THE Forest of Dean District Council has appointed eight Member Champions to work with officers to support residents, community groups and partners on things that impact the community.
The Member Champions will sit within the Thriving Communities portfolio with Cabinet Member, Cllr Jackie Dale, and provide a link across a variety of different subjects, working with officers at the Council, but will also be connected to a network of groups and people with skills in their field. The council says they are working to assist and support communities across the Forest.
The eight Member Champions appointed at Forest of Dean District Council include Armed Forces Champion Cllr Alan Preest, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and the Voice of the Seldom Heard Champion Cllr Trevor Roach, Community Wellbeing Supporting Young People Champion Cllr David Wheeler and Live Longer Better Champion Cllr Beth Llewellyn.
Also appointed was Financial Inclusion and Advice Services Champion Cllr Di Martin, Retrofit Champion Cllr Allison Bruce, River Water Quality Champion Cllr Andrew McDermid, and Active Travel Champion Cllr Richard Burton.
Cllr Adrian Birch, Leader of Forest of Dean District Council said: “The Member Champions are incredibly important to the Council and provide a fantastic link between officers, councillors, and those across the Forest supporting great work for their communities.
“Engagement is one of the Council’s key priorities and by having Member Champions in place, we're working together so that the voices of partners, residents and local groups are heard for the betterment of our communities.
“There are now eight member champions in place, working with a variety of different groups, and I look forward to learning more about the incredible work being developed as we progress.”
Cllr Jackie Dale, Cabinet Member for Thriving Communities said: “Our Member Champions play a vital role in bringing together knowledge, experience, and community voices. By connecting with local groups and networks, they help ensure we’re making informed decisions that reflect the real needs of people across the Forest.
"We’re really pleased to see councillors from all parties working together in these roles, showing how cross-party collaboration can make a real difference for our communities.
"I’d also like to thank the members for stepping up to take on these important roles and for their commitment to supporting our communities.”
Each Forest of Dean District Council Member Champion is the spokesperson for the policy area or 'portfolio' they are responsible for.
For example, Cllr Alan Preest, The Armed Forces Champion, works with officers from the Armed Forces Support Network at the Forest of Dean District Council to support serving and past members of the Armed Forces and their families.
Another example is Cllr Andrew Mcdermid, The River Water Quality Champion, who works with members of the Council's Water Improvement Group to identify and measure pollution sources, monitor and publish the data, and to involve the public.
Full information on the Forest of Dean District Council Member Champions and each of their portfolios can be found on the Forest of Dean District Council website.
Comments
This article has no comments yet. Be the first to leave a comment.