How to Write to Your Local Council

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Do you have an issue with your town or county that you wish to take up with your local Council? Pot holes in the road? A school with the roof blowing off in the wind? Not enough ramps for disabled people in Tesco? Then this is the article for you! An easy, quick and simple step-by-step guide to writing to your Council and asking them what can be done about your inquisitive eye for a better town to live in.

Steps

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  1. The concept of writing to someone who you may have never met or even heard of may be quite daunting, but don't panic. You are allowed your say so there must and will be a way of communicating with the people who can make a change. Websites are available where you can find a representative to write to and ask about your query. [1]
    • You could also look to see where the local office is of your MP or Councillor and drop in a letter, or even send a fax if you're fancy enough. Remember though, different Councillors are responsible for overseeing different aspects of the town.
    • There's not much point writing to a representative who deals with schools and education when what you want to know is about Waitrose Supermarkets and when they will get a new cash machine built outside! So, research who you want to write to and who will deal with your query the most effectively according to their role, and you're ready to start your letter or e-mail.
  2. Write your preferred choice of communication, whether that's a letter, e-mail, fax, or in person if you happen to see your MP down the street buying an ice-cream. Do remember to be polite, formal, and as informed as you can be about the issue you're addressing. If you're asking about a road to be altered near you for whatever reason, give the representative names of roads and towns so they can visualize where you're talking about, or maybe even photos or a map outlining where the road is. [2]
    • Give the representative as much detail as possible so they can understand more about what it is that you want to see happen or change in your town. Being informed gives you an image of confidence and intelligence to someone who has that much power and say in the changes of your community.
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  3. Some websites help you to write out an email with your query and then in the preview change the format and make your email look like a formal, typed letter, which looks professional and shows the representative that you mean business. [3]
    • If you're really not comfortable with writing such a formal letter, practice first and get others to oversee your work before you send it, or even hand-write it, but make sure it is as neat as possible and your issues are still clearly established. [4] Also remember, the people who you are writing to are there to hear your questions and will try to answer them as best as they can. They are available to write to because they want the same as you; to change your town for the better! So don't feel intimidated or nervous, because:
      • They are normal, ordinary people, and...
      • If anything, they'll be extremely happy you brought the subject up and may want to discuss the matter further. So, go for it!
  4. All representatives of your town are very busy, so don't take it to heart if they are taking a while to respond. If your message is being sent through a system where they check the letter first, or if it's all online through a system, the chances are the people running these systems will have another system to make sure your letters are being answered, they're that efficient!
    • If they don't reply at all, politely send another letter after a considerable amount of time asking if your first letter was received, or maybe leave a message at the local office and hopefully someone should get back to you. Pestering them won't get you anywhere, but a genuine concern about your town deserves to be addressed by someone who has a lot more authority and who can certainly do something about it.
  5. If you feel strongly about change in your town over a particular issue, such as rubbish needing to be collected more efficiently, or perhaps you need to discuss issues involving transport or housing, talk to family and friends and explain how you think things should be improved, or even write a petition if you think that's the route you want to go down. [5]
    • Having people agree with you and thinking the same as you makes your case look a lot stronger and you can have confidence that if they think it's a good idea or subject to bring up, then it really must be! Be courageous and stand up for what you believe in, because if you don't say anything about it, then who will? Be the first to 'set a trend' and to get people talking and considering how your town can be made better for you and everyone else who lives there.
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  • Question
    How should I ask the council if they can install a bus shelter and a crossing?
    Community Answer
    Formally address the council. Propose your suggestion and explain how it would benefit the public.
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      Tips

      • Think about your idea/issue/suggestion/complaint before you start writing. What would you want to see happening as a result of you writing to a representative? What would you want to happen in a year's time, how different can you see the situation being?
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      • Leading on from this, remember some things take time. Responses, actions, take planning, patience and organization. If it's worth changing though, it's worth the wait.
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      • Celebrate every victory. If you are waiting for an action to be done but you know your representative has read your letter, that's still fantastic! They may not act on your issue how you wanted as a result, but at least they would have read your queries and suggestions and really thought about how they can help.
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      Warnings

      • Don't go on a rampage if it all goes pear-shaped. If you don't get an action as a result or even a response, don't go on a protest with boards and a chant, that will get you noticed but not necessarily in a good way! Find a more calm way to deal with how the representative has responded, like suggesting another idea in relation to what you originally proposed, or even writing to someone higher in authority if you really feel you need to. If they haven't responded at all, wait patiently and write again, or leave a nice message on the phone or at the office. They may just be so busy at that time, but they hopefully won't have forgotten you completely!
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      • Try not to get too heated in your letter. If you come across as slightly aggressive or agitated, the representative may be thinking twice about responding to you. Keep your letter polite and formal. There IS a difference between sounding passionate and sounding angry.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/advocacy/direct-action/letters-to-elected-officials/main
      2. ↑ https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/advocacy/direct-action/letters-to-elected-officials/main
      3. ↑ https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/AdviserNet/CASDocuments/How%20to%20write%20a%20letter%20to%20your%20local%20councillor%20or%20MSP.pdf
      4. ↑ https://www.transportforall.org.uk/campaign/write-to-your-local-council-email-template/
      5. ↑ https://www.resourcecentre.org.uk/information/organising-a-petition/

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