The next election for town councillors will take place on Thursday 6th May 2021. This round of elections was due to take place in May 2020 but was postponed by one year due to Covid-19.
The participation of women and men, as our elected councillors and as our leaders, is an important condition for effective democracy and good governance.
The following information has been sourced from the Local Government Association website, the Stand to be a councillor website and from the Fawcett Society’s report ‘Re-thinking equality for post-crisis times: a focus on gender’.
‘A 2017 report - the result of a year-long study led by Fawcett in partnership with the Local Government Information Unit - asked ‘Does Local Government Work for Women?’. It found that since 1997 women’s representation on Councils has almost flat-lined; at the current rate of progress it will take 48 years to reach equality.’ (Page 5 in the Fawcett Society’s Report May 2020)
‘Research has shown that, as more women move into positions of influence and decision-making, women’s experiences and perspectives are more likely to be taken into account – for example in policy development, planning and resource allocation12.’ (Page 5 in the Fawcett Society’s Report May 2020)
This means that overall democracy and decision-making are strengthened when councillors reflect the people they serve and represent.
If you are passionate about the local area and want to represent and engage with your local community, then stand to be a councillor.
If you would like to discuss the responsibilities of being a councillor and how to stand for election, please contact our Town Clerk, Delia Shephard: clerk@bletchleyfennystratford-tc.gov.uk
You can also find more information on the following websites:
Local Government Association website