21st century councillor - south east workshop
DESCRIPTION
These were the slides accompanying a workshop with officers and members from the South East Region at their 'Enhancing Local Democracy' Conference, July 16th 2010.TRANSCRIPT
21st Century Councillor
South East Region'Enhancing Local Democracy'21st Century Councillor Workshop
July 16th 2010 Bridget Harris
About21st Century Councillor Programme
manifesto for a modern local politics
levers of influence.. not power
From town hall...
...to cabinet member for your ward.
Workshop questions:
1. what are the most important aspects and pitfalls to the role of councillor?
2. What should councillors be doing in the new political and fiscal realities?
1. what are the most important aspects and pitfalls to the role of councillor?
perception /1
people know what they
want
perception /2
Politicians do what people
want
perception /3
The bureaucracy is
neutral
perception /4
Solutions are obvious and
achievable
ALL NEW AND IMPROVED
FORMULA FOR 2010
Lose touch Lose touch with friends with friends
and influence and influence too many people!too many people!
exhaustion exhaustion guaranteedguaranteed
The views expressed on this soap box will not necessarily always be those
of the individual or organisation concerned. Views may change at any
time according to hindsight and the fiscal outlook.
BECOME APOLITICIAN!
Run the council
SCRUTINISE THE COUNCIL
Champion your residents
Raise local grants
Empower people
Talk to people
Introduce exciting policies
Recruit volunteers
Challenge doubters
Manage crises
Listen to peopleLead on the design of your local future
Community
leadership Contest the political
space
Inspire officers
Key role of elected members..
?
prioritise Manage partnerships
change taxes
Be available to publicchange spending
Talk to national government
Help people
Sit in long meetings
Wonder why you're there
Feel stressed
Get bogged down in detail
Read too much, too often or too little
Manage failure
Defend the status quo
Assume there are only three options
Focus on internal structures
Get detached from your 'politics'
Lose touch with residents
Lose perspective
Fight with people
Be criticised
Memorise the corporate plan
3 key aspects to role councillors must fulfil
3 most common pitfalls ?role of elected members
2. What should councillors be doing in the new political and fiscal realities?
Public spending in local government has
increased by over 40% in last 10 years
'new public sector' innovation
third sectorparticipation
Funding for sector totalled £9.2 billion in
2003/4
Over 22 million people are participating in a voluntary group (Home Office figures
2001)
“mutualism”
“big society”
“community politics”
There are around 694,000 public sector jobs in the South East region*
*according to localfutures.com geography of public sector cuts
Projected cuts in public sector jobs would equate to a 2.2% overall reduction in employment base in S.E.*
*according to localfutures.com geography of public sector cuts
What are 3 things councillors are best placed to do, in response to spending cuts?
?Facing new realities