Having been on a parish council for over 38 years and enjoyed contributing to the area where I have resided most of my life, I ask myself, has it all been worthwhile?
Looking back, in parts, it has been rewarding. However, recently it has changed quite a lot and the parish work has also become government influenced.
It seems newly introduced courses give guidence so you can be allowed to be on a parish council and know the protocol, the clerk being the only paid employee.
It would be more helpful and useful if it was like it used to be when local councils helped and responded to requests from parish councils.
At present, it is a joke. You cannot talk to anyone behind the town hall doors. if you try to put something right within your parish community it becomes almost impossible to get local councillors, or even the council’s switchboard to cooperate. Local councils do not want any intervention from parish councils,
It is because they want their own way of doing just what they want and nobody has questioned this dogmatic approach. This is certainly the case in Coventry. The public cannot have a say in matters, more so now that ward forums were cancelled citywide. although one area still does hold a forum.
Councillors get paid by the public purse but do not always do a good job. It seems like a closed shop, and the voting public do not like it. Politics play a part in local government,
so why do we have to live in a dictatorship when they say we live in a democracy?
If this ‘us and them’ is to continue I cannot see the use of parish councils working in the community for much longer, which would sadly put paid to over a hundred years of history.
Perhaps this is what Coventry Council want – NO parish councils and NO football club.
Sandra Camwell
Bennetts Road South
Coventry
Can I take this opportunity to thank all those who voted for me in the election on May 2. I am humbled by the mandate and pledge to represent you as best I can. I promise to work hard together with my colleagues, Couns Naeem Akhtar and David Welsh to respond quickly and positively to your concerns as I have always tried to do.
Times are still tough for many of you as the government’s austerity measures still continue to bite regardless of their false claims otherwise. The council are still facing huge budget pressures with demand for social care continuing to rise whist money to pay for it continues to fall.
Nonetheless, I’m not a quitter and will continue to stand up for Coventry and fight for more jobs and investment in our fine city. Our strength as a city is in our resourcefulness and our skill base. I will work with companies old and new to make sure they make investment decisions which mean more jobs for Coventry people. A good job with good pay in a fine city like Coventry is still the best way for people to get on in life.
I will work hard to make sure more Coventry people have that choice.
Councillor Jim O’Boyle
St MIchael’s ward
Coventry City Council
Will we ever learn? Again we see another another really low turn out in Coventry’s local elections. Most of the ruling group do little to engage residents and our continued low turnout could be seen as backing this point.
Our role exists to champion our residents, we should be able to help residents maximise any opportunity and empower them. Coun Marcus Lapsa, myself and Coun David Skinner ensure we work with people all year round not just at election time.
At a time when the public have never been more frustrated with politicians who seem more interested in pursuing a narrow agenda, Westminster’s response is to become even more insular. If we do not grasp the future and show people why these local elections matter then more populist forces waiting in the wings will seek to stir up frustration without offering them a means of making things better.
We must help Coventry residents by understanding their aspirations and ambitions for their families. The back drop is good overall. Jobs are up, wages are starting to rise and those on the lowest income have benefited most from tax cuts. However as local councillor we must do more to understand the needs of modern Coventry and be prepared to go further then we have before.
British politics has been through one of its most difficult periods, for trust to be restored we must give people back control of their lives through a positive agenda which enables them to feel secure in their everyday lives and maximises opportunity through a confident approach to our country’s future. I hope we see more people turning out to vote in our local elections in the future.
Councillor Tim Mayer
Westwood ward
Coventry City Council
