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Forest of Dean District Council

Meet the scientists!

My CV

Councillor for:

7 years

Party:

Conservative

Council job:

Councillor for Alvington, Aylburton and West Lydney

Profession:

Interpretor

Photo:

Marion Winship

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Me and my council work

The thing I like best about being a Councillor is helping people with their problems

As well as helping local people, Councillors also have to run the Council and make sure that services are the right ones for local people, which means a lot of meetings to discuss what we are doing and what we could do differently.  The sort of things we look at are ways of delivering the waste collection, how to improve the planning service, how to provide services at a lower cost.

Some of the issues in my ward are about planning applications and sometimes I help mediate over problems between people.  At the Council I attend meetings of Cabinet and also the Scrutiny committees to see what the Council is planning to do.

My Typical Day

Answering emails for about 2 hours, reading notes for meetings, walking the dogs dealing with enquiries.

I usually spend quite a lot of time on the computer, either reading papers for meetings or reading up on issues and trying to find out how other Councils deal with them.  I also have to feed and walk the dogs and feed the sheep, chickens and cats.  If someone wants to talk to me about a problem, I’ll visit them to discuss what can be done.

Most days there are meetings at Coleford, sometimes at Shire Hall in Gloucester, and I also go to the Parish Council meetings so there is usually a bit of travelling and quite a lot of paperwork.

As well as all that, I have two small grandchildren and like to spend time with them.

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What I'd do as "Youth Engagement Champion"

FInd out what the issues are and try to see things from a young person’s perspective.

I’d really like young people to be more involved in Local Government and to understand how it operates (yawn!) because we all have to live with it and it effects all our lives – from tax paying to schooling to Leisure services and young people’s housing.

If young people could be more involved in decision making we might make better decisions for the future – their future.  It would be great if anyone interested could attend Cabinet and/or Scrutiny meetings and see how we decide things.  Maybe even set up a young person’s Shadow Cabinet.  Or have people shadowing some of the Councillor positions, if that’s something they’d find interesting.

Where there are important decisions to make for the District, I would like to see young people given a voice and telling us their opinion.  For example, what do you think about recycling?  About transport?  About out of school activities (are there any?).  What would you like to see changed?  How can we help to improve on what there is now.  Do you think we can work together?

 

My Interview

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

Optimistic, enthusiastic and curious

Who is your favourite singer or band?

Of recent bands I like The Script – I think they have a message

What is the most fun thing you've done?

Living in Italy (friends food and fun)

If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!

Lose twenty years! Have my children living in the UK. Visit South America.

What did you want to be after you left school?

A writer or an explorer

Were you ever in trouble in at school?

Oh yes!

What's the best thing you've done as a councillor?

Being involved in strategic decision making for the whole District

Tell us a joke.

Why are there no aspirin in the jungle? Because the parrots ‘eat em all!

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