous children? Could I make more of a difference doing something else? 

I love most of what I do as a Councillor, there are no two days alike, to have the opportunity to make where I live a better place is wonderful, and being able to work with someone and resolve a problem is a rare privilege.

There are also terrible frustrations. The petty internal squabbling, the bureaucracy, the slow progress of change, the individuals who want all your time but are never satisfied with the results (that can take you away from the people who really need help), the difficulty in getting 'good news' to people - these are all things to contend with. 

The other big challenge though is perception. Someone recently tweeted 'all politicians are arseholes'. Now generalisations are always a problem for me but this one got me thinking.  Do I want to carry on doing a role where most people seem to think you're in it for the money, the power or the glory?

The conclusion I came to is similar to my first posting here, I don't have to meet other peoples perceptions, I can even try to change them! For all the difficulties, I think not trying to make a difference would be far more frustrating. 

So my resolutions after all this soul searching?

1) Try and thicken my skin (and thin my waist).
2) Enjoy the Successes.
3) Learn from failure and then move on.
4) Make time each day for my kids without interruption from the phone or computer.

Why a Bike?

A somewhat topical post today as we have Skyride coming up and the Leicester Mercury reporting the use of Councillors support packages - including my replacement bike!

It may seem odd to some that I'm the Councillor cycling 'champion' in the City - I'm not what you'd describe as your typical cyclist, I'm overweight, not as fit as I could be, generally built for comfort over speed and until I became a Councillor I hadn't cycled since my early teens - so how did it happen?

The first thing to point out is that I don't drive, can't drive, and really not that keen on learning to drive. Normally this poses no problem to me, I live close enough to walk or catch a bus to anything I'd want to do in the City, and outside of that I enjoy travelling on Trains or, if we're going as a family then, Andy drives.  The difficulty came when I started attending meetings that finished late and I was either walking through Bede Park in the dark (not recommended unaccompanied) or waiting at the end of Belgrave Gate for a bus (it was whilst the bus stops were changing) which I felt uncomfortable about doing.  For a youngish woman getting somewhere on her own late in the evening a bike seemed a safer way forward.

I got my bike from the Bike Shop under the Town Hall and set about trying to work out how to not only ride it safely (quite daunting) but also equip it to take my kit and kids too! This was not straight-forward, and everyone had an opinion, the most important of which for me was Andy's who said early on he wasn't comfortable with the idea of the kids in a trailer behind my bike and we were battling for space in our small terraced property (we've since rented a garage on the next street) so we ruled that option out.

I was struggling to know what to try and quite concerned about spending money on something that wouldn't work. I was relieved when I read about a 'try it out' cycling event in Nottingham. We went and tried out every type of bike and child attachment possible, it was great, the kids enjoyed themselves and were able to tell us what worked for them and we were able to decide what felt safe and comfortable.

I fell in love with a fab bike made in Cambridge that has been given out in some London Borough to try and reduce school traffic.  Great bikes that could take the kids and the shopping and were really comfortable to steer - problem was the price tag - nearly £2000 - not in my range!

I eventually settled on wee-ride for Ella and a standard child seat for Ryan (for the 6 months until he got too big to manage).  Being able to have Ella between me and the handle bars was brilliant and made cycling a really enjoyable and bonding experience.  Sat there we were able to talk easily, she could see what I could, the bike felt really stable and I felt more able to protect her.

All of this got me talking to Officers and Councillors about cycling in the City and led to me setting up a piece of Scrutiny work to look at what we could be doing to make it easier to get around the City by bike. From there I started attending meetings with some of the great local cycling organisations Cyclemagic and Bikes4All, and also with national cycling organisations like Cycling England and the CTC and was really excited to be involved in the discussions about bringing SkyRide to Leicester.

Everything was going swimmingly until my bike was stolen last year as I attended a Groundworks Board meeting on behalf of the Council at Western Park, two weeks before the SkyRide. I was devastated! I got a new one in time (with a trailgate option for Ella - limited success) and had an amazing time at Skyride but I have to admit to missing my old bike!

