Party Lines Blog - Latest comments on How local democracy works

In response to: How local democracy works

Tony [Visitor] — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:03:07 +0000

Therese and he big fat trucker are both substantially correct. As a County Councillor in Wiltshire I am frequently surprised at Parish Councils lack of appreciation as to how to get things moving, and how they frequently fail to engage with their Councillors to make the appropriate representations to the relevant officers in County Hall.

In response to: How local democracy works

Phil [Visitor] — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:15:51 +0000

Thank you Therese and thank you Big Fat Trucker.
Both of you offer useful tactics.
I would add that we've employed the local press to fairly decent effect as well. It was a last resort for us as we tried to play by the rules but, done correctly, it can speed up action.

In response to: How local democracy works

Big Fat Trucker [Visitor] — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:48:21 +0000

As you can see from my screen name, I know a bit about this. What you do is this:
Ring the company, and tell them the registration number. You then tell them that if you don't get a call back from the transport manager within the hour, you will ring the following people: VOSA, the Area Traffic Commissioner, and the council's anti-smoking hotline. You tell VOSA that the vehicles lights were faulty, you tell the TC the driver ignored the local weight limits, and you tell the Smoking Nazi the driver was smoking.

Grovelling apology guaranteed!

In response to: How local democracy works

Therese [Visitor] — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:43:17 +0000

I have always found that (and Parish Councils have never caught onto this) you should write/email directly the Director (of whatever department), copying in your local councillors and the relevant cabinet member.

It works nearly every time apart from school appeals, which are more difficult.
Ditto for Police, Health, similar. Go to the top - it is then more likely to get worked on.
re: feudal system - I don't think so much that but people will more likely listen to people they know .. it's human nature.