This week has seen the latest batch of members training. An excellent presentation on Treasury Management was given to us on Tuesday and left all members that attended under no illusions of the financial mess that the country is in.
Yesterday though, members were given an update on the preparations for the 2011 census. This again is a very important subject as it was estimated that Southend's poulation was miss councted by some 16,000 during the last census in 2001 costing the council £85 million!
At the end of the update a short presentation was given on the Southend Together Partnership. The facilitator was giving members some useful information on how the data is collected and used.
One of the members that attended last night was Cllr Mike Stafford, Independent Party member for Thorpe ward.
Since Mike's election nearly two years ago, Mike has said little and hardly contributed much to important debates. Whilst I have a lot of time for Mike in the sense that he is the only 'Independent' who has never stood or belonged to a political party.
I have wondered if Mike's heart is really in it or he did not expect the role of a councillor to be what it is but an intresting episode happened last night to make me think again.
The facilitator was giving some stats on Thorpe ward when this happened:
Facilitator: Are there any members here from Thorpe Ward as I want to reassure them that I am not picking on them.
(Long pause)
Conservative Councillor: Mike you represent Thorpe ward don't you?
Cllr Mike Stafford: Er um well yes do I?
After being a councillor for nearly two years, yes, Cllr Mike Stafford didn't know what ward he represented! As a quick reminder for Mike on census day in 2011:
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