How can councillors better communicate?

I am interested in your views on how councillors can better talk with the public and to see if you have any innovative ideas on how we can hear your ideas and issues.

I currently use this site, Facebook, Twitter my own website and door knocking, is there anything else I should be doing?

It would be great to hear your views on this matter.

By CouncillorIan at 09:06 on 12/02/12

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That all seems very good. Only other thing I can think of is do Councillors have "surgeries" like MPs do?

By adjutator at 09:47 on 12/02/12
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Yes I have them too at the Library, once a month.

By CouncillorIan at 09:49 on 12/02/12
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Do your colleagues? How are they publicised? I am not in your ward but am not aware of surgeries.

By adjutator at 10:13 on 12/02/12
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All councillors differ but I believe all councillors in Retford have surgeries. You can see here http://tinyurl.com/6wmu8us

By CouncillorIan at 10:17 on 12/02/12
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Thanks. I have had a look, bit patchy isn't it. Do you find them worthwhile?

By adjutator at 10:43 on 12/02/12
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I certainly do. I often get many people turning up, however I get more people contacting me through, twitter. email and text messaging, so I suppose times are moving on. Members of Parliament probably get more residents turning up on a regular basis.

But I wouldn't give up my surgeries as I think it is my job to be available as much as possible and through as many ways as possible.

By CouncillorIan at 10:48 on 12/02/12
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Sounds to me you are doing all the right things Ian and covering all bases. I suppose columns in the paper and that kind of thing still have a role to play...for instance I always check out the policing column in RTimes. And even Idle Valley has a regular slot (I appreciate that is entirely different subject matter!) which is a great way to get their news and events across on a regular basis. Course the only thing with papers and councillors would be you'd have to offer the same facility across the board to be fair to everyone which isn't really practical and there are clear issues of political favouritism if someone is over-represented in the press.

Hopefully, with a website like this where everyone is quite literally equal - all with the same access and freedoms to join and to post up whatever they wish, whenever they wish - those issues are addressed and it really is a voice and freedom of speech for everyone whatever they represent.. I am certainly happy to hear from as many people as possible! And am sure all other members will feel the same. So we just need to spread the word about and get as many people in the local community as possible, joining up and making use of this excellent free, flexible facility!..... (and that's enough of my PR spin for today! But hey the site IS fantastic! And with loads of regular contributors will just get better and better!)
S :)!

By SuzannahAtkey at 21:47 on 13/02/12
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Suzannah could you call or text me

By CouncillorIan at 21:53 on 13/02/12
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Will do Ian, sorry it's taken a while to reply it's been a manic week!

Suzannah

By SuzannahAtkey at 22:48 on 16/02/12
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Please text me ASAP and I will call you

By CouncillorIan at 13:05 on 18/02/12
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