It’s Time to D-D-D-D — D-D-D-D-DEMOCRACY
On Thursday 3 May, Leeds will be electing its new councillors. Local elections are nothing new, but this year Leeds is different. Every voter will have the chance to vote for three candidates instead of just one. This is because ward boundaries have changed, so every seat on Leeds City Council is up for grabs.
What even is a councillor?
Councillors are elected to the local council to represent the local community. They have to live or work in the area they represent and have to balance what their residents want, what their political party (if they have one) wants and what the council wants. They don’t get paid to be a councillor, but they do get a ‘members allowance’ to cover their council business.
What do they actually do?
Councillors are elected to represent the local community of the ward they are elected in. They are responsible for decision making in that area, developing (and reviewing) council policy, holding other councillors to account and taking part in community events. They have regular drop-in sessions known as surgeries where they meet with the locals to discuss their issues and concerns which inform their input to the council.
What do they do for students?
Whatever you tell them to! Councillors are accountable to their constituents, and as a resident of Leeds, you set their priorities. Councillors in the past have run surgeries in LUU to listen to student concerns, but you can also get in touch with them over phone or email (found on the council website).
In terms of what areas of work the council are responsible for, they provide services such as waste collection, recycling, roads & street lighting, arts, sports & culture and transport — all of which have an impact on your experience as a student in Leeds.
Why should I care? I’m off in a year or two?
It might be tempting to neglect local elections as a student, especially if your time at Leeds is almost over; you might not be living in Leeds all throughout the year and it might be harder to see the direct effect councillors have from the ‘student bubble’. But in voting in the local elections, you help to ensure that Leeds will have a council that is representative of students, a group that makes up a large population of the city. And after last year’s General Election, we cannot afford to ignore the difference the student vote can make.
And remember that you’re also not just voting for yourself as a student, but for students after you that haven’t arrived at Leeds yet. And who knows: you might end up staying in Leeds after you graduate like a lot of students here, including myself!
If you’re registered to vote in Leeds, don’t miss your chance to use your three votes to elect a council that will work for you and for students after you.
