Getting involved in local politics?

Dave!

Hi,

I'm interested in getting involved somewhat in politics at a local level, and am wondering where's the best place to start? I suppose initially I'd just like to get a bit of first-hand experience of how local politics works. If I can end up making some sort of positive contribution then that'd be good.

FWIW I'm not a member of any parties and have no particular desire to be.

johnnyskeleton

I think we need a bit more information on what you mean by involved?

Usually, when people say they want to get involved in local politics they join a political party, do some campaigning for them, go to the local party meetings and eventually try to run as a councillor for that party in that area.

Another way to get involved is to run as a local independent candidate yourself, although that can be very expensive with no guarantee of success.

I suppose a third way of getting involved is to correspond with local councilors, do some investigation into local issues and campaign for certain things, from the repair of the local roads to, I don't know, Laois county council voting to condemn the Taliban.

Finally, you could write articles for your local paper. They might let you sit in at council meetings, parish hall community meetings and other such matters if you write up the minutes for them for free.

So what kind of involvement do you want?

expectationlost

just get involved, first.

nuac

Local authority meetings are open to the public.

Usually have rules about not using mobiles or recording or photographing.

However unless they are discussing e.g. review of Development Plan, they can be boring to sit thru.

In most localities there are occasional meetings regarding proposed projects etc.

Those of us who frequent these boards think we have all the answers.

Can often be surprised to find others also have views

Phoebas

Here's how it works.
1. You get involved in some local organisations; resident's association, neighbourhood watch - that sort of thing.
2. Before long, you're volunteering a lot of your spare time on these.
3. People start asking your opinion on local issues and asking you to help out on other stuff.
4. You get involved with corresponding with your local council to try and get stuff done in your area.
5. You start thinking that you could get more stuff done if you had a voice in your local council.
6. You run. You get elected.
7. The public turn on you. You're just another snout in the trough with your junkets and your massive expenses.

nesf

Dave! wrote: »

FWIW I'm not a member of any parties and have no particular desire to be.

This is going to make it very hard for you to be involved in anything other than a single issue group and normally the only big/powerful/influential ones are over very narrow and cynical (even if they don't realise it) local issues that flare up and die a short time later, e.g. a protest over a hospital A&E opening hours change or whatever.

Personally I find the national issue groups more interesting, but each to their own.

nuac

Phoebas wrote: »

Here's how it works.
1. You get involved in some local organisations; resident's association, neighbourhood watch - that sort of thing.
2. Before long, you're volunteering a lot of your spare time on these.
3. People start asking your opinion on local issues and asking you to help out on other stuff.
4. You get involved with corresponding with your local council to try and get stuff done in your area.
5. You start thinking that you could get more stuff done if you had a voice in your local council.
6. You run. You get elected.
7. The public turn on you. You're just another snout in the trough with your junkets and your massive expenses.

All very true.

You do need to have a lot of spare time, as the meetings take up a lot of time.

Put Kiplings "If" on your office wall - you will need an office in your house for the bumf

Amerika

What commissions (as we call them over here) in local government get the most exposure in the media? Get on one of those board of commissions and work yourself up.

(Although my oldest daughter disregarded my advice and is running for mayor (with no gov’t experience) of a growing town that just had a Wal-Mart, Lowes Home Improvement, and a few other nationally known business entities move in recently. And she’s currently the front runner. So, perhaps just shoot for the moon… you never know what may happen.)