Work-Place Learning in Local Government

Shadowing a Local Councillor

Possibilities and Problems

•  Expanding knowledge of how local government works

•  Understanding the role of the local councillor

•  Structuring a work experience programme

Local Government Explained: Sort of…

•  The example of Oxford:

•  Oxfordshire County Council: schools, social care services, roads, libraries & museums…

•  Oxford City Council: waste, leisure, planning, licensing, housing…

The Role of the Councillor

•  48 councillors, 2 elected for each of the 24 wards

•  Not full time positions: allowances not salaries

•  Elected to represent all the people in their wards

(Conflicting?) Aspects of the Role

•  Usually – but not always – elected on a party political ticket

•  Relationship to political campaigning and the local party (in my case, the CLP)

•  Role of campaigning/door-knocking

Political Parties and the Council

•  An example: •  Labour Group: meet roughly once a month •  As ruling group: budget setting; members

elected from Group to serve on Council Executive Board

•  Full Council •  The role of the whip

Representative Function

•  As a councillor, and when using that title, you are NOT party political

•  Role is to represent your community and their views, regardless of political persuasion

•  Case work •  Observer status on local organisations

funded by council

Civic Function

•  Role of council committees:

•  Planning •  Licensing

•  Scrutiny •  Standards

Work Experience •  Possibilities: •  Making what is

obscure to many transparent

•  Opening up political life and particularly importance of local government

•  Potentially interesting (!)

Work-Place Learning

•  Possible problems: •  Irregular hours •  Would there be enough from shadowing

one councillor during one week? •  Timing •  Confidentiality: ‘the first rule of Labour

Group is that you don’t talk about Labour group’

Importance

•  Local government matters: ‘localism’ part of current government’s agenda; One Nation Labour exploring further devolution of powers

•  Engagement in democratic processes which affect all our lives, whether we like it or not