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Running for local Councillor
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P1971


Posts: 816
Joined: Feb 2009
Post: #1
27-12-2015 10:42 PM

Hey All

I've had so many asks and messages asking me to run for our local Cllr recently which is why I'm posting this.

If I do this it will be voluntary but not sure I can cut it!

My thoughts on this

- I'm not clever enough
- I don't really support any party above another, so not sure what the party would be
- Not sure how this works

Others asking me think I could

- Do the best for the community
- Fight for what the community asks of me

I know I could do this for FH community & fight for what the majority want but not sure I could do it on this scale.

Just throwing this out there to find out others opinions.

Not really looking to do this but if many more ask or think I should I'll sure look in to it x

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rbmartin


Posts: 1,074
Joined: Nov 2007
Post: #2
27-12-2015 11:29 PM

You could go apply as an independent, but with the Labour majority of all but one on the council, it'll be extremely difficult, not to mention the cost of publicity etc, which you'd get support for from a mainstream party.

Have a look at the political party manifestos and see which party shares similar views to yourself. I'm not sure how Cllr's are selected, but I'm sure there is a selection policy done at local level.

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Sherwood


Posts: 1,412
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #3
28-12-2015 11:50 AM

I think you probably need to work for a political party as a volunteer before being chosen as a candidate.
You don't always get chosen either. Some of my friends have not been chosen as their party candidate.

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localbigwig


Posts: 42
Joined: Oct 2014
Post: #4
28-12-2015 01:06 PM

Independent would allow you to do what is best for Forest Hill without having
to tow a party line and wreck the area to please your political leaders.

How about Forest Hill First Independent Party (FHFIP) I bet there are lots of people who are fed up with main stream politics.

The big problem would be that you would be out numbered at the town hall even if elected, unless we could declare independence from the rest of Lewisham first! Wink

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P1971


Posts: 816
Joined: Feb 2009
Post: #5
28-12-2015 03:23 PM

Thanks all for your replies.

I'll have a bit more of a look into what has been mentioned and anything would have to fit around my normal day job.

I'll also have a proper chat with someone that has mentioned this to me a few times as they used to be our FH Cllr a while back so will know what is involved regardless of party.

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Red67


Posts: 141
Joined: Nov 2007
Post: #6
28-12-2015 06:57 PM

http://beacouncillor.co.uk/

The site above might be useful....

I wouldn't do yourself down by saying you're 'not clever enough'... what makes you think that any of the Cllrs we have now are the sharpest tools in the box?!

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P1971


Posts: 816
Joined: Feb 2009
Post: #7
28-12-2015 07:42 PM

Red67, I'll have a look at this, Thanks.

My thinking is that I'm not the best with words. I'm quite common to be honest and I would never be able to put big words across & won't understand half of them, but could always put my passion across.

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nottinghillbilly


Posts: 653
Joined: Dec 2010
Post: #8
28-12-2015 08:20 PM

I think You'd be brilliant!
Frankly I'm disgusted by the lack of involvement by the majority of our local cllrs on this forum.
You use the local amenieties, run a buisiness in the town centre and actually talk to the locals.
I'd vote for you...
Of course you are clever enough..
You are a superb communicator and thats what counts not being 'posh' or having a degree.

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P1971


Posts: 816
Joined: Feb 2009
Post: #9
28-12-2015 08:47 PM

Thank you all x

I'll sure be looking into some sort of independent party now.

Thanks all for the support 😍

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derbybill


Posts: 122
Joined: Jan 2010
Post: #10
29-12-2015 12:05 PM

Councillors are elected for a term of four years; the next local elections will be in May 2018, so you have plenty of time to prepare!
There is a lot of information about the Council and Cllrs on the lewisham.gov website that you should look at carefully.
Do be aware of the political make up of the current Council which is essentially Labour with a single Green Party Cllr.
I cannot recall any independent councillors getting elected over the last 40 years in Lewisham, although many have stood as candidates. In some, more rural parts of the UK, Independents do get elected, but they often have very right wing views. They often cannot take control of a Council because they have such differing views!
You may find it very hard work to stand as an Independent, because you will NOT have an established team of party workers to support you, and you will have to find ways of contacting your electorate (many thousands of households) with leaflets and personal calls.
Worth a try?

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michael


Posts: 3,255
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #11
29-12-2015 12:42 PM

I think it is a thankless task and difficult to make any real difference unless you are a member of the ruling party and in the cabinet. Individual independent councillors are unlikely to have any real influence unless the council is 'no overall control'.
In the case of the library I don't think any of our councillors attended the mayor and cabinet meeting and certainly didn't choose to represent the views of their constituents. The decision had already been made and they knew there was nothing to be achieved by opposing the mayor's inevitable decision.

