Local councillors who never respond

[Lee Scoresby]

I'm interested to hear from other EDF'ers about their experiences of this problem.

Talking to friends recently, the issue came up of emailing local councillors, either on some issue or for help and advice - and just never ever getting any sort of response. I became intrigued, and the more I asked around, the more I heard the same tale.

There's something really wrong with the whole local government system, no? Not least in London. Voters cannot be exempt from criticism because they - we - mostly just don't bother to vote. Which allows these political-party place-people to be slithered into these positions more or less permanently. Very soon it seems, they imagine they are councillors by some divine right.

Believe me, I will be happy to hear that this impression is mistaken. Please share good experiences of having had help from a local councillor. Certainly there are hardworking and responsive council members - Gavin Edwards has been mentioned to me several times. The support and intervention of a great councillor can be absolutely life-changing sometimes.

In my naivete, I imagine a system of independent local-level councillors who feel themselves to be what they actually are, legally and democratically: representatives of the voters. And are rigorously held to that mandate and that task. Not, as now, complacent little mini-MPs, cravenly taking 'the line' from party managers and the faceless-nameless senior officers who run Southwark pretty much as they please.

Name me a single local councillor who has DARED speak up for the rights of dog owners, and against the offensive foolishness of Southwark's endless jihad against dogs? Point made.

We know councillors CAN be very busy. We know it is - or SHOULD be - a hard job. But is that REALLY what's happening here? Failing ever to respond to a query from a constituent is just a fundamental lapse in duty. And yes, your names do keep coming up, Councillors Mills and Hamvas.

Lee Scoresby

[cella]

It is right that all elected councillors reply to their electorate. Clearly they need to be approached in a civil and courteous manner and if it's support for a cause they don't agree with people may not necessarily get the response they want. Councillors are elected on a party manifesto so there will be differences in views and what they can support. If, however, they just haven't responded at all then maybe copy the issue to the relevant portfolio holder and also to the Leader of the Council who may help in accelerating a response.

[alex_b]

I think I've had maybe one reply from a Rye Lane Ward councillor in five years of living here. I tried to engage about traffic issues, parking and various other topics but have now given up. James Barber always responded even though he wasn't my ward councillor.

I presume that because Labour have no meaningful opposition in the Rye Lane Ward they just aren't interested in engaging with their constituents.

[d.b]

Well I totally agree with a lot of what you say.

Worth noting that we had an extremely hard working and responsive councillor active on this forum very regularly who sadly lost his seat in the last election. Sadly people just vote based on common national party lines, rarely on local issues and only occasionally based on real knowledge of the councillor's actual performance in the role.

People bring this on themselves. Most people don't vote in local elections, don't seem to care a great deal about local politics and will only get upset if basic competence fails in some way. So, council seats are wrapped up by the few that are bothered to vote, usually the engaged political supporters who follow national politics and national leaders.

All that means, nobody seems to really care who their councillor is, local dominant parties (i.e. Labour here in Southwark) get away with treating the council like a fiefdom, have incentives to focus on internal politics than doing the actual job, and the potential for corruption and complacency is high.

Sadly it's a vicious circle so the more people see councillors as remote and unresponsive, the less likely they are to vote, and the more the bad ones will get away with it.

[JohnL]

I've never tried to contact a local councillor in 10 years (obviously I have no issues LOL)

But Renata Hamvas does have over 1600 posts on here so she must be saying something.

[BrandNewGuy]

The only councillors who've ever responded to me in 24 years are James Barber (when he wasn't a councillor in my ward) and two Tory councillors in Village Ward (the late Toby Eckersley and Michael Mitchell), all three of whom were extremely good at sorting out the issues involved. As someone who's not either a LibDem or a Tory, I find that depressing and an indictment of local government, particularly in Labour-dominated London.

[wonderwoman]

I agree with you guys since the recent elections or even before there seems to be a lacklustre response to responding. James Barber and Renata imo have always dealt with things in some way or form. I get the impression though it may be down to experience which the new guys may lack. However no excuse to not to respond at all surely it's just courtesy. Why take on the role if you can't manage the work??

[colville09]

Actually James McAsh - Labour Councillor for Goose Green ward has been posting on the Forum regularly...

[Sue]

James Barber was always very prompt and helpful in responding.

