Suzanne Fletcher's Blog

My ward colleague Julia was getting married today to Mike, who was former group deputy leader before he retired last year.  We knew it was going to be a very quiet wedding, but our group just had to be there for when they came out of the registry office as a married couple.  So we crept up there for the time after the ceremony was going to start so we could greet them and after all - I needed a photo for Focus going to print today!   However there were formalities before the ceremony and she saw us through the window and insisted we all went in.  We protested we weren't properly dressed for a wedding, but Julia insisted, and we enthusiastically piled in. 

It was wonderful, even through my steamed up glasses I could see she was gorgeous, Mike looked good too.  To see such good friends of ours getting married was just, well, just great.

Rather ironic that I, as Mayoress and past Mayor probably have more hats than most people and didn't have one near, and as for our Mayor - well he was in shorts!  They didn't seem to notice, and I am sure that all readers who know Julia and Mike will wish them every happiness in their life together as Mr and Mrs Cherrett..

To go into Councillor mode for a moment - the Registry Office.  The registrars were wonderful, putting so much sincerity and warmth into the ceremony; the room was beautifully decorated with lovely flowers, and there is a nice garden round the side for photos.

Handbags and Halos

I saw a book with this title at the Daisy Chain Coffee morning we went to today and it made me think.  People often ask what is life like as the Mayoress.  That title is a good summary.  You do spend an inordinate amount of time messing around with changing handbags and matching outfits.  However you do meet some real heroes that deserve the halos.  Young and old and everything in between we meet them daily and have the opportunity of giving awards or simply saying thank you.  More details on The Mayor's Blog.  At the Red Cross event tonight my handbag strap broke - but at least no halos slipped on the heroes!

There were 2 meetings today, both of which were connected with our Town Centre in Stockton, where and how it can develop better to meet everyone's needs.  I left the second meeting on a high for a change,  as we talked about some good, interesting and challenging ideas with a real chance of everyone being on board.  If you have ideas about positive ways forward (not what happened in the past!!) please do get in touch.

At 6.45 p.m. I was still in the meeting, and with an almost record breaking quick change at home was off to an evening event 30 minutes later.  I was very interested and encouraged to meet Chris Taylor and his wife.  Chris is the North West Regional Representative of "Networking Women in the Fire Service".  The organisation, to quote from the website as it puts it better than I could, says :

In 1993, the NWFS was established as a self-help group for women in the Fire and Rescue Service. Over the past 13 years, NWFS has sought to influence the equality agenda, engaging with the major players in order to have the voice of all women in the Fire and Rescue Service heard.

NWFS is an independent voluntary group of people who aim to contribute to making the Fire and Rescue Service a place where women and men can work together harmoniously and professionally.

Do take a look at the website though, it is very interesting, and I do wonder how many organisations have something similar to this, or tap into it.  If not, why not ?  I have long been a believer in supporting women in public life, particularly as an elected representative.  Believe you me it has been needed in this area over the last 27 years.  There are times I think there is less need, but something said tonight reminded me that, yes, just because a number of us have survived and adapted does not mean that there is not still a need.

sorry, but I am exhausted and it is late, so I am just going to refer you to John's blog for what I have been doing today.  I'm only human (if only just).  And I did edit his photos that will go on his Council blog page.

I'll just add how pleased I was to see a former constituent who had been not at all well for a lot of years looking so well and happy after a few months at Aspen Gardens.

A day of sadness, but at least someone is doing something about the issues.  I accompanied John to "Escape to Safety", by Teesside One World Centre's Refugee Action Project  .  This is a multi-media, multi-sensory interactive exhibition housed in a large trailer, simulating the experiences of someone seeking asylum in the UK.  One walks through the various "stations" of the exhibition with headphones and an MP3 player.  As you hear the situations that have led asylum seekers to flee, what it is like leaving their own Country, and how they are received here, you cannot come out the other end of the bus without being changed.  I thought I was on the lines of understanding, but I have a long way to go.

The Norton School is arranging for its pupils to view the exhibition as part of their Geography or History lessons (it is a Humanities College), asking them to think critically about the issues and people's misconceptions about asylum seekers.  It is suitable for anyone over 10 years old, so do try to see it, by arranging a visit with the Project Officer Hilaire Agnama, himself a former asylum seeker (01642 322216, rapt@towc2.fsnet.co.uk) or Gill Sangster (01642 557361, gill.sangster@stockton.gov.uk).  It is running till Friday 11^th July.

Then a visit to two homes run by CleveARC, a charity run by Cleveland Alzheimer's Residential Centre, Kirkdale and Allison House.  They were set up to fill a yawning gap in care for those with Alzheimer's disease and also cater for those sad cases of people under the age of 60.  Obviously meeting a need as they run full to capacity.  Speaking to some of the relatives it was clear how they had been supported and their relief on finding their loved one's were getting such good an appropriate care, and had seen a difference in them after they has begun their stay.  I was also impressed at how the carers themselves were supported.  Every effort was made to make the Home as comfortable and "homely" as possible with a pleasant and safely enclosed garden.  Yet another example of how the voluntary sector had stepped in the fill an important gap.

I have a lot of concerns about funding arrangements, but it is quite complicated and I want to find out more before commenting.

The John Owen Trophy meeting was disappointing too, with the Schools Tournament arranged for Friday having to be cancelled.  However we are not deterred from making progress - just held back a little!  We hope for a re-organised event later in the year, and I think we are nearly, almost, there for the Trophy Match in August.  Maybe, with some luck, more news tomorrow.

Throughout the day I've been able to deal with emerging crises as well a ongoing casework from constituents with the blackberry and mobile phone.  They can be a bit of a burden, but how on earth would I cope with non stop schedules without them!

Trying to juggle budgets is never easy, and my maths ability is not great when the figures are on a spread sheet.  However, the list of improvements that our residents are asking for in the ward comes to at least £230,000.  All of them are good suggestions, and some have been waiting 30 years and more to be done.  Most should have been done when the houses were built, and indeed some were promised by the Council to be done.  However as Councillors we have £13,000 to spend in this financial year on our "Small Environmental Improvement Budget".  You don't have to be very good at sums to work out that it will take a VERY long time to work through the list!