Know your local political leaders
Action: Make sure that you know the name of your Member of Parliament and the name and party of your local councillor.
Why? Feedback from the Generous crowd in the last year shows that you would like to see more actions with a political and local community feel – so here’s an easy one for starters. Both your MP and your local councillor are there to serve you and represent your concerns and interests. Start thinking about local issues that have played on your mind for a while, and make sure that you let your local political leaders know what’s on your mind, for example:
- Litter pollution or noise pollution – is it out of control?
- Crime – how can residents of your area help themselves to stay safe?
- The homeless – what help can they be given?
- Young people wandering the streets – could they benefit from a youth centre?
- Young Mums or single parents – do they get the support they need?
- Recycling – is there adequate provision for both households and businesses to recycle their waste?
Links: A list of all UK councils and their contact details is www.direct.gov.uk
Your local council website should direct you to a list of serving councillors and their responsibilities.
Related Generous actions: (issues that you might want to talk to your local political leaders about!)
Volunteer Locally With The Homeless
Slow Down, Calm Down – stick to the speed limit
Recycle Your Stuff – here’s where to find your nearest facility
Join the fray by signing in.
Scunthorpe, GB , 30 Sep 2005
I already know my MP, he lives just across the road from me! I need to work on the local councillor bit though.
07 Oct 2005
I’ve emailed and faxed my MP, Sir Paul Beresford, quite a bit, especially on issues of human rights and the recent incitement to religious hatred bill. However, don’t often get any reply!
The council bit I find confusing. I wanted to contact someone recently about recycling and improving the facilities in our area, but even the council weren’t sure if it should be them or the county council I should be contacting, and if so, who!
So – some more to do on this one, when I have the time…
10 Oct 2005
Went to visit the MP a while back – which was an interesting experience. Have to remind myself to keep doing this.
GB , 10 Oct 2005
http://www.writetothem.com/ has helpful information about councillors, mps and meps and the division of responsibilities hope this helps frangellica.
05 Nov 2005
In our churches we had a Yellow Brick Road Sunday (following the Greenbelt example) and asked all of our member to put a paper brick on a big Yellow Brick Road. Isla, Mike, Liz, Bethany, Wendy and others took this to our MP Phyllis Starkey at the Mass Loby of Parliament for MAKEPOVERTHISTORY. They had a great time and enjoyed the experience. Meeting the MP and talking about important issues was so easy and felt worthwhile. Should do it again!
London, GB , 09 Nov 2005
It is definitely worth having a constructive relationship with your local representatives – you will find that they will certainly listen to you more if they already trust you.
Milton Keynes, GB , 15 Nov 2005
Not something I ever thought of as doing before MPH campaign this year – visited on the campain day this month and found our MP very approachable – won’t hesitate to do similar over other issues now – probably by e-mail though – face to face was a little daunting!
Reading, GB , 19 Nov 2005
I know who my local MP is and have written to the previous ones several times over the years. However, I’ve never written to or contacted local council. I read all their blurb pre elections, but it never occured to me to contact them about actually getting stuff done once they’re on the council. Having travelled to Sweden and Germany where recycling bins are available on the high streets of some towns (ie bins to seperate stuff), a bit like @ GB I’ve just decided to write to the local council about doing something similar here.
03 Jan 2006
I email my MP every so often just to ask him if he wants prayer for anything. So far he hasn’t, but even so, he needs prayerful support even though I’d never vote for his party. He sent me a nice Christmas card which was .. erm nice.
28 Jan 2006
I have had fun phoning our local councillors. They seem very sensible and are doing what they can for the environment.I just wish they had more influence. Barnet council is still not doing enough , certainly not as much as Haringey or Westminster in terms of creating wild life friendly spaces, looking after the trees or creating safe passage over busy roads for people with pushchairs or wheelchairs or reducing waste. They keep sending us leaflets but little changes.
29 Jan 2006
My local MP is John Redwood (he of single Mums comments and miming to the Welsh national anthem as he forgot the words …) – sometimes he even comes to our church! He’s pretty good on MPH and global developmental stuff. Whenever I write to him he always replies.