Much of the work of councillors goes unnoticed, it is about issues for individual families, such as housing problems, rather than the big issues. And when council budgets are being cut every year it is very difficult for the council or councillors to make a positive difference, the best they can hope for is to limit the damage. I don't see why anybody would want to do that job at the moment, unless they saw it as a route to bigger things in their political party, or took pleasure in reducing the role of councils in the community.

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P1971


Posts: 816
Joined: Feb 2009
Post: #12
29-12-2015 06:25 PM

Michael, I tend to agree with you that most work from Cllrs goes unnoticed like what you mentioned & that's the part I don't think I'm cut out for.

Red67 I checked out your link today & it says you need to commit to 4 hours plus per week which is more than doable.

The thing I need to look at most at this point is if I could commit to enough time to try and make a difference and the best way to try and achieve this for what the community as a whole want.

Is it worth my time looking in to this?
I think yes.

Do I think I'm capable of doing this?
I really don't know.

So I will look in to it in much more detail but not sure if I'm the right person to do this or not at this stage.

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topofthehill


Posts: 25
Joined: Jan 2012
Post: #13
30-12-2015 12:30 AM

I imagine that this would be a costly exercise were you to run as an independent - deposit, promotional materials, time canvassing away from your business etc.
But good luck to you, anyway.

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Sherwood


Posts: 1,412
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #14
30-12-2015 12:13 PM

Unfortuately, think that councillors have very little influence as we now have a directly elected Mayor. My recollection is that it takes a two thirds majority to reverse the Mayor's decisions. This is very unlikely to happen.
Perhaps you should start with a Forest Hill pressure group.

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Mr_Numbers


Posts: 513
Joined: May 2012
Post: #15
04-01-2016 03:23 PM

P1976, I don't think this comes down to wanting to 'change' things in the sense of reversing the Mayor's decisions, etc. That's just a non-starter, really.

But if you win as an independent councillor it does mean having a legitimate platform to give voice to what matters to Forest Hill residents and business people - and making it publicly uncomfortable for our local councillors to nod through whatever their Labour lords and masters want. The press will love you.

Besides - there are things that councillors do to help their constituents that don't need a council vote. One of my councillors sorted out a long-standing problem of a missing weight-restriction sign on our road - a problem that 'Fix my street' never managed to resolve but which our councillor sorted within a couple of weeks.

As for a pressure group, there's already the Forest Hill Society, which does sterling work. Maybe they could do with an extra volunteer, or maybe it's a way of learning more about some of the workings of the local political machinery and getting some experience that will serve you well in your 'manifesto'.

Just do give some thought to the high profile nature of being a councillor, especially one as outspoken as you like to be. As I said, the press will love you for being outspoken when you're up against the mighty local Labour party - but the press is always looking for something to blow out of all proportion, too.

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P1971


Posts: 816
Joined: Feb 2009
Post: #16
04-01-2016 05:57 PM

Hi Mr_Numbers

Thanks for your reply.

I completely agree The Forest Hill Society do a brilliant job for FH and I work with them already, especially Michael on some community matters.

I've said before I'm not sure if I'm cut out for this or not but I've got plenty of time to have a proper look into it more.

I really appreciate your comments :-)

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michael


Posts: 3,255
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #17
05-01-2016 01:46 PM

Mr_Numbers wrote:
As for a pressure group, there's already the Forest Hill Society, which does sterling work. Maybe they could do with an extra volunteer...

Thanks for the positive comments. Funny that when you posted the comment P1971 and I were in a meeting, working together on a project for the benefit of the local community.

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Anotherjohn


Posts: 376
Joined: May 2005
Post: #18
05-01-2016 06:37 PM

Quote:
P1971 and I were in a meeting, working together on a project for the benefit of the local community


I know you were Michael; and I always appreciate all the work that you both put in quietly behind the scenes for local people. Thank you guys!

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P1971


Posts: 816
Joined: Feb 2009
Post: #19
06-01-2016 12:03 PM

Thanks Anotherjohn/Mr you don't do too badly yourself either!

And yes Michael we were, I don't know about you but it's definitely the biggest and most exciting community project I've been involved in :-)

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robin orton


Posts: 716
Joined: Feb 2009
Post: #20
06-01-2016 12:06 PM

What is it?

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