be a councillor

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be a councillor
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Motivation

• London Councils is working to address
  under-representation of young people, women and
  people from ethnic minorities in the democratic
  process
• Addressing points made by the Governments
  Councillors Commission that reported in December
  2007

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The statistics

• 18 of councillors describe themselves as
  belonging to a non-white ethnic group, despite
  over 30 of London's population describing
  themselves in the same way
• Women, who make up more than 50 of the capital's
  population occupy less than a third of council
  seats in London
• People under 45 make up just 30 of all
  councillors 

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Aims

• To promote the way councils in London engage with
  their communities and spread good practice
• To make people more aware of what their local
  council and councillors do
• To encourage more people to consider standing in
  the 2010 borough elections

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Who is doing what?

• London Councils is working with the 32 boroughs
  on a pan-London awareness and information
  campaign with funding from Capital Ambition
• The Leadership Centre and the Political Skills
  Forum are undertaking political recruitment work
  with the local political party groups

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Programme

• Londoners were polled by MORI to gauge their
  current level of understanding and involvement in
  local government.
• A new website has been created informing people
  about how to become a London councillor,
  www.beacouncillor.org.uk
• Coordinated publicity campaign above and below
  the line, for example using local newspapers and
  council magazines
• All campaign material and the website is
  apolitical and includes references to being an
  independent candidate as well as standing for
  political parties
• Council officers can keep up to date with the
  programme, read the results of the MORI survey
  and order the free campaign material via
  www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/2010campaignresources
• Over 140 people interested in finding out more
  about being a councillor came to a high-profile
  summit in July 2008 with a session on becoming a
  councillor.
• We ran two seminars during Local Democracy Week
  in October 2008. Events being run by individual
  London boroughs were promoted on
  www.beacouncillor.org.uk
• The project will run until the next elections in
  2010

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Dedicated website

• www.beacouncillor.org.uk packed with information
  about the role of local councillors and outline
  of how councils work
• Profiles of existing London councillors
• Details of how to become candidates
• Online discussion forum
• Links to more information. During the run up to
  Local Democracy Week in October each year we will
  include a section listing council-run
  events/workshops taking place during the week

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Ad vans photo opportunities
Three ad vans each with campaign message and
pictures of six councillors (see below) toured
all 32 boroughs in mid July. They provided a
photo opportunity for councillors involved in the
campaign as well as advertising the website to
the general public.
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Free resources for councils

• People like you are councillors information
  booklet ideal for handing out at events
• Be a councillor posters and postcards
• Be a councillor pop-up banner display stands
  available for loan
• Online ordering for the items listed above at
  www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/lobbying/campaigns/2010r
  esources/onlineordering.htm
• Opportunity for publicising council-run Local
  Democracy Week events and other democratic
  engagement activities on www.beacouncillor.org.uk
• Ready-made (apolitical) text for your website or
  your council publications

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Campaign resources Postcards
Ideal for mailing or handing out at
events. Campaign postcards are available in the 7
designs shown here. Each postcards has the same
campaign contact details on the reverse.
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Campaign resources Posters
Posters are available in six designs each one
showing a different councillor as per the
postcards. Sizes available are A5, A4, A3 and
A2. Artwork can be sent to your design team if
you want to produce your own size or for use in
your publications
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Campaign resources Information booklet
This 20 page A5 sized booklet is ideal for
handing out at events. It contains information on
how to become a candidate (both political and
independent) as well as profiles of existing
councillors.
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For more information or to order any of the free
campaign material contact Emma Stewart,
Promotions Manager, London Councils 020 7934
9754 emma.stewart_at_londoncouncils.gov.uk Order
free campaign material online at
www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/lobbying/campaigns/2010r
esources/onlineordering.htm Website with
campaign resources and progress updates for
council officers www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/2010ca
mpaignresources Campaign website
www.beacouncillor.org.uk