Getting a bike has enabled me to see so much more of the City, understand how simple changes as well as major schemes can encourage cycling, reduce my carbon footprint and meet some incredible people.

To anyone who is thinking about getting back on a bike, or learning to ride, I'd say go for it! I can get home on my bike from town quicker than Andy can in the car, have a bit of exercise, see more of what's going on in my area and all for FREE!

Come along to Skyride and have a go!

Sometimes it's the little things!

I don't think I'll forget last week in a hurry! Combination of the ipad malarkey, our new recycling trial (which I'm very excited about and will go into detail about next week if I get chance) and the delights of wheelie bins on streets have all had me talking to Radio Leicester and the Leicester Mercury far more than normal.

These were both big news items and led to important and interesting discussions but they're not the reason I won't forget this week.  My reason is this:

Now if you're thinking, 'not another bin post', then don't worry it's not.  This is, for me, a special bin for what it represents. It represents involvement, community and starting to see a vision through. To explain I need to go back a few months.

I chaired a Westcotes Ward Community meeting in April at the East West Community Centre, I can't have chaired it very well as we finished at 9.40pm rather than the prescribed 9pm but we had a really lively and in-depth discussion about some of the key issues in our area; litter, graffiti, parks and parking.

For those who don't know or haven't had the chance to get along,Ward Meetings are (roughly) every quarter in every ward in the City.  They are held in the ward, chaired by a local Councillor, and are open to everyone living or working locally.  The Police and a variety of other local services are available to present information and answer questions on things affecting the local area. A ward action plan is drawn up by working with residents at these meetings and a budget provided to tackle local problems and/or support local groups. 

We are occasionally accused of Ward meetings being an opportunity for 'the usual suspects' to come along and complain and I know that, when that happens (as it has done occasionally for us), people are put off and don't want to get involved. This is exactly what we do not want to happen with Ward Meetings, so I was really chuffed that we had a number of new people in attendance who were willing to speak up.

At the meeting we agreed to pay out of our ward budget to; put Bollards and cycle racks on Narborough Road (this has been delayed to co-incide with the pavements being re-done in January), put bins along the Great Central Way and buy Community Notice Boards. All important and popular solutions to locally raised problems.

We then agreed to one additional bid. During the discussions around litter one resident attending for the first time had spoken about problems with people waiting at the Bus Stop outside her house and putting their rubbish in her hedge/garden. So following a suggestion from the floor we agreed to pay for a bin next to the bus stop. Following a few technical/administration hitches the bin was put in this week. That bin is pictured above and the resident has already emailed to say how pleased she is.

Being able to come along, have an open discussion about issues that really matter to local residents and being able to fund straight forward practical solutions to them, that's the vision to engage, involve and empower our communities, the bin is a symbol for me of it really starting to happen!

So for other people the big stories of the week may be most important but for me the little things (and what they signify) are what make me want to carry on doing this role.

A lot more than books

In Westcotes we have a fantastic local library.  It offers a good range of books, magazines, education classes, homework support and many more things you would hope to find in a great local community facility.  For me though our local library is much more than that.

To explain I need to go back seven years (bear with me it should be worth it).  I had my lovely little boy at roughly the same point as most of the people I knew in Leicester were graduating and moving away (he was and continues to be the most wonderful 'suprise' of my life).  This was a fairly daunting time for me and I lost a lot my confidence trying out local mum and tot groups and being overwhelmed by, what I perceived to be, really cliquey groups of people who knew each other intimately, I felt isolated and relied heavily on Andy and my Family.

This all started to change when I got a BookStart pack from my health visitor and went to join Ryan up at Westcotes Library.  The staff were lovely and encouraged me to come along and try out the toddler time sessions on a Wednesday morning. Very nervously I did. There was a variety of local Mum's and Grandmothers in attendance (and the occasional Dad) and I was able to pick books out when feeling shy. It didn't feel at all cliquey and both the Library staff and the amazing Judith (who ran the toddler sessions) made sure that new people got to know others and offered plenty of activities to keep the tots busy.

I started to get to know a number of women with kids of similar ages and looked forward to the sessions each week, especially when I found out I was pregnant with Ella at the same time as four of the other women and we all went on to have our second children  - all girls - within 3 months of each other.

