Local government a guide for Quakers

This guide is for individuals and groups who want to know more about how to engage with local government. It provides an overview of the structures of local government in , England and Wales, the Quaker concerns it works on, and ways of engaging with it. Why engage with local government? Councils seek to engage with the people Many of the issues that Quakers choose who live in their areas to make sure they are to campaign on have far-reaching global working for them. The fact that they are often implications. But while policy direction can overlooked sometimes means they are more be determined within central government able to engage and build relationships than or at international conferences, policies are other representatives, who might receive frequently implemented at local level, with local overwhelming amounts of correspondence. councillors and officers often doing more than While central government can seem far parliamentarians to put policy into action. removed from the people whose lives their Due to the smaller geographical areas covered decisions affect, your local government is by councils, it is often easier to contact closer to hand and should be working with you your councillors or find the appropriate staff and your community in mind. member to speak to about an issue.

What Quaker concerns does local l libraries, allotments, green spaces, government deal with? recreation areas and other services It’s not all drainage and gritting roads! You’ll that encourage healthy and peaceful find that local government deals with many communities issues that touch on Quaker concerns, such l environment and travel as: l grants for local organisations l education and curriculum l general support for the community. l housing and homelessness People can positively influence their l planning, including environmental issues communities by working with their local like fracking and renewables councils. After all, small actions can amount l youth work to big changes.

Structure of local government in Scotland held at five-year intervals (2007–2012, 2012– There are 32 local authorities in Scotland, 2017 and 2017–2022). This was to avoid local which can vary significantly in population size. government and elections Councillors are elected to local authorities taking place in the same year. by the electorate of the area they represent, Councils in Scotland are led by a leader and a known as a council ward. In 2007 proportional civic leader, known as a Provost or Convener. representation was introduced in Scotland, , Edinburgh, , and Aberdeen meaning everyone has several local councillors all have a Lord Provost. Local government they can approach. decision-making occurs primarily within a Local government elections are normally held committee structure. every four years, though the last three were Structure of local government in Wales a year to avoid local government and Welsh There are 22 local authorities in Wales. Each of Assembly elections taking place in the these is a unitary local authority, and they vary same year. in size. Councillors represent council wards. Historically, many councils in Wales have been In some areas a single councillor represents run by a coalition, with no single party winning each ward, while in other areas two or three enough seats at election to have overall councillors are elected to multi-member wards. control. Local government decision-making in Local government elections are normally Wales takes place through committees, often held every four years, but in recent years the with a leader and a cabinet. elections have sometimes been delayed by

Structure of local authorities in England including ‘city council’ (e.g. Nottingham City Wherever you live in England, you will have Council), ‘borough council’ (e.g. Reading either one or two layers of local government. Borough Council), or simply ‘council’ (e.g. These layers are known as ‘tiers’. There is Medway Council). It’s important to check the sometimes also a parish council, which could type of council since some city councils are in be called a town, city or community council. fact parish councils, which are much smaller authorities with fewer powers (e.g. Chichester In single-tier areas – London, metropolitan City Council). areas and some other parts of England – all local authority services are the responsibility In two-tier areas there is a larger county of the same council. The exception to this council and several smaller district councils. is in Greater Manchester and London, These areas tend to be rural. Some services where the directly-elected are also are the responsibility of the county council, responsible for strategic planning, fire and while some are the responsibility of the rescue services, and passenger transport district councils. Parish councils are more across the whole city. common in rural areas, so many people find themselves represented by three different In London, single-tier councils are known as types of local authority. borough councils, and all councils include the word ‘borough’ in their name. In other single- You can find out which local authority or tier areas they are either unitary authorities or authorities provide services in your area at metropolitan districts; the distinction is largely www.gov.uk/find-local-council. historical. They can use a variety of names,

Town and parish councils cemeteries, parks, ponds, allotments, war In some parts of England and Wales there memorials, and community halls. are also town and parish councils. These There are around 10,000 town and parish cover a smaller area than unitary, county or councils in England and Wales. Local district councils. They provide services such authorities in areas that don’t already have a as town and village centre management and town or parish council can also seek to set hedge trimming, and manage amenities like one up in consultation with local people. Who does what? The table below sets out which type of council is responsible for which services in two-tier areas. In single-tier areas all of these services are provided by the same council.