The local council are OK – I tend to only write to them about planning permission issues. Obviously, I need to change the agenda to Generous issues!!
Stroud, GB , 31 Jan 2006
My MP, Martin Horwood is excellent…I first met him when he and his family took part in our local MPH march just after his election, but he is also active in local issues generally, and very good at responding to emails. Local council, in contrast, are rather a muddle…like Frangelica, I’m not at all clear which issues are their responsibility and which the county council, and they all seem intent on passing the buck to and fro. Something to work on.
15 Feb 2006
If you want to become more familiar with the areas of responsibility of your local council/s (it can be very confusing & muddled) then why not attend their meetings. You will learn a lot & many councils give an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions. I have been doing this at our local Town Council for about a year now & often their are only two or three members of the public there. Give it a try it is well worth it & you may be tempted to become a councillor.
02 Mar 2006
I have recently contacted my MP about fairtrade (since it’s nearly fairtrade fortnight) and my councillor and local list MSP (green party) about green cones (food waste composter). Many councils are offering these at a reducced price for local folk but Glasgow City Council weren’t. My councillor and MP both contacted me the next day (very nice to get a phone call from my councillor) So my councillor is very interested in the green cone and is going to make further enquiries and get back to me – hopefully they will start being offered at reduced rates here too!
07 May 2006
My MP is David Cameron!! I know him well enough for him to know my name, hard to know what to say to him though, or where to start..any ideas welcome, so far i have only managed a long conversation with one of his policy guys about what do to with young people excluded from school, scary thing is, I talk to him about stuff I want to change, and yet hope he doesn’t get into a position to change things!
Witney, GB , 10 May 2006
As Jude says, David Cameron is our MP and, when he came for a Q&A with our church Men’s Group, seemed like a very reasonable guy. But it’s difficult to know as he is a former Marketing Exec. He’s coming back to our group next January for another Q&A, so ideas for questions are welcome.
06 Jun 2006
Our council has set up a commuters champion. W has raised some questions re the taxi situation in our town. Interesting the commuter champion is the only one to have asked for input from people via the community champions webpage.
The full list is as follows:
Pensioners’ Champion Tenants’ & Leaseholders’ Champion Voluntary Sector Champion Commuters’ Champion Small Business Champion
So let’s see what feedback we get.
18 Jun 2006
An acknowledgement of the email came quite quickly with a promise to look into the issues raised but nothing more as yet.
20 Aug 2006
I already knew the name and party of our MP as I have previously written to her. However I did just find out the names of our local councillors and I pledge to start contacting them when I have local concerns instead of just moaning to my husband about them.
09 Sep 2006
Just to follow up the council chap who is the commuter champion did not get back re the issues raised – except for his initial acknowledgement. But there was an article in the local paper re the issue.
GB , 30 Nov 2006
I got to know my current MP very well just before the last General election. I sued him, and the local conservative party. It was a breach of copyright issue and they paid up after my letter before action threatened to name him personally as the defendant. now you might think this not a good way to start a relationship but since then I’ve had breakfast with him on several occasions and coffee and We alse stop for a quick chat if we meet on the street. In truth he is very in tune with the community – and for a tory mp it pains me to admit I was wrong about him.
GB , 03 Feb 2007
Only today delivered a letter to my local councillor. Have corresponded with our MP, Bob Russell, on several occasions and found him to be a very decent chap.
25 Mar 2007
MP turned up on our door step yesterday. So an excuse to send him a influential book – especially as he voted for trident.
Prudhoe, GB , 16 May 2007
standing in elections yourself is a good way to meet people.
05 Jun 2007
I already know very well one of my 2 local councillors and actually stood with one but did not quite get enough votes! (sob!) My MP, I know who he is, and that’s about all. I do read his website.
Bristol, GB , 13 Jul 2007
As a political activisit I know my MP and local councillors personally and find that this is an enomous advantage when it comes to lobbying them on issues such as peace, justice and the environment.
Reading, GB , 19 Apr 2008
Have to agree with Chopwelldunc – it really is worth making sure you know your local councillors and that you vote. There is bound to be someone standing who will represent your views, and if not – well, stand yourself. I’m doing exactly that right now.