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How to get more people involved in Parish Councils

 
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choward
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 3:00 pm    Post subject: How to get more people involved in Parish Councils Reply with quote

Something I have just written an article about for the Parish Council Network Newsletter.

This is a problem not just for local-tiers of government, but for national governments also.

What is required is to get people to understand that what is happening in their local community really affects them and really affects their lives. However, this is not an easy thing to get across, especially if they have gone years without being troubled by the goings-on of their local Parish Council.

How therefore can we make people more aware of what work we do as Parish Councils and Parish Councillors? I personally am running short of ideas, and I would love to know if anyone out there has had success with anything recently?

Thanks,
Charles Howard.
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ALFIE
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 7:45 pm    Post subject: The Easy Way Reply with quote

Educating the local community as to what a Parish Council actually does for them. Educating young people at an early age. Including the community in building a web site. Stop the local community thinking Parish Council is a closed shop. Parish Council to move forward with the times. Stop the local communities thinking Parish Council is a political tool. Remind the community other than the ocasional expences our Parish Councils are more often than not volunteers.

Remind our Parish Concillors they have got to move forward remind our Parish Councillors not everyone is aware of what they do

Am I a Parish Councillor No i am not but I am aware of what they do

Earlswood
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Dan Delion
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:55 pm    Post subject: How to get more people involved in Parish Council Reply with quote

I often go to Parish Council meetings and it does not surprise me the lack of involvement or interest. Quite often only one or two councillors dominate debate.On occations the discussion goes totally off track.The public are only permitted ten minutes before a meeting when many of the facts are unknown to them.Whilst it is appreciated time is often limited, members of the public should be able to comment prior to decisions being made.I am often one or only a handful that ever go to a meeting of a parish covering six thousand residents.I was not permitted to attend the precept meeting to even listen to how it was proposed to spend MY money. Why dont I become a councillor?I hope to do more good shouting from the outside! Twisted Evil Twisted Evil
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ALFIE
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:28 pm    Post subject: Re: How to get more people involved in Parish Council Reply with quote

Dan Delion wrote:
I often go to Parish Council meetings and it does not surprise me the lack of involvement or interest. Quite often only one or two councillors dominate debate.On occations the discussion goes totally off track.The public are only permitted ten minutes before a meeting when many of the facts are unknown to them.Whilst it is appreciated time is often limited, members of the public should be able to comment prior to decisions being made.I am often one or only a handful that ever go to a meeting of a parish covering six thousand residents.I was not permitted to attend the precept meeting to even listen to how it was proposed to spend MY money. Why dont I become a councillor?I hope to do more good shouting from the outside! Twisted Evil Twisted Evil


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

So it is the same old story everywhere, It just shows how many people have ideas or want to change, look at the few responses to this topic on what could be a great information and focal point. for exchange of ideas. Have to say at least our PC now has a web site Cool
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cath_p
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was pleasantly surprised to see people posting on here - keep it up, this site seems to very quiet again in recent months Smile
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ALFIE
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 6:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cath_p wrote:
I was pleasantly surprised to see people posting on here - keep it up, this site seems to very quiet again in recent months Smile


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

Hello Cath

Trouble is niether of us appear to be Parish Councillors. I get so disheartened, our village used to be a hive of activity a real local community. It really has just vanished. The people on the Parish Council work hard but Residents just do not seem to be motivated or even understand in some cases I can understand why the councillors get disheartened and fall into a bit of a rut. I really dont know what the answer is other than re-educating, Perhaps it is just the fact that life has changed at such a pace. I have to be honest and say my work does not allow me time to comitt to PC but it doesnt mean to say I dont help as and when I can.

Back to the drawing board, Hey Ho Hey Hum

Alfie[/quote]
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cath_p
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ALFIE wrote:
cath_p wrote:
I was pleasantly surprised to see people posting on here - keep it up, this site seems to very quiet again in recent months Smile


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

Hello Cath

Trouble is niether of us appear to be Parish Councillors. I get so disheartened, our village used to be a hive of activity a real local community. It really has just vanished. The people on the Parish Council work hard but Residents just do not seem to be motivated or even understand in some cases I can understand why the councillors get disheartened and fall into a bit of a rut. I really dont know what the answer is other than re-educating, Perhaps it is just the fact that life has changed at such a pace. I have to be honest and say my work does not allow me time to comitt to PC but it doesnt mean to say I dont help as and when I can.

Back to the drawing board, Hey Ho Hey Hum

Alfie
[/quote]

I think you have 2 types of people working for parish councils, those who are employed and see it only as a 'job' to pay the bills and those who are genuinly passionate about their community, I belong to the latter........ the bigger parish councils however do now seem to have to operate much in the same way as any 'blue chip' company does........ shame in a way , all i hope is that parish councils dont lose the 'community face' x
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ALFIE
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 5:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cath

Have you set up this forum?

It is a really good idea if you have, or if you havent set it up do you know who has.

I think it is a great communication tool where ideas etc can be discussed I only fell upon it because I was looking for ideas for community web sites two years ago. I had forgotten about it until a message popped up in email the other day

Alfie
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cath_p
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ALFIE wrote:
Cath

Have you set up this forum?

It is a really good idea if you have, or if you havent set it up do you know who has.

