Positive work done!
As promised- I am continuing to tell the story of the good things I am doing that have not been covered on the blog. In this episode, I will show just a few of the many emails I send on behalf of my constituents and myself. Unfortunately-most of the correspondence I do is sensitive, and I can’t publish it, so I had to choose only those that wouldn’t violate anyone’s privacy.
ART PROJECT
This time, I had to write a series of emails about an art project whose premise is to show young people that even in Shirebrook, it is possible to do things that are not created anywhere else. I tried to start this project before, but I failed. I’m not particularly eager to fail. Usually, when I fail, I take a step back, analyse the reasons for the failure and try again. This art project is no different.
I cut the idea premise to the bone and rewrote the script entirely from scratch so a scene could be shot even if only two people turned up. Naturally, this makes the film a bit less exciting. Still, it is enough to build an engaging narrative, introduce the audience to the problems of modern youth and at the same time show that it is possible to do something like this, which might encourage more people to participate. In short, I have reduced the ambition from a series to a single episode.
To get started, I need to prove to the young people I want to involve that I can organise everything, and they need to come and take part. The assumption that young people will want to help organise everything while learning what to do was wrong. They have to come and feel like movie stars from the first moment. To achieve this- I need many little pieces to be prepared earlier. So I did some preliminary work, like finding a professional camera operator, writing and printing the scripts for table reads, finding premises to rehearse etc. In this case, I am working to obtain permits from the owners of the land where I plan to set up the film set.
Below you will read a letter to one of the landowners requesting authorisation for a “shooting day” on their land. In this instance, it’s STC. I sent similar letters to several other organisations and contacted one landowner via Facebook because I know him personally – I got his permission without any problem. So at the moment, I have one confirmed location. I need at least one more to make the storyline work. I still don’t know if I will be able to realise this project, but I am very positive about it, and I am going to fight with all my strength to make it a reality.
Anyway, I sent several similar (but not the same – each email had a different introduction and ending) sounding emails. I need just one of them to work. The place that is a priority for me is Market Square. In my opinion, a film telling the story of Shirebrook without a shot from this location will be doomed to artistic failure because it will leave out a key part of the town.
Dear Sir/Madam
My name is Sylwester Zwierzynski and Im writing this email not as a councillor but as an artist living in Shirebrook who trying to start new art project in town.
Some time ago I tried to organise an arts project for young people in Shirebrook (I tried to make a film/webseries with the action set in Shirebrook). At the time I failed, and as I don’t like to fail I have analysed the mistakes made, modified the project objectives and decided to try again for much smaller scale to prove to young people that even in Shirebrook you can do something cool.
In order to better prepare for the shooting days I have made contact with the British Film Board. Following their guidance and advice, I am applying to Shirebrook Town Council for permission to shoot scenes in Market Square and B-roll in Town Park (b-roll is the imagery used to add variety to a film during long monologues, opening credits etc; b-roll will be used to showcase the best of Shirebrook).
B-roll will also be shot (if allowed) in front of SportsDirect and on land owned by The Land Trust (Brook Park). I am in the process of applying for similar permissions from the owners of this land.
According to advice from the British Film Board- artists filming in public places in the UK are not covered by GDPR restrictions although the film crew must obtain permission from the landowner. Passers-by do not have the right to request that their faces be removed from the resulting film, although the artists I spoke to recommended that shots with random people should be avoided at all costs as they tend to stare at the camera and therefore spoil the shot. The artist who will be the camera operator has many years of experience in television and the film industry, and the whole crew will avoid contact with local people.
The main change from the first edition of the project will be a change in the age limit of the actors in order to avoid working with children, although the film group will employ an experienced Youth Worker who will take care of the safety of the young actors and observe all the rules customary when working with people aged 16-18, notify police etc.
In conclusion- I am asking the Operations Committee of STC to grant me permission to shoot the film in Market Square. The filming will take place during the lowest traffic hours, always in the afternoon and evening (4pm-7pm), always on Thursdays (weather permitting). We plan to start the first shoot no more than three weeks after receiving permission. According to the plan, the shoot should not take longer than 4-5 Thursdays, depending on the involvement of the young people. Once the first footage has been shot, it will be edited at a studio in Doncaster, after which we plan to hold an official ‘red carpet’ launch somewhere in Shirebrook.
