Speaking to some Councillors in Kent today, I found myself answering a few questions about Facebook ‘dos-and-don’ts’ – I mentioned that there was bound to be something from the many social media practitioners that have written on the subject, and that a quick Google would turn up a handy etiquette guide. Looking around, however, there doesn’t [...]
Posts under ‘Councillors’
Cllr Smith, MP
In France, the Socialist party want to reform the practice known as cumul des mandats, where an MP or Senator also holds elected office at local level in his home town. The argument is that wearing two hats in that way distracts national level politicians from their main jobs, and promotes cronyism and pork-barrel spending [...]
Who will cover the cost of ‘scrutiny’?
Anthony has beat me to a response to the new Green Paper today, so I thought I’d develop his scepticism about the appetite for ‘scrutiny’. For me, the interesting question is – as ever – around the whole notion of representation. Town Hall Matters has lighted on this question and that post returns to a [...]
Transparency – sticking plaster or panacea?
MySociety‘s Tom Steinberg has, for some years, been urging government to adapt some of the lessons that successful websites have learned. Here he is, writing one of the Reboot Britain essays serialised in The Independent. “….most people are …familiar with Amazon’s ability to tell you that “people who bought this also bought that”, and increasingly [...]
Should MPs and councillors take up cases on behalf of individuals?
Chewing over Parliamentary reforms, here’s Jenni Russell from the Guardian last week: “One experienced Commons civil servant is blisteringly critical of the way in which most MPs have accepted the culture in which they now operate. While some committees and chairs are excellent, many MPs can’t be bothered. “They’re just not interested in the core [...]
A new deputy in town
At the risk of loading expectations onto someone, it’s very good news to see that Bill McCluggage has been appointed as Deputy Government CIO in Cabinet Office. I did some work with Bill over the last eighteen months in Northern Ireland where he was a very powerful advocate for getting local councillors and councils to take [...]
I'm a councillor – get me out of here!
Here’s a video clip about the ‘I’m a councillor – get me out of here’ project – and here’s a bit of background to the film. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCQH0HNqDO8] It’s a really brilliant project – where local authorities have any interest in being creative about the way councillors engage with young people (a learning experience – and [...]
Pro-social councils
Here’s the RSA’s Matthew Taylor making the case for a pro-social framework for local government. This bit may seem like a triumph of hope over expectations, but it’s interesting to ask ourselves why that would be: “Engage local councillors in a redefinition of politics and social change, moving from a government-centric to a citizen-centric model. [...]
Last minute reminder
If you haven’t registered for the ‘Councillors Connected: The Social Media Online Conference‘, you can still register now. It happens online and it starts tomorrow. The confirmed speakers include… Councillor Richard Kemp, of Liverpool City Council, Deputy Char of the LGA Executive and Leader of the LGA Liberal Democrat Group Councillor James Cousins, of the [...]
Structural changes ignored?
I missed this at the time, but here’s an example of what happens when you spend a fortune on a commission and ask them to ignore the trees while describing the wood. In Public Service magazine, Professor Michael Clarke offers an account of his work as chairman of a committee that looked at the city’s [...]
