Rewulf Posted March 30, 2023 Report Share Posted March 30, 2023 Ive been asked by the local tory party, despite having no experience whatsoever, and forgetting Im still a tory party member to stand as a councillor in the local elections. Ive been told theres no chance of me winning , Nottinghamshire is totally controlled by labour, but there is a dearth of people willing to stand for the cons ! And to be clear , I dont want to be a councillor, but just in case my massive local popularity 🤪 wins the day , whats involved in being a local councillor , how much time does it take off you ? Just out of interest more than anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnphilip Posted March 30, 2023 Report Share Posted March 30, 2023 Take it , might give us all some peace 😀😀😀😀😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted March 30, 2023 Report Share Posted March 30, 2023 Largely irrelevant as it was a long time ago, but my late father was a District Councillor, which I think is the same level (but rural). It was then nominally 'non-political'. He had to attend meetings around monthly and planning meetings (on site) as needed - all were evening events as many people worked. He got rather modest expenses for fuel, but not for time I think. One thing that frustrated him was that when a local (as in his ward) matter came up, he often was obliged to withdraw as he knew the party/parties involved, so was criticised for not voting for/against local things, but the rule was that if you knew someone involved reasonably well you should declare a prejudicial interest and not vote. On the plus side, he met many people - quite a few of whom became friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewulf Posted March 30, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2023 14 minutes ago, johnphilip said: Take it , might give us all some peace 😀😀😀😀😀 Im planning on going abroad early may anyway , so Ill be quiet for a bit then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave at kelton Posted March 30, 2023 Report Share Posted March 30, 2023 It is a substantial time commitment if you do it properly with out of hours meetings, often evenings. I chair the equivalent of a Parish Council here in Scotland and that is demanding enough. I would not even consider being a Councillor and take my hat off to those who are. On the plus side you meet a lot of people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted March 30, 2023 Report Share Posted March 30, 2023 You can get loads of billy bargains and get any planning permission for you and your mates passed if your a councillor, and just keep quiet on the back handers you receive. Go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minky Posted March 30, 2023 Report Share Posted March 30, 2023 (edited) Back handers.? Do you refer to the clouts round the ears that you get for not passing applications. My personal opinion of local councils of all types is that the people on them haven't got a bloody clue. Everything that they do is either biased or underhand to get things through on the nod for some reason. I wonder why?? Every village in the south east has become a building site. The local area that I am in keeps passing building permission but when it is appealed the government inspectors turn the applications down and ask why they have even been considered because the area is within an area of outstanding natural beauty. Edited March 30, 2023 by Minky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted March 30, 2023 Report Share Posted March 30, 2023 Hello, I know a parish councillor and the first thing they do at meetings is book down their expenses 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdadphil Posted March 30, 2023 Report Share Posted March 30, 2023 (edited) Hi In the 90's I had a senior "officer" role in a Local Authority. Like any human endeavour there were the grafters and those there for their own advancement. however the greater number were at the high end of the scale and they did a lot (whatever the party colour) to advance the quality of life for residents. I never heard any whisper of corruption. It easy for people to allege it but local govt has cleaned up its act and officers will carry out thorough investigations if needed. tbh to me the role did seem a bit thankless at times. some residents seemed to think they could bend their councillors ear over any and everything! to be frank if you were to be elected it would be a near full time job in some circumstances especially if you were on a committee. just my 2p Edited March 30, 2023 by gdadphil clarification Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humblepie Posted March 30, 2023 Report Share Posted March 30, 2023 I am a parish councillor. I only did it as they were short of numbers and were calling for volunteers about 6 years ago as they need a minimum of 5 councillors and were down to that number with a couple of people who had been giving up their free time for many years. They were due to retire and the council would have to fold. Its a very small parish and does have a touch of Dibley about it. Not a lot of power to do much but we do look after and represent what we can for the residents. As for expenses, there aren’t any apart from the Clerk and that is minimal. The Council is made up of 7 people from the villages from all walks of life, farmer, agronomist, builder, self employed etc We spend about 2 hours a month to go through the issues that come up, we look at planning applications and comment and we are very fair with all applications. Most are passed without any objections but there are times when we do object if the application could have a detrimental affect on the 2 villages or to other residents. We ensure the lanes and walkways are tidy and well kept, over hanging branches of trees are cut back. We provide funding through grants for local schemes that improve the area. We donate to the local church and the British Legion. We bang our heads against the wall constantly with the local council and highways agency but never give up and try to make sure problems are rectified. We ensure lanes are gritted as the local authority does not cover them. We make sure elderly residents are ok and looked after. In the chairman role, there is a lot more to do as that person is the focal point for the residents about absolutely anything and I mean anything, even if it has nothing to do with the parish council. Without our parish council, the larger parishes would swallow up the villages and they would go from two quaint villages to a suburb of a much larger town with houses being built in between. It’s easy to criticise people through hearsay, who give up their own free