END OF EMAIL
The OpComm meeting at which this issue was discussed took place on 16.11.2022, but, at the time of writing these words, I do not know what decision the STC took– as personally involved, I had to leave the Chamber when this agenda item was discussed. When I was called back to the Chamber meeting was closed, and I wasn’t informed about the decision. I suspect I will receive it in writing at a later date.
RESIDENTS SAFETY
The safety of residents was the cornerstone of my last two election campaigns. The effectiveness of politicians should be judged not by what they say and how he acts but rather by what state they found the situation in and what condition they leave it in. In a nutshell- when I won the seat at STC- Shirebrook had no CCTV and was first in terms of crime rate in Bolsover District. Today the town has CCTV and has dropped to third place in terms of crime. Of course, this is not only to my credit- there were efforts from many politicians, organisations and authorities, but the very fact that I have been pushing this issue since 2019 shows that this issue was, is and will be vital to me.
This email is another example of safety and crime at the forefront of my mind. The following email is a follow-up after one of the previous Full Council meeting:
Dear Sir/Madam!
My name is Sylwester Zwierzynski, and I’m a councillor of Shirebrook Town Council. I would like to ask that my request be forwarded to XXX or someone who could give me an update about the issue concerning the BDC Community Safety Partnership project.
Some time ago, XXX visited the Shirebrook Town Council meeting to inform councillors about Community Safety Partnership that he was involved in at the time (I’m not sure he still is). His part of the agenda contained two issues. We discussed in depth the first point, but due to lack of time, he was denied an opportunity to update councillors about the second point- the “district-wide CCTV” project.
I decided to reach out and ask about it because crime is one of my main focus points as a councillor. The foundation of my two previous election campaigns was the fight against crime. Since 2016, I have been pushing STC to install cameras in Market Square, and I will say immodestly that since I started working at STC, work on this project has accelerated, and the first cameras have been installed.
I would also add that at the STC meeting in June 2021, I proposed that the STC contact other Parish councils in Bolsover District with a proposal to join forces to create a “district-wide CCTV network”. Cllr Steve Fritchley then concluded my idea with a short comment: “That will never work”, but at the meeting attended by XXX, to my surprise, I learned that the BDC is involved in this type of project. It would be illogical for me to duplicate the work currently being done by the BDC.
I must mention that I didn’t stop working on my version of the project. I spoke to councillors in Clowne, Pinxton, South Normanton, and Barlborough about my idea and found positive feedback (and allies) in each of those councils. Sadly- I’m not a very experienced councillor, and I’m working full-time, so my project is slow going. I have no more holidays this year, so I plan to create a project presentation this year. Next year (when I have a new pool of holiday days), I will visit every parish council in the region before the time of Precept meetings to persuade them to consider my vision of joining forces.
All councillors included in my discussions so far underlined that I should prepare a vision of the project and ask Councils to set aside funds- but any decisions about progress beyond that must be made after elections in May 2023. My plan is to have a plan ready even before election day (and money set aside if Councils join) so whoever wins an election- will have a clear offer on the table with funding, quotes for CCTV systems and monitoring room, a list of grant sources, prepared applications for selected grant vendors etc.
Therefore, I would have a big request: could I ask a member of BDC to give me an update on your “district-wide CCTV” project? 3-5 sentences about what is currently happening in this case, 3-5 sentences about what stage of development has been reached so far, 3-5 sentences about what are the next steps planned? I just want to know how much I duplicate what is already ongoing and stop my work if it’s pointless.
Please ask XXX (or whoever can write me back) not to send me a couple of pages of report- I just need tl:dr version. 9-15 sentences top. I would also ask for permission to send the response received to Town Clerk STC so that she can circulate it to the other councillors on my council.
END OF EMAIL
At the time of writing, I have already received a reply to this e-mail. I don’t want to publish it because it concerns a project that I consider sensitive. To summarise – from my point of view: without political pressure, BDC will ‘play’ with this project as STC ‘played’ with CCTV in Shirebrook- for years without any effects. To see it through to completion- you need a political leader who will press, push, bore, persuade, and coordinate. Is there such a political leader in the BDC? I don’t know. I have little to no information from there.
ONE MORE EMAIL? WHY NOT?
This one is a follow-up after the last Full Council meeting. In short: I represent people who work hard for a living or have worked hard for a living and are now retired. Young people in the UK usually do not vote conservatively- they still think that “tax” is a made-up word and they will earn millions for doing next to nothing. But, as they grow- they gain life experience and realise that leftie parties sold them lies, manipulated them, and life is different than leftie dreams of socialism, equality, free stuff and benefits.
