Greetings from your Woodingdean Councillors! There is still so much to learn but we are settling into our roles and working to make a difference in Woodingdean. So, what have we been up to?
We hope it hasn’t escaped your notice that we have been working on improving the local environment, one street at a time. Between us we have completed ward walks covering many roads, regularly reporting weeds, repairs, potholes, and a myriad of other issues. Jacob is getting a reputation at the Town Hall for being on a one-man mission to repair or replace every broken or faded road sign in Woodingdean!
This has made a big difference to a lot of people in a very short time and we aim to go on with this work until the whole of Woodingdean is feeling refreshed. If you have noticed signage that needs updating, pavements that need attention or repairs that need doing, please let us know. If you can email us with pictures and locations, even better. Let’s do this together!
Talking of the local environment, if you haven’t visited the refurbished play area in Central Park, do have a look. Officially opened by the Mayor, our colleague Cllr Jackie O’Quinn, in the October half term, it’s looking great and lovely to see so many children enjoying it once again.
Whilst we’re on the subject of parks the volunteers at Happy Valley Park deserve a special mention. Thank you for everything you do, cleaning up, reporting brambles under the play equipment (all cleared safely now) and getting the information board refurbished and back up and running. If you wish to put a notice in the board, please drop it into the Community Centre and they will pass it on.
Continuing the theme of volunteering, Woodingdean Wilderness Group are another group of volunteers that have fed into our work as councillors. The group have been happy for us to share their work with the wider council, through providing photographs, reports and biodiversity surveys. Our chair of City Environment, South Downs & The Sea, Cllr Tim Rowkins has passed the information onto the Parks service as an excellent example of how reduced managed mowing can support biodiversity. Woodingdean leading the way! It couldn’t be done without our fabulous groups of volunteers so please get involved if you can.
We both met with the Safer Better Streets team over the summer to discuss parking, traffic calming and look into how we can work with them to improve safety on our streets. They are still assessing which crossing is right for the top of Falmer Road connecting both sides of the Drove Road path. Their recommendation will come forward later this year. Jacqui is taking the lead on traffic related issues so if you have concerns or suggestions, please get in touch.
We continue to support council tenants with their concerns, including damp issues and housing repairs.
Jacob went to Labour Party conference in Liverpool in October, and had useful conversations with trade union campaigners, charities, and businesses. He gave Gatwick Airport a grilling over their second runway expansion plans, talked to the Fire Brigades Union over the impact of fire and rescue service cuts in Sussex, and spoke to the National Farmers Union about how we as a City Council can better support our farmers and agricultural workers.
As your elected Labour councillors, it is important to us to support residents in any way we can. If you want to get in touch you can email us, use the Contact your Councillor section of the Council’s website, or come along to one of our surgeries at the Holy Cross church on Warren Road at 10-11.30am on the second Saturday of every month.
