Talking shop
by Phil Chamberlain / 27 Jan 2009
Pretty much every month the parish council is asked to respond to one kind of consultation exercise or another.
Keeping the press bench warm
by Phil Chamberlain / 09 Dec 2008
I've written previously about the benefits of councils streaming their meetings so members of the public and officers can be included without all the hassle of actually attending.
Paper candidates
by Phil Chamberlain / 28 Nov 2008
At a recent Green Party election training event members were exhorted to find people who could stand as paper candidates in the forthcoming local authority elections.
Advertise with TotalPolitics
Third rate fourth estate
by Phil Chamberlain / 18 Nov 2008
So how long do you think you have to wave your arms at the local press saying: "There's a juicy council scandal story here.
Better than Hacks or Estate Agents
by Phil Chamberlain / 12 Nov 2008
The Committee on Standards in Public Life has just published its annual survey on public attitudes to politicians (aka The Porkies Report).
Increasing the 150 club
by Phil Chamberlain / 10 Nov 2008
Obama might have shown than a black man can become president but over here the most basic rungs of local government appear to be out of reach to most minority ethnic candidates.
Increasing the 150 club
by Phil Chamberlain / 10 Nov 2008
Obama might have shown than a black man can become president but over here the most basic rungs of local government appear to be out of reach to most minority ethnic candidates.
Health and safety
by Phil Chamberlain / 30 Oct 2008
The Health and Safety Executive has just published its annual figures on deaths and injuries at work.
Putting the politics back into parishes
by Phil Chamberlain / 24 Oct 2008
When I was still a fresh-faced parish councillor, the BNP did a late night leaflet drop in my village putting out the usual hate literature on crime.
Civic pride isn't about local pop star done good
by Phil Chamberlain / 23 Dec 2008
A little road in my village is named after the humanist William Grocyn.
How local democracy works
by Phil Chamberlain / 02 Dec 2008
So you’re on the parish council and you are bombarded by complaints from residents because a combination of crap SatNav, poor signage and a company which doesn’t care means HGVs are churning up your village.
Counting the pennies
by Phil Chamberlain / 25 Nov 2008
The pre-budget debate took a couple of hours and involved a calculator, some internet research, a couple of beers and, at one point, getting a particular councillor on the speakerphone for their expert advice.
Is that a lift in the polls or are you just pleased to see me?
by Phil Chamberlain / 14 Nov 2008
Following on from Ben's post about TV personalities who become politicians (and vice versa) Hopi Sen has a rather marvellous story from Louisiana about entertainment and politics.
Better than hacks or estate agents
by Phil Chamberlain / 10 Nov 2008
The Committee on Standards in Public Life has just published its annual survey on public attitudes to politicians (aka The Porkies Report).
Increasing the 150 club
by Phil Chamberlain / 10 Nov 2008
Obama might have shown than a black man can become president but over here the most basic rungs of local government appear to be out of reach to most minority ethnic candidates.
All politics is local
by Phil Chamberlain / 04 Nov 2008
Last week there was quite a detailed discussion in the school playground between parents on how accurate the America polls might be.
They also serve
by Phil Chamberlain / 28 Oct 2008
Chris of the Green Bristol Blog has rightly reminded me that my summary of some of the key Bristol bloggers holding the city council to account would not be complete without the The Bristol Blogger.
The dog that did not bark
by Phil Chamberlain / 21 Oct 2008
Is some critical mass needed before a community gets a decent online watchdog? Recently I've started travelling into Bristol a couple of times a week for work.
Advertise with TotalPolitics
Newsletter Sign up
Sign up to receive the latest news from Total Politics
Quote of the Day
What you call austerity is what I might call efficiency.