time voluntarily to ensure a parish is being looked after. If anyone thinks that councillors haven’t got a clue, go an do it yourself rather than judge from the sidelines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewulf Posted March 30, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2023 Thanks for the input guys, like I say I don't want to be, and it's highly unlikely will be, a councillor, but I find the process very interesting. I've agreed to sign up as a candidate, for a strong Labour ward near me, just so there's a tory candidate box to tick, the fact that they need to ask a nobody like me to do it was puzzling, so I asked the question, why, out of the thousands of tory party members, why would you ask me? The answer, not one of the serious contenders wanted a 'lose' under their belt! How Labour can control a city council, that's a billion pounds in debt, in special measures because of serious financial mismanagement, and is selling off its property assets like there's no tomorrow, can still have no serious opposition, is staggering, but that's the apathy of the voting public in many towns and cities these days. https://nottstv.com/more-surplus-property-being-sold-as-nottingham-city-council-chips-away-at-debt/#:~:text=In its latest quarterly report,2021%2F22 which represents an Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith 66 Posted March 31, 2023 Report Share Posted March 31, 2023 You might get a brown envelope! Seems to work like that with councils. Or you could do something useful & stand for Basc council. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewulf Posted March 31, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2023 56 minutes ago, Keith 66 said: Or you could do something useful & stand for Basc council I think there's more chance of becoming an MP 😂 Unless you're a yes man at basc, you aren't getting on council, and even if you did make it, very little chance of doing anything 'useful', whatever you think that might be. BASC decision making appears to be about as democratic as the system they have in North Korea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted March 31, 2023 Report Share Posted March 31, 2023 As a side issue with all the allegations of "brown envelopes" " back handers" etc with councils and councillors, where is the evidence? Not just he said so it must be true nonsense 🙄 Winds me up when folks make allegations that are pure fiction, if they are true report them 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man Posted March 31, 2023 Report Share Posted March 31, 2023 17 hours ago, Rewulf said: Ive been asked by the local tory party, despite having no experience whatsoever, and forgetting Im still a tory party member to stand as a councillor in the local elections. Ive been told theres no chance of me winning , Nottinghamshire is totally controlled by labour, but there is a dearth of people willing to stand for the cons ! And to be clear , I dont want to be a councillor, but just in case my massive local popularity 🤪 wins the day , whats involved in being a local councillor , how much time does it take off you ? Just out of interest more than anything. Look for the possible expenses that can be claimed first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewulf Posted March 31, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2023 3 hours ago, old man said: Look for the possible expenses that can be claimed first? IF , I do any campaigning , I can claim expenses for that, the last result for the ward I am contesting wasnt terrible for the tories, but other areas , well .... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Nottingham_City_Council_election Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith 66 Posted March 31, 2023 Report Share Posted March 31, 2023 6 hours ago, Rewulf said: I think there's more chance of becoming an MP 😂 Unless you're a yes man at basc, you aren't getting on council, and even if you did make it, very little chance of doing anything 'useful', whatever you think that might be. BASC decision making appears to be about as democratic as the system they have in North Korea. I was only joking, But thank you for rising so beautifully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewulf Posted March 31, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2023 1 hour ago, Keith 66 said: I was only joking, But thank you for rising so beautifully. I aim to please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted March 31, 2023 Report Share Posted March 31, 2023 43 minutes ago, Rewulf said: I aim to please Is that your potential 'slogan' when you (might) become a councillor ? Good luck 🤞😃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewulf Posted March 31, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2023 6 minutes ago, JKD said: Is that your potential 'slogan' when you (might) become a councillor ? Good luck 🤞😃 Has a certain ring to it 😎 Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munzy Posted April 1, 2023 Report Share Posted April 1, 2023 I’m a Conservative councillor for a Unitary authority. Halfway through my first term in local government politics. I am also a portfolio holder giving me responsibility for a particular area across the whole county rather than just my local patch (think Highways, Planning, Education, Waste, Children’s Services etc). If you’re a County or District council you will have less control over certain aspects of life whereas Unitary councils have a wider remit and larger funding from central government as a result. I love the job, it’s incredibly interesting, every day is different and you get involved with projects all around the community with interesting people from all walks of life. You get out of it what you put in and with the right attitude you can really improve things for residents and future generations. I find it very rewarding and with two youngish kids I feel like I’m building things for the next generation. Yesterday was a good example; I had a meeting with two MPs in the morning regarding developments of travel infrastructure across the area, followed by a visit to a local primary school to see an air ambulance safety training for Year 4 children. I then had a coffee in town with an officer to discuss youth projects we’d like to support in the area. In the afternoon I walked around one of my villages with two Highways engineers to discuss parking issues and find a resolution. I then had a phone call with another of the county’s MPs about an issue down the road impacting fifty houses on MoJ land. I finished off exchanging a few emails with our Police & Crime Commissioner about speeding before heading to the pub. The job is as big as