Roger Manning
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Kent County Council Member’s Annual Review 2011/2012 Roger Manning Conservative Member for Cranbrook Division A year at County Hall. Serving Kent. Serving You. Kent County Council has 84 informal sessions, (sometimes on a comments) I convened and chaired Members representing every part of Chairman’s 1:1), have been resolved a public meeting, which was well the County. Roger has been serving without the need to convene the laid on by officers, well attended the community of Cranbrook as a full Scrutiny Committee with the and promoted constructive debate. Member since 2002. supporting reports and Officer Work at County Hall He was last elected in 2009 and, like attendance. Attending meetings isn’t all all KCC Members, serves for a four My other activities come under 2 councillors do, in fact most of their year term of office. The next KCC headings; County delegated time is spent out and about meeting elections take place on 2 May 2013. responsibilities and my Divisional people in their community, doing About Roger Electorate responsibilities. their best to help solve problems Regarding my delegated and finding out what matters most At County Hall my main responsibilities, as Chairman of the to them. However, when decisions responsibility has been Chair of the TWJTB, apart from the more are taken by the council, their job is Scrutiny Committee. I also sit on obvious duties of chairmanship, to be there tand pu across the views the Planning Applications with the support of members, I have of their constituents. Committee; the Environment been able to work off line on a Highways and Waste Committee, Roger has attended 8 out of 8 number of issues including the meetings of the Full Council. where I have led 2 working sub Tunbridge Wells transport strategy, Find out more about the meetings groups; the Regulation Committee, North Farm traffic flow problems Roger has attended. including the specialist panels, and and as lead member of a working http://www.kent.gov.uk/your_coun more recently the Leaders Advisory group investigating the future of cil.aspx group. brick paving in Tunbridge Wells. Externally I am the rotating My Youth Advisory Group Contacting Your Councillor Chairman of Tunbridge Wells area commitments have extended to, Elected Members are here to help Joint Transport Board and Chairman (unsuccessfully as yet) locating, residents, organisations and of the Tunbridge Wells area Youth acquiring and setting up an businesses with enquiries about KCC Advisory Group. operational and facilities centre in services. They are probably a good The new protocols have given the town of Tunbridge Wells. starting point for other enquiries Scrutiny broader powers but most In my Division apart from assisting too. importantly the ability to investigate individuals on local problems and To contact Roger: and endeavour to resolve issues in a their interface with our County By Post more time and cost effective Administration, the siting issues of Bramley Dial, Cranbrook Road, manner. The issues can still be the proposed new Benenden related to Cabinet Member Benenden, Cranbrook, Primary School have taken up much decisions but any material decision Kent TN17 4ET of my "local" time. Following or event within the Administration By Telephone allegations that I was not properly can now fall within the powers of representing my community and the 01580 240644 Scrutiny. To date, five of the issues selected site was an internal "done By email that Scrutiny have considered in deal", (amongst other similar [email protected] Allowances Each Member of KCC receives a Member’s Community Grant basic allowance (salary) to compensate them for the time KCC has found a great way to help fund local community groups and organisations spent on their duties and to meet without fuss or too much bureaucracy. Every year, each KCC Member may allocate many of the day‐to‐day expenses of £10,000 to worthwhile causes within their community. being a Councillor. Some Members also receive a Here’s how Roger spent his last year: Special Responsibility Allowance Equipment – Benenden Players ‐ £1,550 (SRA) when they take on extra Youth Club – PlayPlace Innov8 ‐ £1,000 duties such as serving as a member Kitchen Refurbishment – Hawkhurst Scouts ‐ £1,000 of the Cabinet, Leader of the Home Visiting Team Laptop & Keys – Tunbridge Wells & District Citizens Advice Opposition or Chairman of a Bureau ‐ £1,314 committee. Replacement Hall Chairs – St George’s Institute, Sissinghurst ‐ £1,156 County Councillors can only claim Improving Training Facilities – Tunbridge Wells & District Samaritans ‐ £1,400 the usual expenses that most Oudoor Life Skills Programme – Challenger Troop CIC ‐ £2,580 businesses would pay for. These are for actual costs for example reimbursement for fuel If you want to suggest a local group which could benefit from the Member’s and travel which they have incurred Community Grant then you’ll find your local Councillor’s contact details on the whilst carrying out their duties as front page. County Councillor. View Members allowances and expenses 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 Member’s Highway Fund and here’s how it was spent last year... The members for Tunbridge Wells contributed funds to the School Keep Clear enforcement project, in conjunction with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council ‐ £1,166.00 Link Hill, Sandhurst – contribution towards A268 Rye Road Safety Improvement Scheme resurfacing ‐ £12,500.00 Financial support for a six month trial period to extend the Arriva Sunday bus service 5 to include publicity ‐ £5,220.50 The Street, Benenden drainage scheme – contribution to KCC Highways & Transportation Drainage Team ‐ £5,000.00 Cranbrook town centre – proposed traffic calming build‐outs in and the removal of most speed cushions ‐ £20,000.00 Walkhurst Road, Benenden footway improvements ‐ £8,000.00 Contribution to Green Travel Roadshow ‐ £250.00 Frittenden drainage system (near Bell & Jorrocks PH) ‐ £2,000.00 A268 Queen St/Rye Rd – directional school sign ‐ £400.00 My achievements this year, and ambitions for next year As I am not presenting myself for re‐election this will be my final report. I arrived at County Hall via a By‐Election straight out of the construction industry without any political aspirations or preconceived notions. On reflection I brought with me a culture of team‐ work and on time delivery which for 40 years out of necessity had been my way of life. After 10 years in this job, I want to record that although in the first few years there were pockets of resistance to joined up working, this was flushed out and I have been proud to be part of an administration that has become lean but not mean. From my outside experience, as a team Kent County Council is one of the most committed Government organisations, that delivers. In June, hopefully, I will be catching up with my life and spending more time with my partner, my horses and in France, but I will miss County Hall. Want better broadband? Tell us at www.makekentquicker.com .