One of the simplest, quickest, cheapest and most useful ways to set up a simple website is to use a blog. Most blogging tools are free to use and within a couple of clicks you can have a really professional looking website. Some of the advantages include:

· Having a home page giving a quick introduction to you and your work as councillor

· Including a contact page listing the best ways for people to get in touch with you

· Campaign or issue pages, giving information on the hot topics for the local area and what you are doing to help solve them

· Using the blog feature to provide short updates on the work you and the council are doing

· Soliciting comments and feedback from residents to get their views

The word ‘blog’ shouldn’t worry you. Many people define a blog as an online diary – which isn’t necessarily wrong, but can be a little limiting. It’s best defined as being a regularly updated website where the latest entry appears at the top – that’s really it! People use blogs to write about all sorts of things, including diaries, but also news reporting, commenting on issues, book and film reviews, helpful guides and tutorials. Some even write novels using the blog format.  Some of the topics Councillors can blog about include:

· What is going to be discussed at council meetings, with follow up reports afterwards

· News and views on local and national issues

· Stories of what is happening within your ward

· Highlighting of issues to make people more aware of them

· What you have been up to both as a councillor and as a regular person!

It’s really easy to get started with a blog. One of the best ways is to use a site called WordPress. Just go to www.wordpress.com in your web browser and follow the instructions to create a blog. You’ll need your email address to hand, and can give your blog a name and an address, so people can find it easily.

If you’re comfortable using software like Word to write a document, you should be comfortable creating content within WordPress. There is plenty of documentation online to help you if you get stuck, but the whole system is pretty intuitive.

Don’t forget – the Modern Councillor ‘Getting Started with Social Media’ module features a whole module dedicated to helping you get started with blogging!

Are you a blogging councillor? Let us know in the comments below – or indeed if you have any questions about setting up a blog.

The bill is still going through Parliament, but it will be an important piece of legislation, especially for local authorities and the councillors who set the policies for them.

The Localism Bill focuses on several main areas, the most important of which are described below:

The general power of competence

The Localism Bill includes a ‘general power of competence’.  It will give local authorities the legal capacity to do anything that an individual can do that is not specifically prohibited; they will not, for example, be able to impose new taxes, as an individual has no power to tax.

Decentralisation and strengthening local democracy

The Localism Bill will give local people the power to initiate local referendums on local issues that are important to them. Local authorities and other public bodies will be required to take the outcome of referendums into account and consider what steps, if any, they will take to give effect to the result.

The Localism Bill will also give local communities the power to decide. The Secretary of State will determine a limit for council tax increases which has to be approved by the House of Commons. If an authority proposes to raise taxes above this limit they will have to hold a referendum to get approval for this from local voters who will be asked to approve or to veto the rise. This means that local authorities will need to convince local voters, rather than central government of the case for excessive rises in council taxes.

Community empowerment

In some places, voluntary and community groups who have bright ideas find that they do not get a proper hearing. The Localism Bill will give these groups, parish councils and local authority employees the right to express an interest in taking over the running of a local authority service. The local authority must consider and respond to this challenge; and where it accepts it, run a procurement exercise for the service in which the challenging organisation can bid. This will make it easier for local groups with good ideas to put them forward and drive improvement in local services

A radical re-boot of the planning system including neighbourhood planning

The government has identified some significant flaws in the planning system as it stands.  Planning does not give members of the public enough influence over decisions that make a big difference to their lives. Too often, power is exercised by people who are not directly affected by the decisions they are taking.  This means, understandably, that people often resent what they see as decisions and plans being foisted on them. The result is a confrontational and adversarial system where many applications end up being fought over. The Localism Bill contains proposals to make the planning system clearer, more democratic, and more effective.

Changes to social housing policies

The government believes current social housing policies contain fundamental flaws.  The rules are too rigidly set by central government, so that councils find it hard to adapt and meet local needs.  Social landlords don’t have enough discretion over how they manage their housing in the best interest of their local community. And in some cases social housing rules actually trap people in difficult circumstances – making it hard to move for work, for example – with the result that the system fails the very people it is designed to help.

London

The Localism Bill will pass greater powers over housing and regeneration to local democratically elected representatives in London. It will empower the democratically elected Mayor to carry on housing investment activities currently carried out by the Homes and Communities Agency, and the economic development work done by the London Development Agency.

The Modern Councillor module on the Localism Bill takes the learner through the legislation in an engaging and accessible way – making it much more fun, and therefore likely to stick in people’s minds, than reading lengthy documents on the subject!

For more information on Modern Councillor or to request guest access to preview any of the 17 modules which make-up the e-learning catalogue please email breda@moderncouncillor.com.

This isn’t just a flash in the pan, buzzword friendly request, but a recognition of the change in the way that many people today prefer to communicate.

As the user figures of services such as Facebook continue to sky-rocket, while the circulation numbers for newspapers seem in terminal decline, it’s clear that if councillors want to reach people with their messages, they need to look to the web.

