About Myself | |
| Cllr Veronica Hudson, Chair |
A Warringtonian born and bred, I moved into the Great Sankey area some 20 years ago and soon became interested in the Community as a whole. My children attended local schools, my daughter went to the Brownies and later Girl Guides, and my son played for local football and rugby teams, and now attends the local college.
I work locally, supporting disabled adults living independently, and as well as caring for a disabled parent, I still manage to find time to fulfil my roles as a school governor and Parish Councillor.
Great Sankey is a very affluent Parish with more new housing complexes encompassing the area. All schools, both Primary and High, have received good Ofsted reports which is most pleasing for parents and new residents.
How I became a Councillor
I attended a few Council meetings and raised some issues in the public time regarding yob culture, dog fouling and antisocial behaviour particularly in the park next door to where I live. I had imagined that a Parish Council meeting in the local Community Centre would be like the Vicar of Dibley where one man and his dog attends and the Parish Councillors all look bemused! However, by attending and seeing for myself, I soon put that myth right.
After going to these meetings, it became clear that issues were not being addressed efficiently and so I raised them again as a concerned resident. Councillor Roy Smith impressed me at the time, and he later approached me about becoming a Councillor - I had first-hand experience of the issues in the area and knowing most residents and how they also felt about them, he believed I was an ideal candidate.
In 2004 I successfully stood for election with over 1000 votes - 2 years on I was elected as Vice-Chair, and am currently Chair of the Parish Council, a role which I feel most privileged to conduct.
What is Involved in being a Councillor
My role as a Parish Councillor is a voluntary one. It takes up some of my spare time, more so since becoming Chair of the Council, but the rewards are most satisfying because I am representing the Parish that I feel passionate about, and an area that I am proud of.
The full Council meet once a month, as do the Finance Committee; the sub-Committees meet as and when required. I am on the Employment Committee which was quite buoyant last year with both appointments of staff and retirements. I make arrangements to attend all meetings, as well as keeping in close liaison with the PCSOs and going on various relevant Councillor training courses in order to enhance my role.
| | I have attended many functions representing the Council, and feel very proud to do so, highlighting the Council and meeting personally the parishioners who voted us in. |
| At Park Road School fayre, July 2007 | |
The Council has accomplished many projects in the area, making this Parish a very pleasurable place to reside, and supports wholly local projects. Each month we hear from the PCSOs and crime is actually falling in the area, the more so as they are aware of hotspots through the Community Action Meetings and can conduct more intense patrols in target areas.
What the Future Holds
It is very important that we nurture the youth of today and in October we hold a Shadow Parish Council meeting as part of National Democracy Week, wherein we reinact a Council meeting with school children setting the agenda and taking on the role of Chair and Councillors. Perhaps in the future we will see them on the Council themselves!
When my term as Chair ends in May 2008, I hope to be re-elected as a Councillor so that I can continue to serve this constituency for another 4 years - a role I feel most humble to do.