I was inspired to enter local politics because of David Cameron and his drive to launch The Big Society concept. For me there has never been a more exciting or challenging time to be in local politics. The key concepts of The Big Society are to firstly to empower communities, effectively this means giving local councils and communities more power to take decisions and shape their area. The second aim is to open up public services enabling other organisations to compete to offer high quality services so that local authorities are not the only solution. Thirdly and most pivotal is the concept of promoting social action. This aims to encourage people from all walks of life to play a more active part in society as well as promoting more volunteering and philanthropy. As these ideas establish themselves in reality we will see the roll of the local authority change as it becomes more a commissioner of service rather than service providers, overseeing and scrutinising the service provision to the community. The Localism Bill will put the flesh on the bones of the Big Society concept by decentralising and strengthening local democracy, reforming planning policy, reforming social housing and introducing new duties and powers to local authorities. It also requires councillors to help communities build vision and direction, encouraging them to work in partnerships and to move away from the idea that the council can and must do everything. All of these ideals will require trust and solid relationship building. It will inevitably take time to achieve this but it must happen for communities to move forward and take control. The role of the local councillor is no longer just to inform or even consult communities, now we must involve communities in joint decision making and in joint action and most importantly be proactive in our role to support community organisations in order for them to be able to help themselves. All this will be even more challenging given the scope of the cuts needed to tackle the deficit, as a council we will be challenged with doing more for less which is why we will need to encourage new ways of working, new partnerships and delivery models but that is not a bad thing as I said earlier there has never been a more challenging or exciting time to be in local politics.

When Business Development Director Jane Howson asked me to speak at the Halloween Ball in aid of Linkage Community Trust recently, she asked me say a few words about Linkage from a parents prospective.
I thought back to when I was first pregnant and had those feelings of great excitement and expectation. What will the baby look like, will it be a boy or a girl and what might they be when they grow up? However, when you are told that your much wanted and much loved child has a learning disability, those feelings of excitement and expectation turn to worry and fear about what the future may hold. Will they be able to cope at school? Will they be able to have a job one day?  Then there is the BIG question.....what happens when we are no longer here to look after them?
    As I look back some 24 years later I know we have been very lucky, we have had some great support from family, friends, our GP and Local Authority but for many people the story is very different. Above all we were so lucky to have found Linkage and it was pure luck. I was somewhere I had never been before or visited since, talking to a lady I had never met before or spoken to since; however in that brief moment in time, in that short but oh so life changing conversation, I told her about my daughter and she told me about Linkage.
    Since joining Linkage, first at the college and more recently in Care Services, our daughter has become a confident articulate young woman who loves her life. Like her sisters who are at University, she also lives where she chooses, with whom she chooses and has dreams and aspirations for the future. Her father and I can look forward to our retirement without the worry of who will look after her when we are not here. Mostly because she will have developed many skills that will help her to be independent but above all we know that Linkage will be here.
    So many families live under huge pressure without even knowing that they could have the opportunities that my daughter has had. Many don’t even know about Linkage – we must change that. Many know that Linkage exists but because of difficulties with their Social Worker or Local Authority they are denied access to Linkage and we definitely have to change that!
    Linkage is working hard to change the lives of people with Learning Disabilities but they face a number of challenges and they need your help.
    Linkage aims to become more financially independent in order that they don’t have to rely solely on Local Authority funding. That will require them to raise a considerable of money and therefore they really need to attract philanthropists and major donors. Many people won’t be in that position but there are lots of ways people can help and support this wonderful organisation.
    I believe in individual Social Action, so much so I became a local councillor in order to influence change from inside local government. I don’t expect that many people will want to go that far but you can still do a lot to help.
    Write to your MP and tell them that it is important when looking at reforms, that they don’t lose our special schools and specialist colleges, particularly residential colleges.
    Challenge your local authority on their policy for supporting young adults with learning disabilities and not just those who are deemed to be sever or critical.
    If nothing else, talk to people about Linkage who knows your brief conversation may change someone’s life as it did ours.