The De Montfort University and The MJ Councillor Commission was launched last December and started taking evidence in January.
The commission is exploring all facets of the role of the councillor, the work they do and importantly why, given all the frustrations and limitations on the office, they do it.
The commission is not working to a set of pre-designed questions it wants to explore. Rather, we want to hear from councillors about the issues that are of concern to them: what is it that policy-makers in central government and indeed the public should know about the work councillors do and how can they better understand that work and its implications for citizens, communities and the country. It is the voice of the councillor the commission wants to hear.
So far, in addition to the written evidence submitted, the commission has held four round table discussions with councillors with a further eight are planned, with many more to follow.
Already clear patterns are beginning to emerge from the evidence displaying the turbulent nature of the office of councillor: the increasing need to interact with organisations – both public and private – beyond the council and the difficulties in influencing and shaping what those organisations do and holding them to account. It also entails responding to central government austerity policies and managing the impact on public services; government control and interference; increasing case work which isn’t restricted to the council, but which cuts across a range of issues and organisations where the public want the support of a councillor to resolve personal problems.
It examines unrealistically high public expectations of what councillors can achieve for individuals and communities; insufficient powers to tackle the issues that confront councillors and their councils and the ongoing need to construct positive working relationships with officers to achieve political goals.
These represent only a few of the messages councillors have provided for the commission. There are others, not least the impact on the non-council life of the councillor which council duties generate.
A constant theme so far has also been the frustration among councillors at the lack of understanding of their work that government appears to hold, coupled with how quickly former councillors who become MPs seem to turn their backs on local government.
There is clearly a gulf in understanding between the image government holds of councillors and the reality of the office.
The evidence presented to the commission so far gives the impression councillors are somehow volunteers, individuals with plenty of spare time to donate to good causes. This does a disservice to councillors and to volunteers generally. It is almost as though the Government and the public hear councillors everywhere say: ‘I’m popping down the town hall to do a bit of councilloring. Will be back for tea about six’.
We find the dedication and commitment with which councillors approach their work is despite, rather than because of the understanding of their role held by others and the support they receive from councils. The latter, as would be expected, varies across the country.
But without support – and research-based support in particular – councillors and not only the leading or executive ones are faced with a struggle in undertaking what is expected of them. That they do their work so successfully is a testament to those we elected locally.
But there is more to know and more for the commission to explore about our councillors. In order to do that we will be taking evidence from councillors and others through to the end of July.
Volunteer councils to run round table discussions with members are always gratefully received and written submissions from councillors on any aspect of their work are vital evidence for the commission.
Submission of written evidence is simple – any format or style, including links to past blogs, will do, any length from a couple of paragraphs, to War and Peace length dissertations can all be emailed directly to the commission’s dedicated email address which is checked every day: councillors@dmu.ac.uk
The results of the commission’s work will be reported to the Communities and Local Government Committee, whose chair, Clive Betts MP is backing the work of this inquiry – which is independent of his committee.
The findings will be presented to the Local Government Association. Lord Porter, its chairman, is one of our commissioners.
A series of road shows will be organised to display the findings to the public, the media and to policy-makers generally.
We intend to generate an ongoing public debate and understanding about the value of councillors to the overall governance of the country and about the tools they need to govern our communities.
Our councillors don’t crave adoration or even appreciation, but they do ask that the public and government understand what they do, how they do it and what they cannot do. This is what the commission aims to achieve.
Professor Colin Copus is professor of local politics and director of the Local Governance Research Unit in the Department of Politics and Public Policy at De Montfort University
