This is an account of the work I have done in Congleton Town Council in the two months since my previous blog.
Please get in touch if you’d like to discuss any aspect of my work in the local community: cllrsusan.mead@congleton-tc.gov.uk.
Childcare
I have been taking part in a consultation with Cheshire East’s Early Years team discussing perspectives from nurseries and childminders on the Local Authorities’ behalf, to help inform our Sufficiency Assessment processes – with a focus on the evolving roll out of the extended early years funding entitlements and continued availability and accessibility to wraparound childcare.
We covered lots of topics and we identified a number of issue that childcare providers are facing currently. It is hoped that the feedback given can shape future and improve things for childcare providers .
Some of the issues raised have been around getting better funding for childcare, the current pressures on nurseries and looking at support that providers need to support children with special educational needs.
Helping hands
I have been supporting phone residents by volunteering to make phone calls to prevent social isolation as part of the Befriending and Buddying service. It’s a role that I get a lot of pleasure from and has been beneficial to residents.
Fly tipping
I have been working hard to help liaise with some of our local community companies responsible for tackling fly tipping. It has been one of my concerns that for a while now the groups have been working independently and not really communicating which leads to tasks overlapping. My vision was to make it more effective and efficient.
By working to establish relationships with the different groups and giving this information to the our local communities liaison groups, they have managed to have a group meeting with all the parties. The outcome of this has meant that although we cant stop fly tippers the way that the rubbish is being collected is more efficient now and the local housing providers are working with the Town Council’s StreetScape service more effectively.
Grants for Community Projects
In my role as Chair of the Bromley Farm Hub Group, have applied for and successfully been awarded a number of grants for our local community so that the events at The Bromley Farm Hub can continue to function.
I have been successful at getting some funds for the Friendship Garden and for the Stay and Play group. These grants are important to make sure that these groups have all the resources that they need. This includes a significant grant from the Lottery Community Fund.
Health Services
This year hasn’t been the best for my health, and I spent time in hospital during the first few months. During that time, I saw first-hand the immense pressure our NHS is under. I was one of the patients cared for in a corridor — without privacy and dignity — and I experienced being moved between wards late at night. These are not the standards anyone wants, and they reflect a system under extreme strain rather than a lack of dedication from staff.
What struck me most was how incredibly hard NHS workers are working in very pressured environments. Their professionalism and compassion remain remarkable, even when the system around them is stretched beyond capacity.
Since leaving hospital, I have spoken with staff and the PALS team to better understand the pressures they face and to explore what can be improved locally. While this is clearly a national crisis, there are actions we can take at a local level.
Locally, I am supporting health services in a number of ways:
- The Bromley Farm Hub on Parnell Square provides a space for drug, alcohol and stop-smoking groups.
- I work with the local authority to ensure mental health needs are properly recognised and supported, and support local early intervention mental health groups.
- Championing preventative public health measures, including physical activity programmes – for example, I am currently establishing a chair fit group for our community.
- Supporting sexual health and substance misuse services.
Prevention, strong community services, and properly supported staff are key to reducing hospital pressures and ensuring patients are treated with dignity.
I will continue to look at practical ways I can support our NHS locally and advocate for better conditions for both patients and staff.
Antisocial Behaviour
Residents have been raising concerns with me around antisocial behaviour in Bromley Farm. I know that even relatively low-level issues can have a big impact on how safe and comfortable people feel in their own neighbourhood.
I am working closely with:
- Local neighbourhood police officers
- The Council’s community safety team
- Housing providers
- The Residents’ Forum Group at the Bromley Farm Hub
The focus is not only on enforcement where necessary, but also on prevention, early engagement and support. In many cases, antisocial behaviour can be linked to wider issues, and addressing those root causes is key to long-term improvement.
We are looking at:
- Better communication between residents and local services
- Youth engagement and positive activities
- Early support for families where needed
- Clear reporting routes so concerns can be logged and monitored
The Equality Party 