Much as I enjoyed getting to know them every week, the big difference really happened when Judith suggested setting up a book group. Many of us jumped at the chance of some baby free time and we became a pilot for the Library service.  Our book group quickly moved out of the Library and into each others homes to accommodate our needs to put small children to bed and then meet and developed into a chance to, not only talk about a new book but, also to have a drink and a general catch up

Our book group has now been going for five years. We meet every month for the group but also regularly go out to eat/drink, or take our kids out together.  We have supported each other through pregnancies, miscarriages, illnesses, new grandchildren, losing parents, marital problems, children being bullied/brilliant/brats, in short - life.

The library setting up our book group (and many others after across the City) hasn't just helped me and my friends, it has a broader impact.  Our peer support has reduced our reliance on health services, we were able to ask each other what was 'normal' and reassure each other that our kids were doing fine. 

So when people talk about Libraries needing to develop what they offer and the importance of them being at the heart of communities, I can't help but smile.  Our Library in Westcotes not only offers an amazing range of books and services it helps give our diverse, changeable community a heart, and introduced me to the most caring, inspiring and fantastic group of women who I am very proud to call my

Practicing what I Preach (or trying to)!

I'm having a fairly odd start to the week due to a lot of media attention around a small trial of cross-party Councillors using ipads that I am taking part in. I'm taking part to see if the new technology can help me be more effective at my role but also reduce the massive printing costs that the Council runs up every year of around £90,000.  Understandably this has sparked a lot of debate, very little of it positive! I'm not going to rehearse all the arguments here but I am happy to report back at the end of the trial as to the success or failure of it and if the business case stacks up to save paper, money and therefore services.

One comment has struck a particular cord with me though and that is around the ethics of the production of the ipads that we had not initially been considering as part of the trial. As the Council champion on fair trade and sustainable procurement as well as overall Environmental issues I try very hard to practice what I preach but like everyone I'm fallible.

I had a call from Leicester Mercury journalists asking about what my 'big environmental crimes' are, seemingly the top ones include instant coffee, non recycled loo roll, using a dish washer and tumble drying (there were 5 but my mind has gone blank on the other 1!). I do use fair trade products whenever they are available, but occasionally fancy a Dime bar or Twix that isn't. I don't drink coffee at home but am rather partial to the occasional caramel machiato from Starbucks (yes, I know bad bad bad).  As to loo roll, well it seemed a bit of a personal one but hey, yes we use recyled loo roll - unless there is a really good offer on other sorts! As to tumble drying, I try not to, but am a miserable failure as hate putting washing out in the morning and coming home to find it's been rained on! The only one I am truly 'good' on is the dishwasher - I have a fantastic energy efficient one - called Andy!

I don't drive so try and walk, cycle (more of that another day) or catch the bus to get around but am less good at the weekends when we're together as a family and have the car there! I get ecover washing up liquid and floor cleaner but gave up in the batheroom and got something stronger! I have long tried to buy shampoos and cosmetics not tested on animals but when I tried to go one further recently with a new shampoo with 'no parabens or chemicals' I ended up with a hair like straw and gave up! I don't shop at Primark as I understand they discourage their workforce from joining unions but can't always afford to buy fairtrade cotton clothes.

It is right for me to try and be as ethically and environmentally aware as possible and I have no problem being challenged whenever I get something wrong but, at the end of the day I am human, I was not elected as a perfect expert, I face the same dillemas and difficulties that other people do.  This applies even more when making budget decisons at the Council.  We try and make sure we are as aware as possible of the implications of all decisions we make, on a service, on individuals, on older people, on younger people, on those with a disability, on the envionment, as well as the legal and financial facts.

I'm always happy to listen to every side of an arguments and gather as much information as possible before making a decision so will often spend a lot of time asking questions to make sure I have understood an issue. I am equally happy to answer questions from people about decisions I have made - including taking part in the ipad trial, and have already taken on board the concerns raised not only about budgets but also about ethics and will ensure all are included in the final assesment.

