My Time as the Milton Keynes Labour Party Secretary

I enjoyed my time as the Milton Keynes Labour Party Secretary, sadly I had to resign due to taking up the post as Parish Clerk at Loughton & Great Holm Parish Council, as they politically restricted my post.

My replacement is Carol Wood, I am pleased to say that I could give her a complete handover, unlike when I was voted in at the Annual General Meeting, I had with no paperwork or folders, I had to start everything from scratch, I had produced templates, folders copies of agendas and minutes, to do lists, and lists of agenda items for future meetings, action notes etc all on a pen drive and transferred to my successor.

I am proud to say that in my short time I had move things on to a more professional manner the following is by no means an exhaustive list but gives an indication of the work involved:

• Minuted and produced agendas for all meetings of the Executive Committee, All Members Meetings, Strategy Committee
• Oversaw and organized all matters relating to the selection of the Parliamentary Candidates for Milton Keynes North and South as Procedures Secretary
• Written up and sent to Head Office bids for campaign funds
• In regular contact and met with the Chair of the Milton Keynes Labour Party Cllr Camilla Turnbull 
• Appointed an Observer at Meetings of the Labour Group and met with the Chair of the Milton Keynes Labour Party and the Leader of the Labour Group Cllr Norman Miles to discuss matters beforehand
• Invited speakers to All Members Meetings such as Ellie Reeves of the Labour Party National Executive Committee (NEC)    

It was very hard work but very enjoyable although I hope Carol has many years yet in the role, but I hope when my personal circumstances change that I could go back to being the Secretary. 

Former Labour MP for Manchester Central Tony Lloyd addresses the All Members Meeting on Thursday 6th September 2012 at the Tinkers Bridge Meeting Place

From Left to Right Brian Barton (Secretary), Cllr Camilla Turnbull (Chair), Gareth Thomas MP for Harrow East and Shadow International Development Secretary. Thursday 1st March 2012. — at Activity Centre, Eaglestone .

         

Driving Mr McNicol

Saturday 11th May 2013

There was a good turnout at the All Members Annual General Meeting Held at the Warwick Road Activity Centre in Bletchley. I got the job of ticking in members as they came in from a list given to me by Kevin Wilson and gave those in the Milton Keynes South Constituency a voting form which added to the complications of trying to make sure I gave the voting slip to the right members. Speeches were made by Andrew Pakes PPC for Milton Keynes South and Emily Darlington PPC for Milton Keynes North Cllr Peter Marland Leader of the Labour Group and Guest Speaker Iain NcNicol General Secretary of the Labour Party (who I picked up from Milton Keynes Central Railway Station in the middle of the meeting with Jack Jenkins - Organisor, Iain was asking us questions in the car about the local party, and whether we had a Labour Hall, he also asked me to tell him a bit about myself!)
I drove them both back safely to Warwick Road and dropped them off and spent ages trying to find a parking space!
During the meeting I was tasked with trying to take photographs, but to no avail the room was too dark no matter how I tried I couldn't get a good picture so gave up. Luckily David Baume had a really good camera and seemed to be taking photographs so I did not worry too much and asked him to email some across to me.
When the meeting finished I was also asked to get as many of the Council Candidates together for group photographs with the Parliamentary Candidates I was like a bossy Teacher rounding them up from all corners of the room taking plates of sandwiches and the ladies case their handbags off them and put to one side, again David Baume came to the rescue with his expensive camera.   
I also had a chance to grab some sandwiches myself and speak to MEP candidates Maggie Hughes and James Watkins and Emily Westley, when leaving Iain McNicol who was getting a lift in Emily Darlington's car thanked me and one female MEP candidate gave me a lovely hug and a kiss which left me on a high which I never have done before when leaving a Labour Party AGM!    

Chairing My First Milton Keynes Labour Party All Members Meeting

Thursday 1st November 2011

Cllr Camilla Turnbull and the Vice - Chair Cllr Veronica Belcher were both unavailable so I was asked to Chair this All Members Meeting, must of done well as I got a round of applause at the end when I brought the meeting to a close at 9:30PM 

Left to Right Andrew Pakes, John Woodcock MP for Barrow and Furness and Shadow Transport Secretary, Brian Barton (Chair) and Alderman Kevin Wilson (Organiser) at the All Members Meeting. Thursday 1st November 2011. at the Trinity Centre, Fishermead.

