This blogspot will aim to give a snapshot view of some of my councillor activities.

It is not a daily record or comprehensive list of what I do, but will hopefully give an insight into some of the things I do in my capacity as a ward councillor.

In recent weeks I have attended the Labour councillors' surgery and met with local constituents.

Some of the various Council-related meetings I have attended in recent weeks have included the local Neighbourhood Action Panel, Southend Airport Public Consultation Committee, Development Control Committee, and the Management Committee of St Edmunds Hall.

I met with the Executive member for Culture at the Council and the chief council officer for culture, and had an in-depth discussion on swimming pool provision across the borough. A boroughwide pool review is currently in progress, and I am continuing to voice my deep concern that a quality public pool should be retained in the town centre in addition to other pools provided elsewhere in the town.

I have met with Council officers to further discuss the planned street improvement schemes to the Central, South and North Avenue area, and the Stornoway Road area.

I am pleased that following the residents' petition to improve parking in the Central Avenue area, that I submitted to Council earlier in the year with the request for a review of existing double-yellow lines, the scheme has now been to public consultation and is planned to be implemented in the New Year. This should result in many new parking spaces being provided.

The Stornoway Road area scheme will also bring benefits, especially in relation to improving road safety regarding reducing speeding. I have voiced my dismay to the Council that the scheme appears to do little to improve parking, and I feel a scheme is needed that will help to ease the parking stress in the Stornoway Road area.

Residents in the Bournemouth Park Road area are currently being consulted on a road improvement scheme. My Labour councillor colleagues in Victoria ward and I have been urging the Council to make this road safer and to improve parking for residents, and I urge residents to take part in the public consultation.

I am continuing to urge the Council to improve road safety and parking in Royston Avenue too.

Residents have been responding to the Community Speedwatch request for volunteers.

A recent addition to St Lukes ward is a new branch of the Southend Credit Union. I attended the launch of the new branch in the council ward last month. Credit unions encourage people to save from an early age, and can provide loans too.

At the last meeting of the Full Council I expressed my deep concern that Southend Council had appeared to do little to progress my request that a statue of an RAF airman should be erected at Southend Airport in tribute to the aircrews that were based there and defended our country during the First and Second World Wars. The Council has agreed to look for ways to fund this project, and to my request that a report on this be brought to the next meeting of the Cabinet.

I am continuing to support various community projects, such as the community cafe for Cluny Square, city farm and garden for the disabled.