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How to make friends and influence people: Merton Council holding councillor recruitment day

Summary:

The question and answer session aims to unravel the mysteries of the job.

By Emma Birkett

Plato once wrote: “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”

To help residents avoid this dilemma, Merton Council is running an information day on how to become a local councillor this Saturday, March 22.

The question and answer session aims to unravel the mysteries of the job and responsibilities of the local councillor.

“Councils have a big role in promoting local democracy,” said a spokesman from the Local Government Association (LGA), of which Merton Council is a member.

The LGA offers training and guidance to member councils taking on new councillors, making sure that they receive the proper support, especially those without party affiliation, noting the importance of such members

“Independent councillors are not interested in party politics, but tend to stand on important issues in their community,” the LGA spokesman added.

With the budget being released on Wednesday, a lot of facts and figures have been thrown at the general public, and sometimes it seems that politics is miles away from real life.

The truth of the matter is that many of the decisions that affect your area will be made by local councillors.

Many prominent politicans started their career as councillors. The current Home Secretary, Theresa May, served as a local councillor for Merton from 1986-1994.

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