My votes come from people who know what hard work means. They respect hard work and its results. Therefore, my constituents do not like the council spending money unnecessarily. Hence I need to devote some of my time to tackling the waste of taxpayers’ money at STC – this is what the people who voted for me at the last election demanded of me. So from now on, when reading these ‘bad’ articles, my constituents will be aware of how much time and work I put into them before I publish them.
Dear Sir/Madam
My name is Sylwester Zwierzynski and I’m writing this letter as a councillor of Shirebrook Town Council representing ward Shirebrook South.
In the report “Shirebrook Leisure Centre Biomass Boiler System AMP Heat” dated 28 September 2022, on page 11 of 22, in response to the question:
“When I receive a copy of the contract between STC and the system operator that I requested on 28.04.2022?”
I have read:
“I have taken advice on this, and as a contractual document between ourselves and the third party this document is classed as confidential. I am more than happy for yourself or any councillor to review the document however this must be done here at Town Hall”
I would like to take up this offer. By the way, I would also like to review the contract setting out the terms and conditions for the solar panels with Sky Rooftop Raindrop Ltd and for the toilet lease with a company whose name I cannot find at the moment – I am sure Town Hall staff know which lease I am referring to. I would also like a copy of the pellet supply and heating system contract from before AMP Heat Ltd took over this contract (also can’t remember the name of the first supplier). In short- I would like opportunity to get to know the contents of all the contracts in one sitting (to save time).
Please give me an appointment on any day between 11am-2pm or any Thursday between 9am-7pm.
I also remind you that I am still waiting for the rest of the documents I requested in the Freedom of Information Act request of 28.04.2022.
END OF EMAIL
One more note about Town Clerk: “I have taken advice on this”. I did that too. My advice giver and I disagree with the Town Clerk’s standpoint. Taxpayers pay for that deal. Taxpayers have a right to know the details of the deal. The other side can redact names, bank account details and additional sensitive information but have no right to hide signed and ongoing deals from people who pay for them. If I find anything corrupted in those deals, I will challenge her position in political and, if push comes to shoves- legal way.
I don’t want to taint this somewhat positive article with criticism– but why, oh why, a council with the highest employment rate in District can’t find ONE person to reply to the councillor in less than ten days?? Or is it done on purpose?
Ignoring official correspondence from a democratically elected councillor bears the hallmarks of a political game to hide the truth from the opposition about the contracts the town signed.
GRANT AGAIN?
This time, I was contacted by someone who ran a small charity and asked if I knew of any places where he could apply for a grant for a new project. It was an easy task, as that’s what I’m mainly doing now (looking for new grants). First, I sent the person some links to vendors that hit his “sweet spot” and a Facebook fan page that deals with information about new grants. After that, we got into a conversation, and as soon as I realised that the charity was working in the Shirebrook area, I informed him that STC sometimes gives grants.
Wanting to prove myself- I offered to send him the form. I started looking for it on the township’s website but was unsuccessful, so I decided to ask for a copy directly from STC. As you can see- the email is short but was preceded by a lengthy exchange of messages and a direct conversation with the charity rep. It looked like a minute’s work, but it was way more. Again- utterly unnoticed effort, yet very satisfying to do. Here is the email:
Dear Sir/Madam
I would like to request an electronic copy of the application for financial assistance. I tried to find this form on the town’s website, but was unsuccessful.
I’m not asking it for myself- I was approached by a charity worker looking for funding opportunities. I sent him a few grant vendor details, but as his organisation is in Shirebrook, I thought he should also try STC.
END OF EMAIL
Sadly- again: Town Clerk did not respond. While I understand the delay in preparing a meeting where I want to review the town agreements, it should not take more than a minute to respond to this email. This form is on the hard drive at STC. So why is my request for a copy being ignored? Could it be just because I am not from the Labour Party? There are 28 people on the payroll in STC. 28! Yet- a simple email waits more than 10 days for a reply…
How can I be positive when I’m treated this way??? How I can help anyone when STC and Labour Party do everything in their power to sabotage my efforts? Well- I have contacted several people I have helped over the last few months, and some of them have given me permission to publish their cases (omitting personal details, of course, but with some interesting photos). So in the next episode, we will focus on what I have achieved despite the lack of support from STC and more experienced Labour Party councillors.
Lead picture: lukas from pexels.com
Sylwester Zwierzynski info@shirebrook247.com
