I hope and pray that all the work you do at INQUEST continues, and for all the support and guidance you give to so many families in similar situations. This is an organisation who very few know about, but who do an absolutely fantastic job. – Family member
Your local council has legal responsibility for matters such as housing and homelessness, children and young people’s services, adult social care and education. Although not always directly linked, some of these issues can have a knock-on effect that may be relevant to you and your case.
Each council (or local authority) has to carry out government policy at a local level. The council is made up of elected councillors and a chief executive. There will also be a variety of committees with direct responsibility for a particular matter e.g. the housing committee. There is also a requirement for each council to have an Overview and Scrutiny Committee that makes sure the authority is acting properly and is accountable to you and other local residents.You may choose to lobby the council as part of a national campaign or over an issue of local concern. It is important to find out about your local council and its councillors before you start lobbying, so that you target the right people, departments and committees at the right time. Find out:
- which councillors will be involved in reaching a decision on the issue relevant to you
- who your local councillor is, and what committees he/she sits on. Local authorities are required to provide a public register of the names and addresses of local councillors. You may also be able to find a lot of information about your council on its website.
Contacting your local council:
- you can find out what your council has done in the past by looking at documents, reports, minutes and agendas of meetings. All of these are available to the public, and can be requested directly via the website or in writing. Libraries may also hold copies
- it can be useful to attend council committee meetings. This way you can keep up-to-date with the progress of its work and the decisions on the issues that affect you. All meetings are open to the public, unless they have been made private for “exceptional” reasons.
- you can visit your local councillor directly at his or her surgery (a meeting where they meet their constituents) or write to them. You can also contact the chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and ask them to consider any issues you want raised
- check the council website as they often ask the public to consult or comment on any proposed policies and decisions.
More information on your local authority or council can be found at GOV.UK or Local Government Association.