To be honest I don't like preaching and recognise that when you do it often comes back to bite you on the bum so for now I'll keep listening and trying and accepting that I'm not always right.

Kids and Politics - not quite Oil and Water!

We are extremely lucky to have two healthy, happy and gorgeous Children.  Ella is 4 and Ryan will be 7 next week.  Andy has been a Councillor since before Ryan was born (I was 5 months into my pregnancy when I was Andy & Nigel's Westcotes agent in 2003) and I was selected to fight the seat of Westcotes when I was 8 & 1/2 months pregnant with Ella so our life with the kids has always been entwined with our lives as Councillors.

Some people find this very odd. It might be, but (and I feel a theme developing here) what is normal anyway! In my office at the Town Hall I have a box of activity books, toys and colouring pens under my table because sometimes they come with me to meetings. I also have a special bag of delights that we use if the kids want to come out leafleting or canvassing with us, bubbles to blow, boxes of raisins, scooters etc. I say want, we always ask them and arrange for them to stay with friends or their very supportive grandparents if they do not want to.  They often do though, they are very sociable and like going out with big groups of people, I suppose for them it's like going into work with Mummy & Daddy, it stops what we do being alien or scary to them.

It's not all plain sailing though and I worry regularly (don't all parents) about if we're doing the right thing. My concerns are exacerbated by them at times.  When Ella was about 18 months old we were having huge problems in the ward with people parking on the pavements and in one of my less guarded moments had said that they were idiots to do this.  Unfortunately for the next year every time she saw a car on the pavement she would declare, from her pushchair, very loudly and clearly 'look Mummy - there's an IDIOT over there'! A bit scary when the occupant is a 6ft man built like a brick wall and clearly thinks I've just described him as such.

Ryan has raised some concerns of his own, for quite a while he had the impression that when he grew up he'd have to become a Councillor and had (a very funny) conversation with me one day where he explained patiently that he didn't think it would be for him as he'd set his sights on being a recycling man!

There are days when I think I would like a 9 - 5 type life and that this would be much better for our kids, but these happen less frequently now than they used to.  The phone calls from constituents whilst the kids are trying to tell me about their day at school are balanced now by being able to work from home during the summer holidays and by knowing that the work we do to make the area better (safer pavements, new school fruit trees, better play equipment, less wheelie bins) for everyone makes it a better place for our kids to grow up.

For anyone thinking that being a Councillor with young children will be too hard (and in my experience it is only Women who think this for some reason) then I wouldn't entirely disagree, other than to say what job isn't hard with young children! It takes a lot of juggling and it isn't always possible to keep every ball in the air. For me this means my house isn't always as tidy as I'd like nor is my office (sorry Rory) but my kids and my constituents both get the attention they need and deserve - hopefully!

It's not quite perfect though, they've gotten smarter! Shopping for new school shoes in town this week the kids asked if we could go to Waterstones.  I said yes after we'd done the shoes.  A whispered conversation later and they declared that there had been a vote and it was 2 -1 for going to Waterstones first and that I'd said in a democracy the most votes wins...... How could I argue with that!

The Bin Lady

Our lovely press team at the Council have been known to call me this, as have the occasional Leicester Mercury reporter. Luckily I'm fairly confident this name is not related to clothing or smell but my Cabinet responsibilities! These include wheelie bins, green boxes, street bins, litter and many other refuse based delights.

In the spirit of not sugar coating, today's post is about frustration (and I thought it best to start with a frustration in my own area of responsibility - save colleagues blushes for another day). Part of my reason for standing as a Councillor was frustration. Frustration at not being able to change things, make the area better. Well during the last local elections in May 2007 the thing raised most often with me; on the doorstep, in letters and emails, that people were frustrated with and wanted changing was .....the Wheelie bin. 

Now for people who live in the leafier suburbs and estates of our City this may come as a bit of a surprise.  Surely anti-social behaviour, community facilities, parking, or housing would rate higher? Not in Westcotes!

