Published: 13/10/2008 00:00 -
Updated: 19/01/2009 10:10
AS the borough councillors for Galley Common, Cllr Matt Grant and myself would like to respond to the resident complaining about the lack of surgeries in our ward.
We take seriously our responsibilities as ward councillors, but staying in touch with over 5,500 local residents - for just the two of us - is a challenge.
We are trying to be inventive in the ways we do this as we personally feel that the basic surgery set up is very dated in today's 'quick fix' society.
Over the years, we held a monthly, one-hour surgery at the 'Stute', in Galley Common village, on the last Monday of each month.
These were never well attended - just one or two people, at most. Most times, no-one came, as was the case during the last three months of its operation. That was not just a waste of our time, but a waste of council resources (your money!) in paying for the hire of the room.
We had not been happy with 'surgeries' for a while, and sought to find better ways to communicate with our residents.
The surgery was for just one hour, once a month, and covered only the Galley Common village area. Galley Common ward covers a massive area, including Whittleford, the MESH estates, Brookhill, etc - so someone wanting to come to a surgery could well have been faced with an arduous journey - particularly by public transport!
Matt and I had played a part in setting up two new Residents' Associations - making four in all in the ward. We know from experience that they are generally well-attended, and presented - we thought - a viable alternative.
Someone who wanted to come along and make a point could do so, and we could then deal with it in the meeting - if it was of general interest - or one-on-one, after the meeting, if deemed more appropriate.
As it happened, there was a meeting of the Galley Common Village Residents' Association on Wednesday night. The situation was addressed with the 30 or so people there, who were totally supportive.
Additionally, we set up a website for the ward - www.galleycommon.net, which gives news and
information, and is another way we can be contacted. This is - to the best of our knowledge - the only ward website in the borough: an exclusive for Galley Common! (Please note that this is currently under redevelopment, so not fully up-to-date).
Above all, though, we freely and regularly make available our phone numbers, addresses and e-mail addresses. We encourage anyone who wants to talk to us to write, e-mail or phone there and then! We don't want people to have to travel miles to talk to us, or to wait for up to month, before doing so. If you've got a problem, tell us now!
Those phone numbers were publicised, over the last week or two, in the 'In Touch' newsletter, delivered to every home in the borough as well as on our website, the council website and also through the local PCSO's (with whom we work closely).
But here they are again: Cllr Bryan Grant - 024 7673 7246 - 11 Hampton Avenue, Nuneaton, Warks CV10 9JW, email bryan.grant@nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk,
Cllr Matt Grant - 024 7674 8650 - 66 St Nicolas Road, Nuneaton, Warks CV11 6LD, email matt.grant@nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk.
Now we don't want anyone to read into this approach anything other than a Galley Common solution. Every ward is different, and every councillor must work out the best way for him/her to relate to their residents. Having said that, we would submit that Galley Common residents (through the Residents' Association meetings) now have four times the access to us than was the case under the surgery system.
They can also (uniquely) contact us through the website or by e-mail - or just write or phone, if they don't have internet access.
We fully accept the allegation that Galley Common residents "are not being offered the same service as other wards from our borough councillors" We are striving to make it amongst the best!
As to the writer of the complaining letter, we would be delighted to hear from 'disgusted resident'.
We just hope that this person genuinely does have a concern and is not just trying to make mischief. Get in touch, and we'll get onto the matter immediately. We are your councillors, and we look forward to hearing from, and seeking to help you.
Cllrs Bryan and Matt Grant, Galley Common Ward.
We take seriously our responsibilities as ward councillors, but staying in touch with over 5,500 local residents - for just the two of us - is a challenge.
We are trying to be inventive in the ways we do this as we personally feel that the basic surgery set up is very dated in today's 'quick fix' society.
Over the years, we held a monthly, one-hour surgery at the 'Stute', in Galley Common village, on the last Monday of each month.
These were never well attended - just one or two people, at most. Most times, no-one came, as was the case during the last three months of its operation. That was not just a waste of our time, but a waste of council resources (your money!) in paying for the hire of the room.
We had not been happy with 'surgeries' for a while, and sought to find better ways to communicate with our residents.
The surgery was for just one hour, once a month, and covered only the Galley Common village area. Galley Common ward covers a massive area, including Whittleford, the MESH estates, Brookhill, etc - so someone wanting to come to a surgery could well have been faced with an arduous journey - particularly by public transport!
Matt and I had played a part in setting up two new Residents' Associations - making four in all in the ward. We know from experience that they are generally well-attended, and presented - we thought - a viable alternative.
Someone who wanted to come along and make a point could do so, and we could then deal with it in the meeting - if it was of general interest - or one-on-one, after the meeting, if deemed more appropriate.
As it happened, there was a meeting of the Galley Common Village Residents' Association on Wednesday night. The situation was addressed with the 30 or so people there, who were totally supportive.
Additionally, we set up a website for the ward - www.galleycommon.net, which gives news and
information, and is another way we can be contacted. This is - to the best of our knowledge - the only ward website in the borough: an exclusive for Galley Common! (Please note that this is currently under redevelopment, so not fully up-to-date).
Above all, though, we freely and regularly make available our phone numbers, addresses and e-mail addresses. We encourage anyone who wants to talk to us to write, e-mail or phone there and then! We don't want people to have to travel miles to talk to us, or to wait for up to month, before doing so. If you've got a problem, tell us now!
Those phone numbers were publicised, over the last week or two, in the 'In Touch' newsletter, delivered to every home in the borough as well as on our website, the council website and also through the local PCSO's (with whom we work closely).
But here they are again: Cllr Bryan Grant - 024 7673 7246 - 11 Hampton Avenue, Nuneaton, Warks CV10 9JW, email bryan.grant@nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk,
Cllr Matt Grant - 024 7674 8650 - 66 St Nicolas Road, Nuneaton, Warks CV11 6LD, email matt.grant@nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk.
Now we don't want anyone to read into this approach anything other than a Galley Common solution. Every ward is different, and every councillor must work out the best way for him/her to relate to their residents. Having said that, we would submit that Galley Common residents (through the Residents' Association meetings) now have four times the access to us than was the case under the surgery system.
They can also (uniquely) contact us through the website or by e-mail - or just write or phone, if they don't have internet access.
We fully accept the allegation that Galley Common residents "are not being offered the same service as other wards from our borough councillors" We are striving to make it amongst the best!
As to the writer of the complaining letter, we would be delighted to hear from 'disgusted resident'.
We just hope that this person genuinely does have a concern and is not just trying to make mischief. Get in touch, and we'll get onto the matter immediately. We are your councillors, and we look forward to hearing from, and seeking to help you.
Cllrs Bryan and Matt Grant, Galley Common Ward.
NEWS HEADLINES
NATIONAL NEWS
NATIONAL SPORT
Your Letters to the Nuneaton News
