One in four Londoners are interested in becoming a local councillor – despite widespread ignorance about what their councils actually do, according to a survey commissioned by London Councils.
The poll, carried out by Ipsos MORI, revealed that almost half the people surveyed incorrectly believe that their local council runs the police and hospitals. Only two in five people know which political party runs their own local council, and just 6 per cent of Londoners know the name of their council’s leader.
But despite this, one in four said they would be interested in standing for election as a local councillor.
The results also showed that many people were confused about the role of a councillor. While 71 per cent of people know that councillors receive some payment for their council work, 52 per cent wrongly believe they must represent a political party and 32 per cent think they must hold a formal qualification.
The survey’s findings will be presented to the annual London Councils Summit on Saturday (12 July). Among the delegates will be people who have expressed a desire to find out more about standing in the 2010 local elections as part of the London Councils Be A Councillor campaign.
The survey’s key findings include that:
* 29 per cent of Londoners have volunteered time to a club, society or charity in the last year;, and 31 per cent have contacted their local paper, MP or councillor or attended a protest meeting about an issue affecting their local community
* Lack of time and a lack of knowledge about the role of a councillor are the main reasons cited by those not interested in standing for election.
* Exactly half of those surveyed said that they would be encouraged to stand if they thought they could really make a difference
* 49 per cent of people believe their council runs the police and 45 per cent the local hospital.
* 60 per cent of Londoners know that their local council is responsible for the Freedom Pass concessionary fares scheme
* Almost everyone (97 per cent) know that their local council is responsible for emptying their rubbish bins
* Fewer people from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds feel they know about their local council (36 per cent against 47 per cent of white people).
Chairman of London Councils, Councillor Merrick Cockell, said: “I am delighted that a quarter of Londoners are interested in becoming the next generation of local councillors. But this survey clearly shows we still have a long way to go in really getting people interested in their local council and the work it does for their community.
“Councils are everyone’s business - the decisions made in council chambers across the capital have a huge bearing on the life and wellbeing of all residents. It is vital for the health and prosperity of London’s local government that we help more people understand what a council does and what it takes to be a councillor.”