The first three months – by Marion Nash

I write this in my third month as a Borough Councillor. I have been asked so many times how I am 'coping', that I thought I would share this with you. Being a Councillor is great, it's exciting and it's been a huge learning curve - I love all of it.

I continue to further increase my caseload (from helping with housing, neighbour and benefit issues to getting green spaces tidied up). I have been touched by some of the stories that people have shared with me and so pleased to have met so many of the residents that I have come to know. Recently I finally threw in the towel and bought a whiteboard, as neither my written nor electronic notes helped me sufficiently to keep on top of the work!

In my three months to date, I have also attended Borough and Committee meetings and Councillor induction training sessions; from equality and diversity, to licensing and planning. My work as a Parish Councillor has stood me in good stead when it comes to understanding the process and formality attached to Council work. I have attended meetings with local groups, held countless individual meetings with residents and RBC officers, held three residents surgeries and canvassed three roads.

In the past month, I have also become a trustee of the Overslade Community Centre. I look forward to supporting the work of this excellent resource and its continuing objective of providing an ever expanding offer that meets the needs of the local community. My previous roles as Head of Funding for the Big Lottery Fund and running community clubs in London will come to bear with this work.

Being a Councillor has been as fulfilling as I hoped. Bill Lewis has put up with my countless questions and introduced me to many local residents and groups. Already, we work to each other's strengths and are calling on each other to take up work accordingly. I hope you have noticed a difference?

On a personal note, my husband is starting to come to terms with my change in work pattern - most Council meetings take place in the evenings - I have become quite strategic about meal times, with evening meals quite often being prepared straight after breakfast - or sometimes delegated to one of my fellow diners. My teenage daughters seem to have come to terms with my continual early evening absence disconcertingly easily. However, we are all looking forward to a few lie ins during the summer holidays.