For anyone reading this who isn't well acquainted with the fab area around Narborough Road a little bit of explanation may be needed.  My area consists almost entirely of terraced streets, many with doors facing directly onto the street, nearly all with limited outdoor space. Unfortunately this has led, in many of our local roads, to the large ugly grey plastic things becoming a fairly permanent feature. A feature that made everywhere look scruffier, made walking around with a push chair, a wheelchair or a sight impairment incredibly difficult and scarily made great targets for would-be arsonists.

Getting wheelie bins off the streets would (I thought) be a fairly easy thing to sort if elected - I couldn't have been more wrong.

It all started well, we were a pilot area for a City Warden, we were a pilot area for getting bins off streets - focusing on the worst affected block in the area - the streets off Shaftesbury Road and I (foolishly it would seem) thought that once we started issuing fines and everyone got into the habit of putting their bin away the problem would be solved! 

It's not a straight forward business fining people for leaving their bin in the street. Firstly you put notices around reminding everyone to take their bins in or they can be fined, then the City Wardens go door to door checking if people are able to move their bin and if they have suitable storage (usually the side alley) - trying to talk to as many people as possible at different times and on different days. If people still leave their bin out they are issued with a special notice that gives them three weeks (no you can't get fined when you go on holiday for a week - whatever the Daily Mail says) to take their bin in.  Only after all this has happened do they get issued with a fine!

Even the kids
hate the bins!

These are streets that I go up and down on a daily basis to take my kids to school.  I see how litter gets in behind the bins out on the street, how the more bins that are left out - the more rubbish there is dumped on pavements. I've picked up bins that have been overturned by people on their way home from a night out so that the kids don't have to walk in the road. I'm not a morning person and seeing this every day does nothing for my temperament.

We have had some successes, there are significantly less bins on those streets now than before we started and people have told me some great things about speaking to Neighbours for the first time ever and taking in bins when they're away for the weekend.  For an area like mine, with a fairly high turnover of people in lots of rented accommodation, people introducing themselves to their Neighbours is a big deal - it helps make people feel safe and part of a community.

So why is this one of my big frustrations? Two problems; firstly we didn't get a ripple effect through the area of people realising we're cracking down and taking their bins in and secondly the problem keeps coming back. If you're a student and leave for the Summer on a Wednesday you leave your bin out for the Friday collection - where it stays until a new tenant arrives! Same applies for any rented property and unfortunately the law says we can only fine those living in the house and not the Landlords.

The bin lady tag started off when the Daily Mail decided to focus hatred on not only the Wheelie bin but also all methods Councils used to try and prevent them becoming unsightly fire hazards, I kept being asked to approve comments defending what we do. Seems odd to some defending something that I will openly admit hasn't totally solved the problem, but unless people in Westcotes (and Castle, Fosse and a number of other terraced parts of our City) can walk in their own streets unhampered by wheelie bins then I will continue to defend it, fight for resources for it and support the residents who want this problem sorting. Having said that I am open to all (sensible and legal) suggestions as to how we combat this problem.

This is still a priority for me because it's still a priority for my constituents.  It can be a fight getting people to care about an area when they may only live there for a year or less but, for all of us who have made Westcotes our home, it's a fight worth having.  I may be a frustrated bin lady but I'm still a determined one!

My home

Every Saturday I look at the Leicester Mercury property section, and gaze longingly at gardens with enough room for climbing frames and trampolines and read out descriptions (in an M & S food porn type way) of cloakrooms with WC, playrooms, office spaces and greenhouses.

These are all things that as a Mum of a 4 and (very nearly) 7 year old appeal, that we do not have.

My Tomato plants!

However we are not looking to move house! Why not? Two reasons really, Firstly I would no more assume that I'll be re-elected in May than I would assume my tomato seeds will produce plenty of tomatoes. Both are dependant on care, attention and hard work - they are also dependant on a number of things I have little or no control over. For the tomatoes the weather is the obvious thing (although a neighbours cat knocking them over repeatedly wasn't in my control either) for the election the weather may also play a part, as may national and/or international politics, the economy and countless other factors. All this boils down to it not being the most financially stable thing to do!

Secondly, and probably even more importantly, is we don't want to leave Westcotes!

