mikedurke.co.uk
Cockett Councillor
I am one of the 75 councillors elected in 2022 to serve on Swansea Council. Our Labour controlled Council (we have 45 Labour councillors) takes a strong and strident approach to meeting the needs of the 240,000 people who live in our city and surrounding communities.
Swansea is divided into 32 geographical 'electoral divisions' or 'wards' and councillors are elected to represent one of these areas. I represent the area where I was born, Cockett Ward, along with fellow Councillors Oliver James, and Elliott King. Wales has a system of local government which designs and delivers services for 3.1m people, with 22 Councils and 1254 councillors.
Local government elections are held every 5 years with the next one due in 2027. Councillors have a basic allowance of £16,800 with enhanced payments for those who have additional responsibilities as the Leader, Deputy Leaders, Cabinet Members, and Committee Chairpersons who focus on the future direction of the Council. I have been the Chairperson of the Education and Skills Committee for the last three years.
Swansea Council employs around 11,000 officers to ensure that hundreds of services are designed and delivered effectively in schools, social services, planning, environmental health, highways, refuse collection and so many other areas. Officers have applied for and secured a job with the Council on either a permanent or fixed term basis. Councillors have been successful in election for the fixed 5-year period.
Community Engagement & Support
Councillors are the Council's representative in the community and the community's representative in the Council. It is a two-way street.
The role entails being accessible to all of the people who live in your community, to listen to their concerns and hopefully to help them with any problems they have. Queries are wide-ranging from complaints about potholes, missed refuse collections, dog mess and streetlights to issues relating to child welfare, schools admissions, and adult social care. We act as a bridge between the people and the specialist officers who work in the Council.
The role also entails trying to work collectively with colleagues to do our best for all of the people who live in Swansea. This can be challenging especially when money is tight. There is a link between money allocated by the London Government, which is passed to the Welsh Government, and then funds find their way to us in the Council. As councillors we are faced with a constant balancing act with services prioritised and funds allocated accordingly.
Having the opportunity to work closely with groups of people who are passionate about changing their own communities for the better is one of the real joys of the job.