Mylander - Issue 88

From inside the community What do you love the most about Mile End? The open spaces, including the brand-new Northern Gateway, the history and most importantly our people – this is what makes or breaks a community. How have you found the last year, and what issues have you faced in your role? I think for all of us the last year with Covid, lockdowns and the various stresses it brings to everyday life, including schooling, has been challenging for many. Mental health, including my own, has suffered. I have been working at home in my day job (heading up an IT Team for an insurance company) for 18 months and having to attend many evening meetings, remotely, as part of my role as a Councillor. Some days I would be on Zoom calls until 10pm at night, which is of course on top of meetings for my day job. I know I am not the only person who has found the endless screen time and lack of socialising in person, detrimental to their mental health. There is also the temptation to sit at your laptop for longer, as there is no commuting time or need to get home – because you’re already there! There were times when I felt so drained and unable to function. The last year will have affected people in different ways, some better, some worse, but I can understand those who have found this situation unbearable. What do you believe to be the main issue facing our local area for the next year? It will be the continual growth of housing, which needs to keep pace with infrastructure investment, but also ensuring the new school places at Trinity School come online in September 2021 at the Gilberd site. We need to make sure that we are giving 120 pupils a smooth transition to the new purpose-built site at Chesterwell, once completed. Clearly, holding Department for Education (DFE) to account on delivering the new building is top priority, following recent news on the supplier pulling out. On top of this, normality should start to return when restrictions are lifted, but the virus won’t disappear – we need to adapt locally to deal with it. What plans have you got for the area that you wish to share with us? There will be the positive development of the next phase Northern Gateway, which will see the cinema, hotel, restaurants, and numerous leisure facilities built, including bowling, mini golf, and a climbing wall. I am sure that the new Northern Gateway sports hub will also start to mature, expand and develop further sporting facilities required for Colchester. 19