The busier and more interesting it gets, the harder it is to find time for reflection. Here are some recent snippets.

Monday 10^th – met with resident and owner of a business in Kelham Island for walkabout to see  parking and traffic issues in the area: as it moves from being a collection of derelict sites to having more housing and businesses, both are becoming problematic. It also has a fair amount of commuter parking. Officers have told us they will be assessing the need and desire for a residents parking permit zone. But there needs to be an assessment of traffic movement and danger too.

Tuesday 11^th – much of the afternoon supporting a woman whose son has been sectioned, i.e. detained on a psychiatric ward. There was an interpreter, but the cultural gulf was too big to bridge and I fear the boy won’t get the same all-round assessment as if he had a family who understood the western medical system. I contacted the mental health CAB who will provide advocacy for him, but she remains confused and guilty.

Friday 14^th – meeting with other councillors (Cabinet member and Scrutiny Chair) and officers to hear Marcus Westbury of Renew Newcastle (Australia) who has set up a project to get empty shops into use by entrepreneurs. He had been brought here by the University of Sheffield and had talked to groups large and small during the week and met people trying to get similar projects off the ground here (CADS and Common People). Will our city council play ball with them in the light of this example?

Sunday 15^th – talked to people in Springfield Estate where, guess what, commuter parking is a big problem. In this case they need double yellow lines to protect entrances and drives …