County District * In some areas, fire services council council are provided by metropolitan or combined fire authorities. Education l These are solely responsible Highways l for providing fire and rescue Transport planning l services. Passenger transport l Metropolitan fire authorities Social care l usually cover a large town or city and its surrounding area, l Housing while combined authorities Libraries l cover an area in which a Leisure and recreation l number of local authorities Environmental health l provide other services. Waste collection l Fire services may also be Waste disposal l provided by the Police and Crime Commissioner (see l Planning applications below). You can find out Strategic planning l which fire and rescue authority Fire and rescue* l covers your local area at Collecting local taxation l www.cfoa.org.uk/frs.

Police and Crime Commissioners for fire and rescue services where there is a Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) business case for doing so. are directly elected every four years and are You can find out which PCC is responsible for responsible for strategic decisions on policing. policing in your area at www.apccs.police.uk/ PCCs may also take on the responsibility find-your-pcc. How to engage with local councils • Many councils have public petitions There are several ways you can engage with committees through which you can petition your local council: the council for changes you want to see, as long as they are within the council’s • Speak to your local representative. Your powers. Public petitions cover matters like council’s website will give their name, monuments, loan sharks, cycle paths and contact details and surgery times. cycle hire schemes, and traffic lights. • Many councils have consultations on • Many council staff have specific expertise. issues like planning, congestion charges Depending on what you wish to achieve, and how to spend budgets. Visit their speaking to council staff could be an website or contact the council or your local opportunity to learn more about how the councillor to find details of consultations council functions in relation to your area of your local council is undertaking and how concern – knowledge that may help you you can respond. formulate any requests.

Local government elections By-elections held to fill a ‘casual vacancy’, Despite the degree of power that resides at often when a councillor dies or resigns, can local government level, local election turnout is be very short, intense electoral periods. They usually low (around 30 to 40 per cent). Several might focus only on a few specific issues. councils in Britain have been run by the same If there are elections where you live, you can political party for decades, meaning who wins find out the name of your ward and its current a seat at elections can feel like a formality. This elected representatives at www.writetothem. can also mean that very little campaigning com. A list of candidates standing for election actually takes place during election periods, will usually appear on your local government’s making it difficult to find out where candidates, website or in your local newspaper. or their local party, stand on issues.

Useful organisations Mygov.scot COSLA A source of information on Scotland’s public The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities sector. Visit www.mygov.scot. represents most authorities in Scotland and NALC negotiates with the on National Association of Local Councils their behalf. Visit www.cosla.gov.uk. (England). Visit www.nalc.gov.uk. LGA WLGA Local Government Association (England). Welsh Local Government Association. Visit www.local.gov.uk. Visit www.wlga.wales/home. LGiU WriteToThem The Local Government Information Unit is a A website to help you identify and contact your think tank that provides briefings, blogs and elected representatives. Visit www.writetothem. information on how local government can com. maximise its impact. Visit www.lgiu.org.uk (England and Wales) or www.lgiuscotland.org. uk (Scotland). How can you get involved? Get your ideas into the manifesto Organise a hustings Writing to local political parties or engaging As a Quaker meeting or local community ahead of elections means people will be aware group, you could organise a hustings on a of the issues you raise. You could host a public particular topic. This can be a useful way of meeting, and invite representatives of local finding out the views of all of your candidates parties to attend, well before an election to get in one setting. people talking. Ask questions of candidates A manifesto sets out what a political party Election leaflets often give candidates’ contact intends to do if it is elected. If you’re a party details. Use these to write to each of them to member you can influence the content of its ask their views on a particular topic. If they’re local election manifesto. Raise your ideas and elected, you can hold them to what they concerns at a party meeting and demonstrate promised in their response/s. that these are issues people locally care about Think about what you would ask if a Stand for election candidate knocks on your door. This is your Whether or not you’re a member of a political opportunity to find out directly where your party (and provided you can find enough candidate stands on the issues of concern to people to support your nomination), you you. If a candidate doesn’t know the answer, can always stand for election yourself. Think share your contact details so they can get about how you might bring your Quaker back to you. values into play. Write to your local paper The letters pages of local newspapers are often the most widely read. This is a way to share your concerns with a wider audience and may get other people talking about your concerns.

Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Registered charity number 1127633 Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ

Follow us on social media @BritishQuakers. Email us at [email protected] www.quaker.org.uk

0718.CS.0319