Cllr Stephen Conway
We live in troubling times.
Around the world, we can see countries where democracy is under threat.
Our recent local elections are a reassuring sign that democracy is alive and well in our own country.
In Wokingham Borough, we are fortunate to have a reasonably high proportion of voters come out to vote in local elections – a higher proportion than in many other council areas.
High turn-out is a product largely of the identification of many people in the borough with their own communities and their desire to see those communities represented by councillors who will work hard for local people and local businesses.
But identification with the community, and recognition of the key role of good local councillors, is itself a result of regular reporting on what the council does in the pages of papers such as Wokingham Today.
Councillors don’t always appreciate the role that local newspaper play in sustaining local democracy. Ruling groups can become very uncomfortable when their decisions face rigorous scrutiny in the pages of the local press.
But I have always taken the view that the extensive reporting of the council and its meetings in local newspapers benefits councillors, even when that publicity is negative.
In part, this is because criticism encourages you to up your game. You are forced to muster your arguments more effectively and to recognise the need to explain more fully why you are doing what you are doing.
But it’s also because by interesting people in the council and its activities that the press promotes engagement through voting in local elections. If people don’t know what the council is doing, they are less likely to turn out to vote.
If turn-out in local elections falls, as it almost certainly would do without regular and extensive coverage of the council in local newspapers, central governments – of whatever political complexion – will feel justified in trying to take more powers away from councils and make more decisions centrally that should be made locally.
Councillors, then, have good reasons to be grateful to papers such as Wokingham Today for giving the council so many column inches every week.
I am particularly grateful for the opportunity to write a weekly column, which gives me the opportunity to give you some insights into what is happening on the council and the sometimes tough decisions we have to make.
So, thank you Wokingham Times for performing such a valuable service to local democracy.
Cllr Stephen Conway is the leader of Wokingham Borough Council and ward member for Twyford, Ruscombe and Hurst