Driving Ms Harman

Saturday 2nd March 2013

I had the pleasure of collecting Harriet Harman MP Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and her Office Manager from the Milton Keynes Central Railway Station with Cllr Elaine Wales (who I picked up from her home in Loughton).

Harriet did ask what car it was (a Fiat Panda) and said she liked it and used the vanity mirror as I was driving!

I dropped them all off at the Whaddon Way shops and parked opposite in the new offices of West Bletchley Council, when I crossed over the road Catherine told me that she left her handbag in the car so we back to retrieve it.

In should of got Elaine to ring through to find out where everyone was and then drove everyone to the street where the campaign team were, as we walked for what seemed forever as Harriet and Elaine had a head start I was breathlessly talking to Catherine.  

We found the team and Harriet knock on doors chatting to residents I spoke with Cllrs Norman Miles Hannah O'Neill Mohammed Khan Gladstone MacKenzie and Kevin Wilson.

One my other tasks was to take photographs as I was told that Rae Martin-Smith (Organiser) would be absent recovering from the Eastleigh by election, but disaster struck the camera was not charged, but as it turned out Rae was here after all! 

I managed to catch up with Harriet who said to me how much she could hear the birds in the trees unlike where she lives in London we talked about memoirs and Ed Milliband and her Children who had fled the nest to go to University!  

I was invited to go with Harriet, Catherine, Rae, Andrew Pakes and Emily Darlington to ASDA's at the Stadium MK for a photo opp with staff who had collected items from customers for the Foodbank. Somehow I managed to get lost I was driving on my own as everyone else went in Rae's car, and by the time I found a parking space and got into the ASDA store they were finished, but Emily asked me for a lift to Camilla Turnbull's house where everyone was going back to for sandwiches, she seemed very quiet on the way back, but as I was to learn afterwards she had a bad throat!  

Later on we went outside for a group photograph and Harriet gave a rousing motivational speech about campaigning.  

Everyone then departed to carry on campaigning, at Oxley Park, Kevin Wilson took Harriet and Catherine back to Milton Keynes Central, and before I left I handed back a large poster back to Rae as I took it from her at the Whaddon Way shops so she had more room in her car, I reminded Elaine that I also had her leaflets in the back of my car (as now she had borrowed her brothers car, which we went to another part of West Bletchley as I said I would help her deliver them.)

A very tiring but interesting day which I won't forget in a hurry!

Spring Edition of the Loughton Parish News 2013

Brian Barton New Parish Clerk 

I have been appointed as Parish Clerk for Loughton Parish Council since January 2^nd 2013.

I would like to thank my predecessor Jenny Wilcox for her showing me the ropes along with the Chair Cllr Peter Todd, and for the kind welcome that the Councillors have given me whilst I have been finding my feet.

I have recently attended a meeting of the Loughton and Great Holm Neighbourhood Action Group to introduce myself to the community leaders on that body and had an extensive tour of Loughton by Cllr Peter Todd and Great Holm by Cllr Peter Ballantyne which I am grateful for them sparing the time to do so.

I am also grateful to Ken Vaughan the Site Manager of the Specklands Allotment Site on Loughton for giving me a tour showing me the various types of plots and produces being grown by the tenants.

I have worked in the Parish and Town Council sector now for over 12 years as a Committee and Member Services Manager and I am CILCA qualified which is the industry preferred qualification for Parish Clerks, as well as previously having served as an Milton Keynes Councillor, a Parish Councillor, a School Governor and a Board/Committee member of a number of local organisations from the Milton Keynes Museum for Rural Life to the MacIntyre Care.  

I am looking forward to the challenge of this new appointment. My career has focussed in local parish administration and I have been interested in doing the senior officer role for quite some time. I think this is an excellent opportunity and I look forward to working with the members of the parish council and local stakeholders to develop further the work of the parish council.

If you have any questions concerning the Parish Council or you wish to contact me to introduce yourself I am always available and can be contacted by the following ways:

c/o 17, Mossdale

Heelands

Milton Keynes

MK13 7NE

Telephone: 07779261364

Email:  parish.clerk@loughtonmk-pc.gov.uk