When it comes to local politics it is often the case that we hear nothing about what is happening except when there is a general election. I have asked several people about the work of their local councillors to get the same reply - we don't really know what they do!
Surely in this day and age it is not unreasonable for us to expect to be able to find out what our councillors do and to be able to contact them easily instead of having to take time off work to visit them at their convenience.
I believe that now is the time for openness and modern thinking, combined with the best use of social media, email, telephone and the internet so that people can keep in touch with their councillors and be informed about the important things in the locality.
I was asked today about how I would go about my campaigning - would I knock on doors and then find out what people's issues were and then call back to see them. My answer was - not normally, unless the person was not able to use modern technology or was not happy doing so.
This was not to dismiss the importance of anybody's issues but a practical point - if I take time to visit everybody I talk to who identifies an issue and then have to visit them again with information - then it means that I spend an awful lot of time travelling (not to mention the expense and the carbon footprint involved) whereas if at the initial chat I give them my email, facebook, telephone and web accounts then they can stay in touch with me easily and be informed about the work that I am doing. That means that I will have more time to work on their issues and that they can contact me at any time day or night and I can respond when I am available to do so.
Of course, I will always be happy to call round if that is what people prefer as long as they realise that calling has to fit in with everything else that I have to do.
Using modern technology in this way can save time, inform people much easier, bring the work of local councillors into the public view and help to save the planet too - and that is what we are all .about - it is common sense really
Surely in this day and age it is not unreasonable for us to expect to be able to find out what our councillors do and to be able to contact them easily instead of having to take time off work to visit them at their convenience.
I believe that now is the time for openness and modern thinking, combined with the best use of social media, email, telephone and the internet so that people can keep in touch with their councillors and be informed about the important things in the locality.
I was asked today about how I would go about my campaigning - would I knock on doors and then find out what people's issues were and then call back to see them. My answer was - not normally, unless the person was not able to use modern technology or was not happy doing so.
This was not to dismiss the importance of anybody's issues but a practical point - if I take time to visit everybody I talk to who identifies an issue and then have to visit them again with information - then it means that I spend an awful lot of time travelling (not to mention the expense and the carbon footprint involved) whereas if at the initial chat I give them my email, facebook, telephone and web accounts then they can stay in touch with me easily and be informed about the work that I am doing. That means that I will have more time to work on their issues and that they can contact me at any time day or night and I can respond when I am available to do so.
Of course, I will always be happy to call round if that is what people prefer as long as they realise that calling has to fit in with everything else that I have to do.
Using modern technology in this way can save time, inform people much easier, bring the work of local councillors into the public view and help to save the planet too - and that is what we are all .about - it is common sense really
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