Profile: Councillor Tim O'Kane

Cllr Tim O'Kane is one of the two representatives for the Clayton-le-Moors ward and was first elected to HBC during the 1990s. He has been appointed to the following committees at HBC this year:

• Audit Committee  
• Clayton and Altham Community Development Board  
• Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Chair) 
• Health and Communities Working Group 
• Judicial Committee (Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Licensing)

He also sits on the following outside bodies:

• Clayton-le-Moors Old People's Welfare Committee 
• Clayton-le-Moors Youth Club 
• Hyndburn Homes Industrial and Provident Society Limited Board 
• Hyndburn Homes Repairs Limited Board 
• Lancashire County Council Health Scrutiny Committee 
• Lancashire Waste Partnership (Substitute Representative) 

Cllr O'Kane said, "I have been reappointed as Chair of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which involves having a close look at issues concerning health, education and policing. I am also the Council's representative on the Health Scrutiny Committee at County Hall in Preston. The main health issue we are tackling at the moment is the transition to Clinical Commissioning Groups against a backdrop of privatisation of the NHS. In education, the hot potato is the expectations of schools opting for academy status then finding the funding not matching the promises. On policing, it is how to maintain manning levels against a backdrop of massive cuts in funding and with a change in operating procedures brought about by the introduction of the new police commissioners. Separately, I am trying to adapt the Community Roadwatch scheme to improve road safety, particularly enforcing the 20mph speed limits.I have also been reappointed onto Hyndburn Homes board where the immediate problem is implementation of the bedroom tax which is causing major headaches throughout the borough."

Anyone wishing to contact Tim can do so on 07865 684412 or by emailing tim.okane@hyndburnbc.gov.uk