RESPONSE TO THE REQUEST FOR SUBMISSIONS OF EVIDENCE AND OPINION ON THE WORK OF THE COUNCILLORS’ COMMISSION
NB: The views expressed in this submission are those of the author and do not represent the views of the Lancashire County Conservative Group
Motivation and Perception
1. In my experience, most Councillors are motivated by a genuine desire to serve their local community and improve the lot of the people they represent. Other motivations include a desire for status and prestige, the attractions of a part time role with some additional income, the need for something to do and the fact that one is part of a particular political/social net-work. For some it is a gateway to professional politics.
2. Councillors as a class suffer from the low esteem in which politics and politicians are generally held, compounded by their relative anonymity and perceived ineffectiveness.
3. Councillors who inter-act directly with their constituents and acquire a reputation for getting things done can achieve local recognition in their own right.
4. Councillors need to be broadly in tune with the community they represent. The barriers are not so much cultural but social – in particular the competing claims of job, family, other interests and leisure activities.
5. By promoting the concept of community activism and explaining that citizens are collectively responsible for the state of their neighbourhood.
Role, Support and Remuneration
Should Councillors continue to be volunteers, elected to represent their community on a part time basis and provide independent oversight of the activities of their authority or are we seeking to develop a new class of full time politicians who make their careers in local government and expect that to be their main professional activity?
This key question needs to be answered before addressing the others. Personally I incline to the traditional view but have severe doubts as to whether it is sustainable in the light of current expectations.
Routes to becoming a Councillor
1. The principal constraint on political parties is lack of resources. This could be overcome by making money available to local political parties for the specific purpose of identifying and recruiting local candidates by qualified party agents. There would have to be clear ground rules and qualifications for the use of such grants including the use of open primaries for candidate selection.
2. Local authorities could provide a standard information leaflet on the role and responsibilities of Councillors with contacts for local party organisations.
3. See above
Legal barriers and incentives
These seem to me to be issues of secondary importance. This is not a matter for bureaucratic solutions!
Other
1. The main problem facing Councillors is their perceived ineffectiveness. This is compounded by the proliferation of other agencies, voluntary and state sponsored who in the name of “partnership” are given equal status with elected members. We need to re-establish the primacy of the elected Councillor as the legitimate and accountable representative of the community and the natural interface between the citizen, the local authority and other public service providers.
2. As part of the standard curriculum secondary schools and sixth form colleges should be required to run annual courses on local government and how it works including sessions with local councillors who should explain what they do and answer questions.
GOOD PRACTICE
Preston North East County Division is made up of extensive new housing estates running east from an older core area. There are two rapidly expanding business parks on the outer perimeter. Most households have two wage earners and are relatively prosperous though there are a number of pensioner couples and singles developments. The main issues are traffic congestion and parking – the infrastructure is inadequate to support the development, low level youth crime and environment – waste recycling, litter etc. There is an active community association but very little sense of community spirit or identity.
The Division is composed of two Preston City wards each of which has three district councillors. Once a week, except during August and holiday periods, alternately in each ward, we carry out walkabouts. These involve the County Councillor and districts councillors working as a team and last from 6.00 to 7.30. We walk through an area knocking on doors, introducing ourselves and asking if there are any problems or complaints that need dealing with. Problems are noted and systematically followed up with the appropriate authority. Politics are not mentioned unless raised by the respondent or during election periods. No literature is distributed but we leave calling cards with contact details.
The rule is that we are always prepared to spend time if people want to talk and that we focus on their concerns not our own. In an average evening we will cover 60/70 houses including outs and reckon to cover the whole division in three years. Over this period we will meet and talk to a substantial number of our electors. In addition to letters and ‘phone calls I regularly post details of problems raised during walkabouts and the action we have taken on my county council web site. This is gradually acquiring some salience as a source of information on local issues.
As a result of the walkabouts we have a stream of issues to tackle and in many cases are able over time to achieve positive results. We also have a very good idea about what is bothering people and are able to reflect this in our routine work as councillors and also explain to people why things can’t always be done in the way they wish. The reception is usually very positive and, only occasionally, are we sent away with a flea in our ear. It is quite rare for people to raise national political issues.
Two years ago we talent spotted a candidate to oppose a long serving Councillor in Garrison Ward. The person concerned was a senior nurse in her early forties, she lives locally has two teenage sons and has been active in the community association. Prior to the approach, she had no political involvement. Once spotted, we arranged for her to shadow us at local meetings and join us on our walkabouts as a full member of our team. She also took on extra tasks for the community association and by the time the elections came in May this year she was a recognisable figure in her own right and had a track record as a community representative having met numbers of people on the door step in that capacity. She was elected with a majority of over 1000 against and incumbent who had been in place for 16 years. She is already proving an active and committed councillor, the “training” has more than paid off.
Michael Welsh
County Councillor, Preston North East
Leader of the Conservative Group Lancashire County Council
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