James McAsh has only recently been elected but has already been very proactive in helping people on here, despite I imagine being on a very steep learning curve.

I think you are being rather harsh.

[alex_b]

24 posts in 3 months hardly strikes me as regular, especially given level of engagement in most of the posts. James Barber is posting more regularly and still seems to be doing more constituency work than the new lot.

[Paradise2]

I have tried to get some help with the Rye Lane councillors and like other people no matter how many times you email them, not one of them responded to any emails. I was then told to contact Jasmine Ali as she is the cabinet member for children, schools and adult care..........despite numerous emails to her alone again no response. Its disgusting, especially when children are involved and they can?t be bothered to reply to you. Needless to say i did not vote in the local council elections.

[cella]

Its depressing when people don't exercise their hard won democratic vote. It's rarely a useful protest and means they have no formal route to channel their views. Maybe use that anger to pursue them publically.

[colville09]

I totally agree it's very depressing when people don't vote. We are lucky to have a form of democracy and we have candidates from more than one party that stand in local elections. I don't think saying 'well that particular party always wins' is any excuse, we don't live in a one party state. With regard to lack of response to emails, have you thought your emails may not be getting through. Do you have evidence they reached the councillor and were opened. Why not find out when the councillors are doing their surgeries, make an appointment and actually see them face to face (or even more basic but revolutionary... write them a formal letter and send it registered).

[JohnL]

cella Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Its depressing when people don't exercise their

> hard won democratic vote. It's rarely a useful

> protest and means they have no formal route to

> channel their views. Maybe use that anger to

> pursue them publically.

You can still moan and complain (and congratulate too) even if you didn't vote - no-one actually knows whether you voted or not in this system - although we all should vote I agree.

Actually it seems lobbying (email, in person, letter etc) is the most effective way to get things done in this country - the general line seems to be make the argument easy for your representative by doing the research on the subject including arguments that they can then use to tell their colleagues. If they really never reply you need to go along to there surgery I'd think, with letters and all your research.

http://the-shg.org/lobby%20government.htm

[cella]

Yes we can moan and groan about lots of things. I think a lot of people are disenfranchised from politics or are uninformed about our political system generally. Some have an unreal expectation about what politicians roles are and demand that they get involved in the absolute minutiae of their domestic lives and if that doesn't happen for whatever reason they become cynical about politicians in general. IMHO we elect politicians on a manifesto and then they make decisions/vote on that basis. The most important thing is that they are then held accountable for their own and their party decisions and we can then vote them out if necessary. It's a precious right and lots if people treat it in a cavalier fashion I feel. Alongside this we can campaign and pracefully demonstrate about issues and this, historically, is the main way legislation is introduced/gets changed. One of the many great things about living in a democracy and, yes, with all its current flaws, one of the best countries in the world to live. Consider the alternatives....

[jamesmcash]

Hi all

Thanks for raising this. I too would be interested to hear people?s experience of this. Although I am perhaps more optimistic for a positive response!

For my own part, as far as I know, I have responded to all the emails sent to me directly (if I am CCed into an email with other respondents it is sometimes more appropriate to leave it to others on the thread). However, I do receive a large volume of emails so if I am mistaken on this and have neglected to respond to a Goose Green constituent then I apologise. Please let me know what it was and I will make sure I deal with it immediately.

I cannot speak for other councillors? email response rates but, as far as I can see, all those mentioned on this thread work incredibly hard.

Best wishes

James

[James Barber]

Hi Johnl,

Factual correction - it is known who votes in each election. It isn't known who people actually voted for. The whether someone voted is contained in the Marked Register which can be purchased from memory at ?20 per ward.

When you collect your voting papers at the Polling Station the officer puts a mark again your name on the paper elector roll to ensure no one else tries to vote in your name. A list of who voted via a postal vote is also available.

[JohnL]

James Barber Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi Johnl,

> Factual correction - it is known who votes in each

> election. It isn't known who people actually voted

> for. The whether someone voted is contained in the

> Marked Register which can be purchased from memory

> at ?20 per ward.

> When you collect your voting papers at the Polling

> Station the officer puts a mark again your name on

> the paper elector roll to ensure no one else tries

> to vote in your name. A list of who voted via a

> postal vote is also available.