Ward boundaries are not usually top of the list when thinking about moving house but for us they matter. Many local Councillors don't live in the wards they represent (although usually live near them), my intention here is not to criticise anyone for that, but, it's not for me (or Andy luckily).

Westcotes is my home, I moved here 10 years ago to study at DMU, living on Barclay Street. I moved in with Andy, one street away, about 4 years later. I wanted to represent the area I live in. I wanted to make the area I live in better. I wanted to work for a community that I related to and that could relate to me.

Our kids are at the local Infant School, the older one will be moving to Juniors in September, they went to playgroup at the local churches and singing at the West End Neighbourhood Centre. We use the fabulous library on Narborough Road (more about that another time), cycle on the Great Central Way and visit Bede Park and Westcotes Gardens to play.

We have delighted at the new shops in the area, Yesim Patisserie (best aubergine dip ever), the International Supermarket (bags of Coriander to send to my step mum), the cakes at Polish Taste on Hinckley Road, and still regularly use the long established Londis (as a student I even shopped there in my slippers!).

On a night out with my friends we invariably start at Entropy and usually finish at O Bar (unless tempted by a curry at Namaste) with the middle part of the route taking in the latest new bar.

The planning applications, the opening hours, the play equipment, the bus services, the over grown trees, the school aftercare, the bins, the parking, the late night noise, the litter - these are all things which we don't just care about because we're the local Councillor and we're meant to. We care about them because it's our area too, it's where our kids are growing up, where our friends and family come to visit, it's our home.

As a local Councillor I get very little of my casework from the regular advice surgeries we run. I get stopped at the school gate, in the library, at the park and in the shops fairly often though. Residents in Westcotes know they can stop me for a chat if I'm dressed up for a meeting or have nipped down for a pint of milk in my jogging bottoms.

This being my home makes it far easier to understand and empathise with the problems my constituents face. That may be noisy neighbours, bins left on pavements, nowhere to park, litter from take-aways or concerns about housing. It also makes it easier to understand, although even harder to justify or explain, the frustrations at how long things take to happen.

I promised I wouldn't sugar coat, so tomorrow I'll talk about some of those delays and frustrations but not today - small people want feeding, taking to the park etc.

My Street - if someone clever can tell me how to turn the
picture the right way up - I'd be very grateful!

For today though I'll accept that on Saturday (lottery result depending as there are 3 or 4 streets in Westcotes that would tick every box) I'll be looking through the property pages as usual without really wanting to move. We may not have a garden and downstairs loo but this isn't just any house - it's a Westcotes house, so I'm happy!

Unsure beginnings

The temptation for me to start a blog waxes and wanes. Often I come to the realisation that trying to fit something else into the day may be the 'straw', this worry combined with a general sense of; why would anyone read it, will I remember to update it, how will I keep a focus on my ward of Westcotes rather than straying into a more general blog on life and politics in Leicester, the national agenda or my hectic but very enjoyable home life?

In the end I've decided to try and stop worrying quite so much and just see what happens! If this is one of the blogs that gets occasional random posts and very rarely updated I'll apologise now!

So I've said why the idea wanes but not so much of why it waxes. A tempting new way of communicating with people? An opportunity to commit to paper (well metaphorically) the successes and challenges of being a local Councillor for Westcotes? A chance to put longer and more complex issues on record than is possible in a leaflet? These are key. There is a more over-riding reason though.

Fairly often I get told I'm not a 'normal politician'. Depending on who says this I am in turns pleased and furious! For local Councillors there isn't (and should never be) any such thing. If we are all the same, think the same, dress the same, approach a problem in the same way - this is when politicians fail. We fail to understand and appreciate difference, we stop relating to people and letting them relate to us and we fail to tackle problems in innovative ways. Crucially we also fail to engage people in how important politics is and how exciting playing a part in it can be.

There are local elections in Leicester next year and I'm spending a lot of my time talking to people who may consider standing. This blog will (hopefully) be one of the ways of de-mystifying what we do, not sugar coating nor over-egging, and how life fits in around it with varying degrees of success!

So I suppose the over-riding idea of this blog is to show there's no such thing as normal!