My roles and responsibilities

Every elected councillor sits on the full Council. This is where the borough sets its budget, approves the Council Plan, makes the big strategic decisions on housing, planning policy and finance, and holds the Executive to account in the chamber.

What I can affect or influence

• Vote on the annual budget and council tax.
• Vote on the Council Plan and other strategic policies.
• Question the Leader, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holders.
• Move and second motions on issues that matter to Greenlands and Lakeside.

Overview and Scrutiny is the council's check on the Executive. It looks at decisions before they are taken, reviews their impact afterwards, and runs in-depth task-and-finish reviews of services that residents tell us are not working. As chair, I set the agenda and decide which services are pulled in for proper examination.

What I can affect or influence

• Set the committee's work programme for the year.
• Call in Executive decisions for further scrutiny.
• Commission task-and-finish reviews on specific services.
• Invite officers, portfolio holders and external witnesses to give evidence.
• Publish recommendations the Executive must respond to in writing.

Overview and Scrutiny at Redditch BC ↗

This is the statutory scrutiny committee for community safety, with powers granted under the Police and Justice Act. It holds the local Community Safety Partnership to account for how it tackles crime, anti-social behaviour and disorder in Redditch. As chair, this is the seat I use to push hard on what residents tell me are the safety priorities for our streets.

What I can affect or influence

• Scrutinise the work of the North Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership.
• Require the partnership to attend, answer questions and provide data.
• Set the annual scrutiny agenda for community safety.
• Publish recommendations to the Partnership and to the Executive.

Planning is the committee that decides applications too significant or contentious to be decided by officers under delegation. Decisions are taken against the Local Plan and national policy, not on a member's personal view. The committee is also where members can hold officers to account on how the planning service is run.

What I can affect or influence

• Vote on planning applications that come before the committee.
• Ask for site visits before voting on a controversial application.
• Question officer recommendations and propose conditions.
• Push for better engagement with residents on major applications.

This is the regional scrutiny committee covering the work of the West Midlands Combined Authority and the Mayor of the West Midlands. It looks at transport, skills, housing, regeneration and the regional economy on behalf of all constituent authorities.

What I can affect or influence

• Scrutinise WMCA decisions that affect Redditch and Worcestershire.
• Speak up for north Worcestershire residents in a regional setting.
• Track regional spending that should be reaching our area.

The Health and Wellbeing Board is the statutory partnership for health, social care and public health across Worcestershire. It brings together the NHS, the local authorities and other partners to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities.

What I can affect or influence

• Attend in place of the lead member when needed.
• Bring frontline NHS and social care perspectives from my nursing background.
• Champion the health needs of Greenlands and Lakeside residents.

The statutory partnership of councils, police, fire and other agencies that delivers community safety across Redditch, Bromsgrove and Wyre Forest. Sits closely alongside my chair role on Crime and Disorder Scrutiny.

What I can affect or influence

• Attend partnership meetings in place of the lead member when needed.
• Carry ward-level intelligence on anti-social behaviour into the partnership.

The audit committee for the WMCA. Reviews internal and external audit, financial reporting, risk management and governance arrangements across the combined authority.

What I can affect or influence

• Stand in on audit and risk scrutiny when the lead member can't attend.
• Push for transparency in how WMCA spends public money.

The board overseeing the West Midlands' shared agency-staff arrangement, which the constituent councils use to manage temporary staffing more efficiently and at lower cost.

What I can affect or influence

• Stand in on board meetings when the lead member can't attend.
• Hold the shared service to account on value for money and standards.

Local association working alongside the council on regeneration and place-based partnerships in Redditch.

What I can affect or influence

• Represent the council in the association's work.
• Connect local ideas in the ward to the wider regeneration conversation.

Redditch's long-standing twinning and friendship link with Mtwapa, Kenya. The committee oversees educational, cultural and community exchanges between the two places.

What I can affect or influence

• Help govern the Link's exchange programmes and events.
• Champion cross-cultural community work in Redditch.