Many of us think councillor work is all about being in committee meetings. However, councillors spend a lot of time talking to local communities and working to find solutions.
We recently spoke to Councillors Louie O’Leary (Conservative, Littlemoor and Preston) and Molly Rennie (Liberal Democrat, Dorchester East) to find out what an average day is like for them.
Louie
Before I start my full-time job, I’ll catch up on the Dorset Echo and social media, then at lunch time I’ll make phone calls to residents and council officers.
After work, since the start of COVID-19 I go straight to the Littlemoor Food Bank which I help organise, and collect goods generously donated by local supermarkets and residents.
I’ll walk round the local ward to look at reported issues and new matters. After dinner I’ll deal with emails, social media updates and letters.
At the weekend, I’ll spend time on my ward activities. I’ll communicate with new residents, answer correspondence and read council committee papers.
I also keep in touch with residents by telephone and listen to what is important to them and learn about any problems they may have so that I can help get these resolved.
On Sunday, my walk from the local church involves many impromptu street-side and supermarket surgeries with residents. I also spend time producing a residents’ newsletter with my fellow ward councillor, Tony Ferrari.
I serve on the Harbour Committee, something I’m passionate about, and spend Friday and Saturday evenings at the harbour listening to fishermen, dive boat operators and local businesses about harbour related issues.
I work to the best of my ability to make a difference.
Molly
My day starts by checking email. I’ll read replies to questions I’ve sent to council officers and action new requests from local residents.
During the pandemic, I’ve had a lot of ‘virtual’ meetings with council officers and other councillors. I also attend fortnightly cross-party meetings with the local MP when we talk about local issues as well as government matters.
I’m chairman of the Dorset Domestic Abuse Welfare Committee, and COVID-19 changed the way we run meetings. Previously sessions could be held face to-face, but during lockdown clients experiencing domestic abuse could only attend
sessions online, often from their home.
This isn’t the best for many people, so I worked with the committee to find a better solution and we have been able to restart face-to-face sessions twice a week.
I recently helped get a grave moved that wasn’t in an accessible location. By talking to all the parties involved, we found a more suitable site. During the pandemic I helped a family to get free school meals for the first time due to changes in their circumstances They are now back on their feet, and it’s things like this that make being a councillor so worthwhile.
If you have a concern, whether it’s about your own circumstances, or about your local area, why not talk to your local councillor? Telephone 01305 221000 or visit www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/councillors
