A new toolkit to help combat abuse of councillors was launched yesterday by the Local Government Association (LGA).
Part of the LGA’s Debate Not Hate Campaign, the toolkit is aimed at putting an end to the increasing intimidation reported by a number of councillors.
Seven in 10 councillors said they have either been abused or have felt intimidated within the last twelve months, with one in 10 saying that they now felt it was becoming a frequent occurrence, according to a recent LGA census.
The new toolkit offers a range of resources and actions for both individual councillors and councils to take forward, including digital assets and template press releases that can be used to help raise awareness of the issue locally.
Co-chairs of the LGA’s Civility in Public Life Steering Group, Cllr Marianne Overton and Cllr Shabir Pandor said: ‘Councillors are as much a part of the community as those they represent, and they should not expect to be subjected to any form of abuse because of their position.
‘It is vital that we all come together and help stamp out this awful behaviour and help protect those who are trying to do the best by their communities. This is essential if we are going to encourage more people to come forward and stand in future elections.
‘Local democracy is the cornerstone of our communities and anyone, regardless of their background or political affiliation, must feel safe and proud to represent their community.’