I think it is a great communication tool where ideas etc can be discussed I only fell upon it because I was looking for ideas for community web sites two years ago. I had forgotten about it until a message popped up in email the other day

Alfie


No not guilty for setting up this site lol ....... I would like it to thrive though so as soon as I see a post i do try to draw them into posting ....... so the message is....keep posting!!! Smile Wink
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Sarah
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cath_p wrote:
ALFIE wrote:
cath_p wrote:
I was pleasantly surprised to see people posting on here - keep it up, this site seems to very quiet again in recent months Smile


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

Hello Cath

Trouble is niether of us appear to be Parish Councillors. I get so disheartened, our village used to be a hive of activity a real local community. It really has just vanished. The people on the Parish Council work hard but Residents just do not seem to be motivated or even understand in some cases I can understand why the councillors get disheartened and fall into a bit of a rut. I really dont know what the answer is other than re-educating, Perhaps it is just the fact that life has changed at such a pace. I have to be honest and say my work does not allow me time to comitt to PC but it doesnt mean to say I dont help as and when I can.

Back to the drawing board, Hey Ho Hey Hum

Alfie


I think you have 2 types of people working for parish councils, those who are employed and see it only as a 'job' to pay the bills and those who are genuinly passionate about their community, I belong to the latter........ the bigger parish councils however do now seem to have to operate much in the same way as any 'blue chip' company does........ shame in a way , all i hope is that parish councils dont lose the 'community face' x[/quote]


Hi Cath. Great to see you posting again - I was quite shocked when I got a message reminder, because I thought this forum had gone dead!

I couldn't agree with you more about the types of people who work for Parish Councils. But, what I have noticed is that those Clerks / officers who are just doing it for the money do not seem to last as long in their posts! The fact is that Parish Councillors are not paid, and only do the work because they want to give something back. I reckon if other people are involved in the Council who are only in it for gain, they will get found out and feel isolated. It won't be long before they go.
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cath_p
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

*waves to Sarah* nice to see you too Smile Wink
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BIGGYREG
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

interesting article. you can try things all you like, but you wont get people involved in the parish council

the problem with peolpe is that they want what a council does to be done, but they dont want to pay for it, and they dont want to be part of how it is done.

End result - we have to do it but they dont like the fact that we are (and especially dont like the fact that they are paying for our precept to do it).

I reckon the only way to sort out this mess is tell the community what it is that we are all doing. They dont have to take part, but they shouold know what we are doing.
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Gavin
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 10:58 pm    Post subject: Creating interest in the community Reply with quote

It seems to me one of the simplest approaches is to identify something your community needs: Allotments? Improved play area? Better housekeeping? Defibrillators? The list is endless. Next is to find a way to galvanised the community and approach the PC members.

Everyone makes the mistake of thinking the only time this can be done is during a PC meeting. Why not get your village hall/community centre to arrange a Cheese 'n' Wine evening? Have the PC there as a team, available to respond to questions. Heaven forbid the PC may even arrange it, but bear in mind the PC are always there and (in most cases) are quite accessible - so perhaps the public should take the initiative and 'strike first' and arrange the event. Of course, you could have a fun ‘Quiz Night’!

Please bear one thing in mind - ALL the PC members are volunteers, with the sole exception of the Clerk. They are the ones the public will complain to if there is a perceived waste of public funds. So an event needs to be justifiable if you want them to arrange it. They won't want to be seen doing stunts like this while trying to up the precept!

If you and others in your community want to liven up the PC, talk to them first! Nicely, mind. Just bear in mind the nature of the PC is to keep things running smoothly, which means everything happens in the background, forgotten by the mass.

DON'T let that stop you!

Regards

Gavin



2282 views, original topic 21/07/2005 - still relevant today?
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Chris
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PostPosted: Sun May 02, 2010 5:43 pm    Post subject: Re: Creating interest in the community Reply with quote

Gavin wrote:
Please bear one thing in mind - ALL the PC members are volunteers, with the sole exception of the Clerk. They are the ones the public will complain to if there is a perceived waste of public funds. So an event needs to be justifiable if you want them to arrange it. They won't want to be seen doing stunts like this while trying to up the precept!

If you and others in your community want to liven up the PC, talk to them first! Nicely, mind. Just bear in mind the nature of the PC is to keep things running smoothly, which means everything happens in the background, forgotten by the mass.

DON'T let that stop you!

Regards

Gavin

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

Hi we have tried to get involved with the PC but are just coming up a brick wall. The Clerk will only reply to matters which the Clerk deems appropriate and will not enter discussions about anything else that we may wish to bring up. As for Cllr's being volunteers well yes to a certain extent they are but we have many Cllrs who appear to benefit from being on the council with the work that is passed among them albeit "tendered" for.





2282 views, original topic 21/07/2005 - still relevant today?
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colin
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PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2011 6:16 pm    Post subject: Getting People Interested in Local Councils Reply with quote

A good answer would include

1. Councillors speaking at all local meetings, church meetings etc

2. notice of meetings being given in local newspapers, on local notice boards and in shop windows -- and on any email site.

3. arrange for the Council to discuss something really expensive and or something that will really catch the interest of the voters. All voters have the right to write to the clerk or chairman and formally request that the Council consider a matter. Councillors have the right to put such a request and the right to put forward a formal motion for the Council or Committe to discuss -- talk to the clerk first.

4. sending reports of meetings to the local press and on the web -- best to get a local voter to do this, so that it is more objective.

On the point of not being allowed to attend the Precept Meeting -- this was almost certainly unlawful. You should ask for a formal explanation and say in your letter that you are minded to report them to the Standards Board. You also have the right to Object at the Audit.

Hope this helps
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