Social Media & Councillors

Steve_b

Steve_b

Well-Known Forumite
With less money around as local government is experiencing we need to make sure we are working the most effective way possible. Social Media is free for people to use and can make such a difference both to members of the public and members of the council with regards to scrutiny, accountability and authority.

But who is engaging with their residents and, who is hiding away. Who is being accountable and who's not.

Currently only 35% of Stafford Borough Councillors are engaging with residents through Social Media, Why!

Do you think our Councils and Councillors should be engaging with us through Social Media in addition to conventional ways?
 
Steve_b

Steve_b

Well-Known Forumite
Don't you think this should change, it time they engage or move on?

We're losing 19 at the next election, if they won't engage, name them, people don't have too vote for them
 
tek-monkey

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
As I mentioned in another thread I tried to engage with our local MP once, it was not an encouraging experience. I asked what information informed his decision to vote for the digital economy act when he had not attended any discussion on the subject in parliament, he wouldn't reply himself I just got a letter from his secretary telling me to **** off essentially!

But hey, what do you expect from a gay hating, fee raising, school privatising Tory whipping boy (http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/24760/jeremy_lefroy/stafford)
 
Steve_b

Steve_b

Well-Known Forumite
That's disappointing, I've emailed my Councillors many time and received no reply.

It's this culture I want to change, make them engage, open and transparent.
 
tek-monkey

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Steve_b said:
That's disappointing, I've emailed my Councillors many time and received no reply.

It's this culture I want to change, make them engage, open and transparent.
Click to expand...


The last thing a politician really wants is to be open and transparent, they just want to appear that way. If you are a career politician then your goal is to improve your own lot, not other peoples. If you look at their past votes in parliament you'll see most just blindly follow party line unless its something that will personally benefit themselves, but rarely their constituents.
 
arthur

arthur

Nixon Garden Neatness
I have often thought that the councillors are a bunch of jolly boys who get together to have a laugh and a joke. I wonder if they have egg sandwiches and lashings of ginger beer at their meetings.
 
RowanDraper

RowanDraper

Well-Known Forumite
Steve_b said:
With less money around as local government is experiencing we need to make sure we are working the most effective way possible. Social Media is free for people to use and can make such a difference both to members of the public and members of the council with regards to scrutiny, accountability and authority.

But who is engaging with their residents and, who is hiding away. Who is being accountable and who's not.

Currently only 35% of Stafford Borough Councillors are engaging with residents through Social Media, Why!

Do you think our Councils and Councillors should be engaging with us through Social Media in addition to conventional ways?
Click to expand...



Yes, I do. I think we need to be as accessible as possible, but not because there's less money around.

I try to go out knocking on doors as regularly as I can, at least every fortnight, but sometimes it's not been possible given my commitment to the Hospital campaign. I just go and ask the people on the doors I represent if there's any issues I can help them with.

I publish content to both my personal and my team's ward site about planning developments, issues that happen in and from meetings, and anything else I think they may be interested in.

I appreciate that's unfortunately not everyone's experience and I would want everyone to have that kind of experience with their local councillor, regardless of their party of preference.
 
Steve_b

Steve_b

Well-Known Forumite
Why are so many Councillors afraid of engaging residents through Social Media? Is it really so scary?

It is important to make it easier to contact councillors and for residents to be aware of what their councillors are doing. Social Media gives them that platform, whether it be Twitter, Wordpress, Facebook, or any other media.

I’m not calling on every single councillor to start using Twitter, what I would like to see is a significant change in the mindset and culture from some of our councillors. Currently we have 35% of our Councillor with Twitter Accounts, Unfortunately not all are active. But as for using Social Media, then the number comes down to just a handful.

Read my blog: Social Media: Is It Really So Scary? at http://wp.me/p3NDy8-4A




Admin Edit: Threads merged.
 
John Marwood

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
Steve_b said:
Why are so many Councillors afraid of engaging residents through Social Media? Is it really so scary?

It is important to make it easier to contact councillors and for residents to be aware of what their councillors are doing. Social Media gives them that platform, whether it be Twitter, Wordpress, Facebook, or any other media.

I’m not calling on every single councillor to start using Twitter, what I would like to see is a significant change in the mindset and culture from some of our councillors. Currently we have 35% of our Councillor with Twitter Accounts, Unfortunately not all are active. But as for using Social Media, then the number comes down to just a handful.

Read my blog: Social Media: Is It Really So Scary? at http://wp.me/p3NDy8-4A
Click to expand...

In answer to your rhetorical question..

Maybe, and I know it sounds craaazeeeee, but just maybe some councillors have a life

TwitFaceLinkedGooYaaSkypeBollox can certainly be all consumingmybinwasleftonthesideoftheoroadagainthedirtygreedybaastards
 
Steve_b

Steve_b

Well-Known Forumite
If your Councillor engaged more through Social Media would you be more likely to engage in Local Politics with them?
 
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