Earlier in the pandemic I was in touch with local groups, including the church and the Parish Council but it would seem that most people who needed assistance were catered for by friends, family and neighbours.
Ward work has increased considerably over the lockdown period with issues such as parking, problem trees and hedges, lots of planning and enforcement issues and a small amount of anti-social behaviour.
Council meetings have been taking place on line. I am on two planning committees, being vice chair of one of them. I am also on a Scrutiny committee and I am a member of the Council’s Climate Crisis Working Group. Getting used to on line meetings has been a bit of a challenge but it can be made to work. However, the situation is definitely not ideal and, for me, face to face meetings cannot return quickly enough.
Over the last six months, I have had two motions passed by full Council. One to make residents responsible for managing hedges that grow over pavements and one to publicly thank Council employees who have maintained services during the pandemic, more especially those working in refuse and recycling.
I have also asked numerous questions at Scrutiny and Full Council.
I am a District Council representative on Jersey Farm Woodland Park management committee and am a public member of Sandridge Parish Council’s environmental committee. I have volunteered for both committees for many years and our first task force session since lockdown took place on Sunday October 4th when, in pouring rain, we undertook hedge laying on Jersey Farm Woodland Park.
I am pursuing a Freedom of Information Request to ascertain how many Covid tests are carried out in our District. In my view, the number of positive tests for any District has to be read in the context of how many tests have been carried out and this information should not be a secret, especially if increasing restrictions are being considered.
Frances Leonard
