Kent County Council Member’s Annual Review 2011/2012

Bryan Sweetland

Conservative Member for Gravesham Rural Division

A year at County Hall. Serving Kent. Serving You.

Kent County Council has 84 Work at County Hall Members representing every part of the County. Bryan has been serving Attending meetings isn’t all the community of Gravesham Rural councillors do, in fact most of their as a Member since 2009. time is spent out and about meeting He was last elected in 2009 and, like people in their community, doing all KCC Members, serves for a four their best to help solve problems year term of office. The next KCC and finding out what matters most elections take place on 2 May 2013. to them. However, when decisions are taken by the council, their job is About Bryan to be thered an put across the views of their constituents. Bryan Sweetland joined the County Council in June 2009. He was a Bryan has attended 8 out of 8 senior manager for over 30 years in meetings of the Full Council. Kent Golf Club. He is also a member the Telecommunication industry at of Gravesend and Meopham Rotary a local and international level. He Find out more about the meetings Club. has extensive business experience Bryan has attended. in the UK, European and North Bryan has been very active in the American market places, covering http://www.kent.gov.uk/your_coun campaign not to build huge sales and marketing, new business cil.aspx numbers of new houses on the development, product management and customer relations. green belt in Gravesham. Last year he met with the Planning Minister, Contacting Your Councillor He also serves as a Borough Greg Clark and put forward the Councillor since 2007 and is the concerns that local people had Elected Members are here to help member of Gravesham Borough about Gravesham Borough Council's residents, organisations and Council and represents Istead Rise Local Development Framework businesses with enquiries about KCC Ward. He was the Cabinet Member (LDF), subsequently theF LD was services. They are probably a good for Commercial Services and changed. Bryan was also the first starting point for other enquiries Business from May 2007 – February local councillor to speak out against too. plans to build a Lower Thames 2009. Crossing through a corridor to the To contact Bryan: Up until recently, he was a Non‐ east of Gravesham, which he said Executive Director of NHS West would be environmental vandalism. Kent PCT and Kent Community Pictured above he is looking at the By Post Health Trust and a Board member existing Dartford Crossing from the 52 Downs Road of Gravesham Churches Housing River Thames, to view another of Istead Rise Association. Bryan enjoys playing the options, which is to build Gravesend golf, and is a member of the Mid another bridge at Dartford. Kent Member’s Community Grant KCC has found a great way to help fund local community groups and organisations AllowancesEach Member of KCC without fuss or too much bureaucracy. Every year, each KCC Member may allocate receives a basic allowance (salary) to compensate them for the time £10,000 to worthwhile causes within their community. spent on their duties and to meet Here’s how Bryan spent his last year: many of the day‐to‐day expenses of Computer Replacement – Gravesham CAB ‐ £1,000 being a Councillor. Food Policy Development –e Th Gr@and ‐ £218 Some Members also receive a Cyclo Park Community Project – Kent Thameside ‐ £500 Special Responsibility Allowance Embrace the Game – Guru Nanak Football Club ‐ £250 (SRA) when they take on extra Big 7 Fringe Festival – Hummingbirds Community Events Group Heritage Quarter ‐ £500 duties such as serving as a member Epilepsy Support in the Community – Gravesend Epilepsy Network ‐ £500 of the Cabinet, Leader of the Fishing Line Including Fishing Holiday Programme and NOCN course – Community Opposition or Chairman of a committee. Youth Tutor ‐ £900 County Councillors can only claim Community Light Procession Gravesham – Kent Equality Cohesion Council ‐ £400 the usual expenses that most Healthy Lives, Healthy Mind – Asian Womens Group ‐ £500 businesses would pay for. Partial Salary Towards Part Time Co‐ordinator – Gravesend Street Pastors ‐ £500 These are for actual costs for Gravesham Green Fingers – North West Kent Countryside Partnership ‐ £250 example reimbursement for fuel Fun on the Green – Gloucestor Road Neigbourhood Watch ‐ £125 and travel which they have incurred 121 Young Carers Project – Voluntary Action within Kent – 1,000 whilst carrying out their duties as Making Rochester Road Wheelchair Access – KASBAH ‐ £500 County Councillor. Community Training Room – African Caribbean Forum ‐ £500 View Members allowances and Space Kids Club 2011‐12 – Revitalising our Communities ‐ £335 expenses Still I Rise – The Gr@and ‐ £100 Monkey Bizz Party – The Parents Consortium ‐ £250 Homeless Drop in Soup and Rolls – GASP ‐ £250 166th Town Regatta – Gravesend Regatta Committee ‐ £672 Refurbishment – Christopher Centre ‐ £500 Roots Wood Reuse – Roots Timber Reuse ‐ £250 If you want to suggest a local group which could benefit from the Member’s Community Grant then you’ll find your local Councillor’s contact details on the front page. Member’s Highway Fund

KCC recognises that local Members are well placed to decide which small transport and highways schemes would be most useful to their communities. That’s why each Member is allocated £25,000 to spend on local schemes. It’s called the Members Highway Fund and here’s how it was spent last year... Request forr fou new signs to ease HGV congestion in the Windmill Hill Conservation area ‐ £841.35

Proposal for the replacement of bus stops shelters in Gravesend, 55 new bus stops ‐ £12,500.00 To make a contribution towards the ‘Green Travel Roadshow’ for Riverhead Junior School ‐ £250.00 Tree replacement in the Gravesham East area ‐ £11,408.65 M y achievements this year, and ambitions for next year As KCC’s Cabinet member for Environment and Transport, my Kent wide responsibility has focused on ensuring Kent’s roads are safe and in a good condition, 700,000 tons of household and domestic waste is disposed of or recycled and our environment is free for over development and our precious greenbelt is protected for future generations. As a County Councillor representing first Gravesham East and then Gravesham Rural, I have made every effort to ensure that both KCC and Gravesham Borough Council have been challenged to respond to the needs of our local community. A major focus has been obtaining and distributing grants to support charities, community groups, Parish Council and residents associations and other deserving causes. Helping the young, the elderly and the unemployed, these grants have ranged from a few hundred pounds supporting a scout group or youth activity to as much as £3000 assisting in the refurbishment of a community hall. Over the last 3 years, over £150,000 of grant money has been put to good use within organisations in the area that I represent.

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