‘Making Sure Our Community’s Voice Is Heard’: Updates from Compton and Peverell councillors

I love Compton – and I’m proud to be delivering for people in the place where I grew up. As a councillor it often feels like – no matter what political party you are in – you get constantly criticised for either not doing your ‘job’ properly or not delivering for your residents.

However, my experience over the last two years has been that all councillors are working hard for their communities and getting stuff done and it’s no different here in Compton.

In the past year alone I have been very pleased to work with Cllr Angela Penrose to:

• Secure more frequent grass cutting for Hartley Vale Green
• Deliver a new, safer crossing for the top of Mutley Plain (arriving in the summer)
• Arrange more frequent police patrols in Collings Park to address antisocial behaviour
• Work with Peverell councillors to protect Mutley Park from any future unauthorised encampments
• Save Mutley Post Office from closure; and support the safer school street at Compton Primary

This is just a tiny snippet of the stuff that we are getting done in Compton, working closely with residents and groups like Mutley Traders and Compton PTA.

Beyond local ward activity, I am pleased to have been appointed as the council’s Night Time Economy Champion. Going forward I will be working hard to support night time economy businesses across the city. That will include businesses in Compton, where we are lucky to have some of the best pubs in the city!

Sometimes being a councillor can feel like a thankless task, and I’m ok with that – why would people like politicians? But whenever I have the chance to look back on the work that I am doing in Compton, I know that I am delivering on the little things that really matter to people. We are getting stuff done, and that’s not going to change.

Compton is a wonderfully varied ward, with special green spaces and bustling Mutley Plain.

I love getting involved with local activities such as the Christmas Fair and summer events at Compton Primary School. A community workshop at the school on sustainable action at the local level has led to our monthly Repair Café at Mutley Baptist Church. Expert volunteers – our ‘fixers’ – try their hand at repairing whatever people bring in: jewellery, clothes, clocks, radios are all things we are tempted to throw away but can be fixed. People enjoy a cup of coffee while their favourite things are mended.

As well as our local responsibilities councillors have a city-wide role as members of the scrutiny committees that oversee council policies and decisions.

I sit on the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee, adult social care being one of the statutory services local authorities must provide. Maintaining appropriate and personalised care when costs, demand, and complexity of need are rising is challenging.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) recently gave Plymouth City Council’s service a ‘Good’ rating overall, and an ‘Outstanding’ standard in ensuring everyone, regardless of background, receives fair and personalised support.

I was delighted that the CQC said the council had ‘a strong commitment to collaborative working’ as it is inspiring to watch how the various partners work in a joined-up way on such essential areas as End of Life Care, planning for winter pressures and supporting people to remain independent for as long as possible.

As Plymouth’s Welcoming City Champion I also have many opportunities to attend events involving the diverse communities in our city such as the monthly international dinner at Sherwell Church where students and others from all over the world come together.

Peverell is a special place to me. It’s where I raised my family, where neighbours look out for one another, and where people care deeply about the streets, parks and local services that make this community what it is. That sense of pride in our neighbourhood is what drives me as your councillor.

My job is simple: to be a strong voice for Peverell and make sure our community gets the attention it deserves. Last year many residents were rightly concerned when an unauthorised encampment caused disruption and damage at Mutley Park, one of our most cherished green spaces.

I worked quickly with council officers and the police to get the situation resolved and pushed for reinforcements to be installed around the park. Those protections are now in place so we can reduce the risk of repeat incidents this year and keep the park open and welcoming for everyone.

At Central Park, I continue to hold feet to the fire on the ponds project and we are steadily making progress. Like many residents, I’ve been frustrated that progress hasn’t always been as quick as we would like. But the heavy works are now complete and planting is under way, with meadow grass, trees and hedgerows going in across the site.

Over the next few months we should finally see the original vision come to life and a beautiful space restored for families, walkers and wildlife.

In February I was pleased to vote through the council’s budget, which safeguarded the Number 30 and 31 bus for residents who rely on it across Peverell. I’ve fought behind the scenes to keep this service running ever since the previous administration took it away, and this budget secures its medium-term future.

Thank you to the residents who use the bus and have taken the time to reach out and say how much it means to them. For me, it’s always Peverell before party.

I’ll keep speaking up, pushing for practical solutions, and making sure our community’s voice is heard.

Over the past year, I have focused on championing community wellbeing, supporting essential local services, and ensuring that Plymouth grows in an inclusive and sustainable way.

A privilege of being a councillor is awarding community grants to organisations that strengthen our neighbourhoods. This year, I have been proud to support several vital services.

Blooming Well, a therapeutic gardening initiative, who offer a calm, restorative environment for people recovering from cancer, helping rebuild wellbeing.

I have also worked with our local Children’s Centre to help establish a new baby group at Hope Baptist Church, giving new parents a friendly and supportive space to connect.

In addition, I have supported WISER at Plymouth Highbury Trust, a crucial project that helps people with learning disabilities recognise domestic abuse and form safer, healthier relationships.

Each of these groups plays an important role in protecting and empowering our community.

I have worked closely with the Safer Streets team to address parking concerns around school gates, encouraging safer habits, reducing inconsiderate parking, supporting families and schools in keeping children safe during busy dropoff and pick-up times.

In Mutley Park, I have supported repairs and the installation of new defence measures to prevent unauthorised encampments, helping ensure the park remains safe, secure, and accessible for everyone. In the council chamber, I was proud to second a motion urging the government to scrap the two-child benefit cap – a policy that has pushed many families into hardship.

I welcomed the national action taken to remove the cap, marking meaningful progress for fairness and family welfare.

I continue to serve on the Natural Infrastructure and Growth Scrutiny Panel, guided by my social work values I seek to advocate and promote diverse community needs to ensure they are fully considered as our city grows.

I remain committed to supporting residents, championing fairness, and helping build a Plymouth that works for all.

Now into my seventh year as one of your councillors in Peverell, I’m still enormously proud to be standing up for residents in a part of the city that I love and where I raised my family.

Peverell is a wonderful community and I’m working hard all year round with Cllr Jeremy Goslin and Cllr Jaime Bannerman. Residents will remember that in spring last year, a significant unauthorised encampment was set up in Mutley Park.

I am delighted that we, as your three ward councillors, were able to allocate money to strengthen the perimeter of the park and hopefully ensure this doesn’t happen again. I was pleased also to use some of my community grant money to support Hyde Park Junior School’s PTFA with their leavers event.

We have a number of brilliant community organisations in Peverell, and I have been pleased to support the LARK Children’s Centre with their new baby group at Hope Baptist Church and the Highbury Trust with their project to support women with learning disabilities to spot and identify domestic abuse and build safer relationships.

They are two organisations in our community doing incredible work. Beyond Peverell, I have continued in my role as chair of the council’s Audit and Governance Committee – ensuring good governance at all levels of the council.

If I can ever be of any support to residents with casework issues, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.