Thanks - I really didn't know that.

[mima08]

Paradise2 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have tried to get some help with the Rye Lane

> councillors and like other people no matter how

> many times you email them, not one of them

> responded to any emails. I was then told to

> contact Jasmine Ali as she is the cabinet member

> for children, schools and adult

> care..........despite numerous emails to her alone

> again no response. Its disgusting, especially when

> children are involved and they can?t be bothered

> to reply to you. Needless to say i did not vote in

> the local council elections.

I am sorry to hear this, my dealings with Jasmine Ali have been extremely positive and helpful, so maybe she did not get your emails? There could be a genuine reason, I experience this when I send emails through my business account they can frequently end up in the Spam filter.

[V511]

Keep in mind too that many local councillors are not doing it as a full time job. Many have other careers too. You don't get paid a salary as such to be a basic councillor, but receive an allowance of ?11,270 per year in Southwark (other councils may differ slightly) https://www.southwark.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillors-and-mps/member-allowances-and-expenses

If you take on more roles and duties by joining certain committees for example, you are given a greater allowance, which could then mean you'd earn enough to make it your full time job.

Seems to me that properly paying councillors to make it a full time job would help things a little.

[uncleglen]

V511 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Keep in mind too that many local councillors are

> not doing it as a full time job. Many have other

> careers too. You don't get paid a salary as such

> to be a basic councillor, but receive an allowance

> of ?11,270 per year in Southwark (other councils

> may differ slightly)

> https://www.southwark.gov.uk/council-and-democracy

> /councillors-and-mps/member-allowances-and-expense

> s

> If you take on more roles and duties by joining

> certain committees for example, you are given a

> greater allowance, which could then mean you'd

> earn enough to make it your full time job.

> Seems to me that properly paying councillors to

> make it a full time job would help things a

> little.

I would've thought that being a councillor might be the start of a full-time political career for some people. The allowance is very generous compared with some councils....especially as it seems to be quite a lot of money for nothing in some cases. As people have said- James was always very helpful and quick off the mark.

[James Barber]

Many appear to see being a Southwark Councillor as a stepping stone to becoming an MP in a safe parliamentary seat - you can never accuse a Lib Dem of that! They move to London do a PR job, MP researcher, union official. Become a councillor for a London borough near parliament - Southwark is very popular for this. Get selected in their home town for a Safe Labour parliamentary seat. Get elected an MP. Usually 2-3 councillors in Southwark do this each national electoral cycle. I would question their loyalty and dedication to whichever part of Southwark they get elected to - we're just a stepping stone and they don't suffer the consequences of their councillors decisions. It drives short termism.

You can see the current allowance structure here - https://www.southwark.gov.uk/assets/attach/7142/Member%20allowances%20scheme%202018-19.pdf

Every councillor gets a 'basic' allowance of ?11,270 and then some get extra allowances ranging from ?2,946 to ?53,238 pa. A number of cabinet councillors then obtain extra roles at London Councils - a club of all London's councils with further special allowance. They're usually quite generous how they pay themselves for those as voters don't know about these. Other councils clubs such as the Local Government Association do the same.

If you'd like to know each councillors role and then cross reference the extra cash they're getting - http://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=50000711

Most councillors have to hold down a day job. A tiny proportion have families or are carers. But when you stand for election you don't stand to randomly represent or respond to residents. For me it was a calling and I would hope for most others they feel the same. In the round being a councillor probably set back my career a dozen years far out weighing any allowance received. But a great twelve years helping people.

[Milan05]

James Barber you represent the concept of open democracy and as many have said, changed people's lives when they felt they had no way of navigating the system. Your 12 years is immeasurably valued.

[colville09]

Oh James, please don't go in for the anti Labour slightly personal directed tone, it detracts from your wonderful reputation.

[Penguin68]

There is a huge danger to an 'always elected here' incumbent party that they fall, eventually, as Labour did in Scotland to a level of complacency which lets in eventually a disruptive party (as the SNP was). This tends to happen when the voters are so taken for granted that they can be safely (it might seem) be ignored and other agendae pursued. Renata has always been a proud exception to this rule, and one must hope that James II will be too. When (if) I see him resist the position of the apparat because it goes against the interests of his constituents it will be a good sign.