you want to make it (cabinet member/portfolio holder down to back-bencher) meaning you can spend a few hours a week on issues in a ten mile radius or you can treat it like a full time job. As for brown envelopes and dodgy expenses… total nonsense. Typical “heard it down the pub”, conspiracy theory, urban legend rubbish. Planning is always a topic that gets people gossiping because there is ALWAYS a losing team and a winning team with bitterness on one side following a decision. Decisions are based on national policy and law, not made up by councillors on the take. If a decision to refuse does not follow law it can be appealed, such is the clear process for Planning. Scrutiny of decisions is so transparent, officers and councillors wouldn’t last five minutes if they weren’t following the legal framework. Much like expense claims which are public, have a look down the spreadsheet for your local area, I’d be surprised if annual expenses for all members collectively broke a couple of grand. I’ve never claimed a penny and drive all over the county throughout the month. If you’re in a tough seat you’ll have to work hard campaigning. Your local conservative branch will support you with leaflets, help delivering them, fancy online voter intention systems etc. My best advice is to get along to parish council meetings in your patch and make a few comments during public participation sections so people start to recognise you. I’m not sure if you use Facebook but setting up a profile “Rewulf for Bishops Nottingham” and commenting on local community group pages so your name gets out in constructive debate is really valuable. Finally, if you’ve got a dog, stick a blue rosette on it and take it leafleting with you, people love that! Good luck and keep us posted. Drop me a PM if you need any advice along the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted April 2, 2023 Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 You get about £12K a year as a basic Councillor and more for any extra commitees you serve on. It can add up to a reasonable sum Plus travel and accommodation when away. Have you never wondered why so many towns are twinned with towns in other countries? Answer so the councillors can go on all expenses paid official visits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted April 2, 2023 Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 lot of folk use it as climbing the ****** pole in politics....and those people will have no problem at walking all over you or controlling you............if you have thick skin and deeply care for your community ..go for it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewulf Posted April 3, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2023 On 01/04/2023 at 08:04, Munzy said: If you’re in a tough seat you’ll have to work hard campaigning. Your local conservative branch will support you with leaflets, help delivering them, fancy online voter intention systems etc. My best advice is to get along to parish council meetings in your patch and make a few comments during public participation sections so people start to recognise you. I’m not sure if you use Facebook but setting up a profile “Rewulf for Bishops Nottingham” and commenting on local community group pages so your name gets out in constructive debate is really valuable. Finally, if you’ve got a dog, stick a blue rosette on it and take it leafleting with you, people love that! Good luck and keep us posted. Drop me a PM if you need any advice along the way. Thanks Munzy , that is excellent advice and information A little more background on this. After first asking me a couple of weeks ago, where I initially declined, I put it to them that my daughter (22) politics degree ect , would be a far better choice, and to give me a week to talk to her about it. She thought, she decided no , so when they called me back, I asked 3 questions. Does it cost me anything , No. Do I have to DO anything (canvassing , attend meetings ect) Im self employed and do a 6 day week, run gun clubs, girlfriend time ect.....? No you dont have to do anything. Why me ? Do you not have thousands of tory party members here? Yes , but everyone wants the marginal seats (of which there are few in Nottingham) no one wants the 'losing' areas we are offering you (I was offered a choice of 9 districts) So I signed up, I asked , shall I canvass if I have time? If you like, but I wouldnt worry, you wont win. This lead me to think, it sounds like Nottingham Cons dont WANT to win, and that is the crux. At the moment , labour , bar a few independents , completely control Notts city council, very badly. They came close a couple of years ago to bankruptcy and central A government measure is in place to monitor them, stupid investments that failed, and general poor financial management lead to 1.2 billion in debt, and they are now in the process of selling off council property assets to counter this, and the 55 million a year in interest that they are paying. I believe the tories dont want any part of this, and are happy to see them fail, as they surely will, so why fight for a poison chalice? Maybe when the debts are more manageable , it will be worth fighting for seats, but with voter turnout for council elections between 10 to 30 % depending on area, voter apathy is high. If I was going to canvass, my line would be to just vote (whoever that may be) because at the local level, its far more important than people realise. Plus , its a good example of labour ideology when you see this up close, spend all the money and then blame the tories, in this case , labour claim there isnt enough help from Westminster. 15 hours ago, ditchman said: lot of folk use it as climbing the ****** pole in politics....and those people will have no problem at walking all over you or controlling you............if you have thick skin and deeply care for your community ..go for it.. I am interested in politics, but getting involved , no thank you ! I wouldnt be able to keep my gob shut, an essential skill at this level of politics. Our Lee Anderson is an MP who gets away with it , but there are precious few politicians who can carry it off without media cancellation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewulf Posted May 5, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2023 Results in, while I'm lounging by the pool in Lanzarote 😁 Well, technically I came 2nd (or 4th) with 648 votes, after the 3 Labour councillors who got 1600 odd each. I beat last year's Con result, and beat every other party besides Labour. And all without any campaign. I call it a win 😂😂😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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