Conference, we have so many insightful resolutions on our agenda, touching issues from education, to children’s rights, poverty, climate change, justice, to housing and equal pay.
All of these issues involve local authorities and local councillors as decision makers in them.
This motion is entitled Parity of Esteem for local councillors and you have just heard how Pay is one of the single biggest issues in that and the effect in particular that financial barriers have on diversity within local councils –This is as concerning for the future of my brand new adorable baby nephew Dylan, as it is for his 97 year old Great Grandmother May, now in full time care.
Conference, like becoming a new parent, there is no manual for becoming a councillor (though at ANC we are trying!) and you have no idea what you are getting yourself into until you are several months through the door. Every council, every ward, every situation is different but there are some common truths.
Firstly, you will never ever get to the bottom of your case load, the briefing and committee papers to read next week, the calls you have to make, the research you have to do to learn enough to make informed decisions, the meetings you can’t possibly all attend, the community events you know it will look bad that you don’t turn up to, or indeed the endless enquiries, comments and jibes on social media from people you can’t really ignore, because they actually do “know where you live”.
– but there is only one of you – and as Heather outlines – you have to do all those things and much more besides – by yourself.
As well as more pay and more respect for the role, Councillors also need to see changes to guarantee a consistency of support to do our work and that will take national change.
I mention respect because, I think it is crucially lacking at times, even sometimes internally, and while we must work to find common cause with all parties on this, we must also lead as a party and not be afraid to do so.
Councils and Councillors should never be an afterthought in the development of policy, because we are at the heart of delivery and will take the heat for it too, in very direct and inescapable ways.
Conference:
We will not solve the climate crisis without bold and brave decisions from local councillors
We will not deliver quality education for our children from early years to further education partnerships, without them
We will not bring the economic change and upskill our workforce without them
We will not deliver vital housing
Plan our communities
Revolutionise our transport network
Protect our children
Care for our elderly, deliver social care,
Empower our communities
Protect our citizens
Or survive another pandemic, without them.
Do we want the vital decisions on these matters and their delivery only in the hands of those who can afford not to work, are in privileged working positions to be allowed to take time off, or are so overworked and stressed about their finances and letting down their families, that they are constantly exhausted and can barely function, purely because they want to do their best for their communities.
Is that really any way to run a vital branch of government that delivers so much for our citizens?
Being a councillor is a role but we are workers too. Hard workers, Vital workers. We should not be afraid or ashamed to say so, nor that we deserve a fair level of pay for the work we do and the responsibilities we have.
Conference, we have so many talented councillors, and you have heard many of them speak this weekend. Please support this resolution and send a signal to them that you value them and that we will work as a party to get them the parity of esteem they deserve.
Lift As We Climb 