Hear, Hear - it is so easy to bash the people who are elected as money grabbing, egomainiacs only out for their own gains. Whilst some may indeed be doing it for these benefits, I would hate to think that the majority are looking at it like that.

Ah here is the usual defence: 'We mean well'.

Local councillors are on a hiding to nothing. Local government is now little more than an agency of the centre.

Central government targets and controls have reduced the role of councillors to that of mere puppets and any last vestiges of autonomy are crushed by the local political party to which they belong.

Moreover councillors are now in the role of trying to manage the citizenry rather than represent them.

The only real power councillors still have is they can decide when to go for a pee.

The gulf between the governing class and the governed is now vast, and almost unbreachable. Poeple are simply not buying into the idea of civic society and the political parties are in absolute crisis. Membership is in freefall.

The political elite has no clue what to do. You have only to look at the annual conferences of the parties to realize that they are virtually talent free zones.

In nay case for every problem a councillor has 'solved' they've probably made another two worse.

No one in their right mind would entertain for a nano-second the idea of becoming a councillor. Fortunately our democracy can function bacause there are still people who are so deranged that they step forward and willing volunteer for the role.

They deserve not praise but our sympathy.

Andy i think you will find that 99.9 councillors go into the position of councillor for pure ambition or power,but very rarely out of pure devotion to the public if by some chance they do some good then they do get lots of pats on the back..lol
On the other hand PC fom Colne does make some very good observations and we should all ask why that APATHY is wrife, these guys and gals who have sought these positions on the council and have been in so called charge for 25/30yrs,well i am sorry the buck firmly stops at them by there actions or none actions no one else to blame for the apathy but these great public spirited guys who have worked on the councill for all those yrs and just like G Brown cannot see the forest for the trees,ya you will say that i knock but i am still interested thousands of others are simply not interested as was clearly shown last week,in principle i do agree with PC apart from his last line,because NO ONE forces anyone to do anything..

The only difference we can see is the vast gulf between the average persons standard of living and that of our MPs.

As someone who stood for the Council in the recent elections - and lost! - I feel that I should put my tuppence in here. I'll keep it apolitical because myself and Sir Bill probably don't see eye-to-eye on most political issues.

Having spent the last three months pounding the streets both in my own ward and helping out in other wards with other dedicated volunteers, can I just back up what Sir Bill said about the great civic service that local councillors do.

All of the people I met from all political parties at the count last Friday were there because they believed in making the town and the country as a whole a better place. Most importantly, they believed in something and were willing to stand up for that belief and try and convince their fellow citizens of their arguments.

Being a local councillor may not have the same prestige - or pay - as being an MP, yet people who become councillors really can change things. Whether it is setting the ammount of Council Tax increase or deciding what is the best policy for the collection of rubbish, local representatives in the Council chamber work tirelessly and often without due recognition for residents of the Borough.

As for blaming apathy on politicians - I'm afraid that's a very easy excuse. More often than not those who "aren't interested" in voting or think that "you're all as bad as each other" are the first to complain when things go wrong. People don't vote because of a natural human characteristic - laziness (which incidentally happens to be a synonym for apathy). If people are really fed up and want to make a difference the best way of doing this is by going to the ballot box and putting a X in the box of an opposition candidate. If none of the opposition candidates are suitable, then stand yourself.

It is very easy to pontificate about local councillors, or even MPs. Yet these people have given up their lives to serve. They know that they are not given a free reign and will be judged every four or five years.

As Sir Bill says, at least they're having a bash. If you want to change things, our great democracy (the greatest and oldest in the world) is a near perfect system to facillitate your desires. If you are too lazy (or apathetic - I use the terms as interchangeable), then don't complain. Join a political party, campaign, canvass and persuade. If you don't like any of the parties, stand as an independant or form your own!

Simon there will ALLWAYs be people like you and the author no matter what,what on earth makes you think that i havnt also canvassed on behalf of a local councillor, well i did and we won,so dont give me this public servant crap that only a certain few posess,there are lots and lots of benefits from being a councillor as you may well know,i agree thay also work hard, apathy is nothing at all to do with laziness, apathy is brought on by a total rejection of wrong doings over a number of years and i think it is disgracefull and quite insulting to the good people of Blackburn who either dont want to stand as councillors or feel the need to vote even for a local ellection,i am Blackburn born and bred and i have seen my town change over the years in some areas for the better but in most areas for the worst, the worst after a period of years does bring on apathy,as the striving for change in the past as gone unheeded by you will do i say counil leaders and in some cases councillors,the quotation of"There will be those who think politics and politicians are waste of time. So be it." is a terrible statement from someone who as been in a position to change Towns people's thinking on politics be it local or general,vindicates all i have to say.
But i have no desire to become a councillor,therfore in your oppinion i shouldnt even have an oppinion,get some sense mate.

P.S..I think you may find that the Greek or maybe Roman was the oldest democracy in the world.i think we nicked it from one of them.

Dear Simon,

Democracy may be the nearest to a perfect system if all a society needs is the freedom to shop.

Facilitating desires is not the ultimate aim of Life. Politicians are selling us our own Dream. They cannot actually Fulfill our Dream. If they could they would no longer be required.

They can only exist if we believe in a Dream. Politicians like those who vote for them, have no clue what Reality is.

If the electorate Understood the nature of Reality they would not follow Politicians any more than they would follow a Religion.

Everyone is just doing a job. For some the job is Politics.

Politicians don't stop things from going wrong. Setting Policies and changing old systems and proceedures for new systems and proceedures does not produce Perfection.

Why should People settle for less than Perfection?