Not only that, but the interactivity of social media means that there’s an opportunity to genuinely engage with residents and find out what they think, and how they feel about important local issues.

At a time when budgets are under threat, and the very shape of local public services open to complete change, this is incredibly important. Ensuring local people understand the decisions that are being taken and the policies behind them is vital, as is offering every opportunity for people to have their say.

It doesn’t even have to take up a huge amount of time for a councillor. After all, many councillors already produce newsletters and other communications materials on a regular basis, much of the content from which could be used in blogs, emails, or updates to Facebook or Twitter. It’s just a case of getting the content into places where more people can see it.

Indeed, using some of the sophisticated, yet freely available, aggregation technologies, it’s possible to publish a piece of content in one online space and have it automatically posted around the web in one go.

Another reason why it is important for councillors to get involved online is because many of the electorate are doing so themselves. Whether on local forums or blogs, people are coming together on the web to discuss the issues that matter to them. If councillors aren’t aware of these discussions, they are missing out on a great source of feedback from the community.

Exactly how can councillors find out about making the most of these new technologies though? One place to start is the excellent Getting Started with Social Media module in Modern Councillor, which comes as part of the subscription and therefore is available to any councillor whose council has purchased it.

The module takes councillors through all the basics of what social media is and why it matters, as well as providing practical, hands on guidance with tools such as Twitter, Facebook, blogging and more.

On top of that, we’re going to be publishing a series of posts here on the Modern Councillor blog talking about all the elements of using social media as a councillor. We’ll be looking at the various tools and networks available and giving some examples of how they’re being used by councillors to help them serve their communities even better.

In the meantime though, a great resource you can have a look through is the Local Government Group’s 21st Century Councillor, which includes lots of interesting content.

CllrSocMed have created a space to provide councillors and officers who work with them advice and resources to help them understand and use Social Media effectively.

It was set-up as a result of of discussion around this topic that began at LocalGovCamp Yorkshire and the Humber although anyone outside of this area is welcome to join and share their own experiences about Social Media and Local Democracy.

CllrSocMed also hope to build up a map of all those councillors using Social Media, you can add you own details here. Below watch Cllr Simon Cooke discuss how councillors can effectively combine online and offline methods of communication.

If you’re new to Social Media check out our Getting Started with Social Media module which will introduce you to what is meant by Social Media and what the most popular tools are as well as how to develop a strategy for best use of Social Media to support their work.

We also have modules on Technology and Change, Writing for the Web and Working with the Media. If you’d like guest access to preview these and the additional 13 modules which make up our e-learning catalogue on topics such as Induction, Legislation and Community, email breda@learningpool.com.

Programme highlights include

An overview of the new opportunities for councils in the localism bill from
The Rt Hon Greg Clark MP – Minister of State at Communities and Local Government (TBC)

An update from the National Association’s Chief Executive, John Findlay OBE

Eight Interactive Workshops: -

• Neighbourhood Planning –Learn how to use new statutory powers coming to local (parish and town) councils
• Affordable Housing and the new community right to build
• Participatory budgeting and the involvement of local people in spending decisions
• Continuing effective engagement and working with principal authorities
• Asset transfer and saving local facilities
• Good Employment Practice – Equality Act 2010
• Power of well being and the new general power of competence
• Working with civil society organisations

Places at these events a strictly limited; book now to avoid disappointment.

Please click for the full draft programme and further information

To book: simply choose from one of the following locations in Bristol, Sheffield or London and download the relevant booking form.

Visit the NALC website for further information. Ahead o f the event check out the module on the Localism Bill available to subsribers of our Modern Councillor service.

The webinar was  completed by, Dave Briggs, Learning Pool’s Community Evangelist, and  provided an overview of the Modern Councillor Service and how the online learning and community it provides can help support councillor training. A short demonstration was also given of the reporting functionality available with your Modern Councillor subscription so Member Development Officers can always assess what training has taken place.

We are holding our next webinar at 10am on Thursday, 19 May 2011. The topic of the webinar is, Train and support your new elected members with Modern Councillor. The webinar will be lead by Wendy Kay, one of Learning Pool’s most experienced Learning Consultants. Register here.

Watch the webinar below and download the presentation given by Dave as part of this here.

Modern Councillor is the online learning and support destination for councillors, people considering standing for election, or indeed anyone with a passion for local democracy.

MDO Support Webinar

Join us for our free webinar on training and supporting your elected members on Thursday, 19 May, 2011 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM BST.  The webinar will be led by Learning Pool’s Wendy Kay, an experienced and innovative Learning Consultant. Breda Doherty, Media Consultant with Learning Pool, will also provide an overview of the Modern Councillor website. The purpose of the webinar is to provide advice on how to utilise Modern Councillor to ensure your elected members have the training they need to fulfil their roles successfully and how to roll out this training. Places are limited. Register here.

The service has been designed with both new and more experienced elected members in mind. A subscription to Modern Councillor provides elected members with full access to a growing catalogue of e-learning modules, at a fraction of the cost of classroom based training as well as access to our online community. Modern Councillor is a service provided by Learning Pool, the largest learning community for Local Government in the UK.

What modules are included?

All 17 of the current e-learning modules have been created alongside subject matter experts and cover areas such as Induction, Media, Community and Legislation. Specific modules include Introduction to Local Government, Your Role as a Councillor and Getting Started with Social Media. You can view a full list of the current modules available in the attached e-learning catalogue.

Who does the community involve?

Alongside a suite of e-learning modules, Modern Councillor will now include an online community bringing together councillors, prospective councillors, co-opted members, local government officers, activists, and residents so that they can connect, share and learn together. Join the community, for free, here.

Guest Access

If you’d like Guest Access to preview the training available through Modern Councillor or any other information, please email breda@learningpool.com

The course provides links and resources for polling station staff involved in the referendum on the voting system for UK Parliamentary elections being held 5 May 2011.

The topic outline for the course is shown below and can be viewed here.

Support for polling station staff

1. Demonstration of the voting procedure

* Demonstration of voting procedure for voters coming into the polling station (short Captivate animation)

2. Videos of dealing with voters at the polling station

* How to greet and deal with a voter
* How not to greet and deal with a voter
* How do I vote?
* What is the referendum about?
* What do you do if you think someone has already voted?

3. Quiz for polling station staff

* Polling Station Staff Quiz: referendum on the voting system. A short quiz to test your knowledge of the polling place processes

4. Alternative Vote explained

A short e-learning module that provides a quick guide to alternative vote. Once completed learners will:

* Be aware of the context for the forthcoming referendum
* Understand how the proposed alternative vote system will work
* Know what supporters of alternative vote say
* Know what opponents of alternative vote say
* Click on the link below to take this course
* Alternative Vote e-Learning module

Let us know if you think this would make a good learning resource for our Modern Councillor service by emailing hello@moderncouncillor.com or leave your comments below! You can find out more information on Learning Pool’s DLE here.  Sign-up for the Modern Councillor Community and start sharing your own resources!

Learning Pool has created a free and comprehensive e-learning module all about the Alternative Vote in time for the referendum.

A referendum asks us to vote yes or no to a proposal.  For this referendum, we will receive a ballot paper with this question:

‘At present, the UK uses the ‘first past the post’ system to elect MPs to the House of Commons. Should the ‘alternative vote’ system be used instead?’

There will be a public awareness campaign starting from early April when Electoral Commission will be dropping a booklet through all our doors giving information about the elections and referendum.

You can view the booklet here (pdf).

The booklet will be supported by television, radio and online advertising, as well as media relations work.  The main message of the campaign will be encouraging people to look out for their booklet.

The Electoral Commission has also designated the official lead Yes and No campaigners for the referendum on the UK voting system on Thursday 5 May.

The Commission designated ‘Yes in May 2011 Ltd’ (campaigning as Yes to Fairer Votes) as the lead ‘Yes’ campaigner and ‘No Campaign Limited’ (campaigning as NO to AV) as the lead ‘No’ campaigner.

The two campaigners will now have access to benefits including an increased campaign spending limit of £5 million each, a public grant of up to £380,000 each, referendum broadcasts, a free delivery of campaign material to voters and the use of public rooms.

After completing the Learning Pool Alternative Vote Explained module the learner will know:

• about the context for the forthcoming referendum
• how the current system work
• show the alternative vote system will work

The module also presents the cases for and against the proposals to help citizens make an informed choice, and there are links to further resources on the subject.

Learning Pool subscribers can download the module and deliver it to your staff, via your DLE if you have one and also put the module on your corporate website for your citizens to take*.

*to do this simply download the zip file as normal, unzip into position on your corporate website and then link to the index.htm file to launch.

We would like as wide a distribution as possible for this free e-learning module so if you think you have other uses for it then please let me know.  The module will also be available shortly for all visitors to the Learning Pool website to take, without any registration.

Modern Councillor’s e-learning programme is designed for those thinking about standing for election, those already Elected Members or indeed anyone with a passion for local democracy.

So what’s new and improved with Modern Councillor?

• Brand new e-learning modules
• A unique online community where councillors can connect, share and learn
• Guides and resources on local democracy
• Blogs and stories sections keeping you informed of the latest democracy developments

What modules are included?

We’ve created Modern Councillor with help from experts in local government.  This means all 14 of our e-learning modules, from Introduction to Local Government to Technology and Change, reflect the latest challenges and transformations facing councillors today. See the full list of modules.

Who does the community involve?

Alongside a suite of e-learning modules, Modern Councillor will now include an online community bringing together councillors, prospective councillors, co-opted members, local government officers, activists, and residents so that they can connect, share and learn together.

The webinar takes place on Thursday, April 21, 2011 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM BST.

With increasing budget cuts and the May elections just around the corner this is going to be an extremely popular event so register now for your free place.