Women in Local Councils
I have been made the first woman Vice Chairman of the Local Government Staff Commission and was invited to speak at the launch of 'Women in Local Councils' at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on Thursday 19th January 2006.
The speech was as follows:
I am delighted to be involved with this important initiative “ Women in Local Councils” and to be given the opportunity this morning to share some of my own personal experiences with you.
First, for those who do not know me, let me give a little background about my own involvement in local government generally.
I have been a District councillor on North Down Borough Council for twelve yeas. Since becoming a Councillor I have also got involved with a number of other local government organisations. I am a non-executive director of the Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust. I have just been appointed Vice Chairman of the Local Government Staff Commission (I am afraid I remain a little old fashioned in the use of the term Chairman. But such is the involvement of females in what used to be a male preserve that the term is now completely neutral - and I see little point in being pedantic on battles which have been won.). I am also a member of the Northern Ireland Local Government Association and have been a member of the South Eastern Education and Library Board. I am proud to say I have also served as Deputy Mayor and Mayor of my Borough.
You will see therefore that I have a reasonably high profile in the area of local government. I consider I have that involvement not just as a woman but as a person in my own right - and that is a point to which I will return.
Twelve years ago I was not involved in any of this. So, how did it all start? I may well disappoint this audience by saying that I did not start as a Women’s Right campaigner but rather as what would now be called a single issues campaigner.
My entry into politics was through fighting to retain a local residential home for the elderly which had been earmarked for closure. I had very close connections with that home as my late mother-in -law died there after receiving the most loving care imaginable. I therefore agreed to form a committee to fight the closure. I can still remember the terror when I was first called upon to speak in public on the issue. However we fought a good campaign and at least managed to delay the closure for two years by which time most of the residents had made satisfactory alternative arrangements.
During that period I forged close contacts with a number of District councillors who were supporting the campaign. I quickly realised the importance of that support and that you needed to get involved with the local government structures if you wanted to even try to get things done. I also realised that there were a range of other local issues which needed to be tackled beyond the single issue on which I had cut my teeth. I was encouraged by a number of people who had been involved with me in that first campaign - particularly by the late Hazel Bradford who was then sadly coming to an end of her own very distinguished political career. I still reflect that her high profile involvement was at a time when the climate for female politicians was much less favourable than it is to-day.
Whatever your view on her politics she does deserve an honourable mention as one of the early pioneers of involving women in current affairs.
For reasons that I will not go into a bye-election was called in Bangor West. I was selected by the Ulster Unionist Party to be their candidate and then had my first experience of trying to persuade people that I was worth voting for. In the event I won that bye-election and have retained the confidence of the electorate in three subsequent elections.
So what advice can I give to other aspiring female politicians in this audience? Perhaps the first point is to be genuine and be yourself. The second would be not to take the view that you can succeed by simply being women. You must have a vision of what you want to achieve for the good of society generally. Different women will have different aspirations on the wide range of local issues facing us at present. You need to keep a broad perspective and not limit yourself to one or two pet issues.
The whole climate of women involving themselves in politics is changing to the extent that you will be unfortunate if you meet outright opposition from most of your male colleagues as you try to find a way forward. Be warned however that there is still a level of covert resistance out there which attempts to preserve the “male club” atmosphere.
One example was that early in my career as a new Councillor I was discussing an issue with a group of four experienced male politicians. I suddenly realised that without anything appearing to have happened I was no longer part of the circle having been carefully nudged to one side. My immediate reaction was to give them a good kick on the shins. Fortunately however feminine intuition took over. I simply tapped one on the shoulder, smiled sweetly and asked if he could possibly hold my cup while retrieved my name badge from my handbag. So I was back into the circle again and fully involved in the discussion. To make it even better I think some of the sharper ones realised exactly just what had happened. So despite the progress which has been made you may sometimes have to fight your corner - it is for you to decide whether to go for all out attack or a more subtle approach.
I made passing reference earlier to my view that chairman is now largely regarded as a neutral term. However there are still battles to be fought in terms of women’s role in our political system and our political parties. And I am not just talking about Northern Ireland. I think I must have read the same paper as the Chairman did, and picked up the quote, that there are still too many politicians throughout the British Isles who seem to think that the term “Leader” is a masculine noun!!
Events such as this are important in giving women confidence and much of the training and support is to that end. If you are starting from scratch that confidence building will be extremely useful. Even if you have already made a start down the path of greater involvement it will also provide valuable reinforcement.
But if you want to make real progress then at some stage you are going to have to stand on your own two feet as a person and argue your views logically rather than depending on some sort of nominal woman status. I don’t say that to be negative and others may well disagree with my point of view - all I can say is that it was the approach which I have always taken.
There were comments made this morning regarding the RPA – I have worries with regard to the future and RPA. I am here as a councillor for North Down, my constituents know me and I know them. But I must place on record that I am concerned about the decision taken on RPA i.e. 7 Councils. One of my main concerns is for the staff of local councils and just what is their position? There are many questions being asked of government and I am afraid very few answers being given.
Once again, I advise you, be yourself; be positive - the title of this morning is “Women in Local Council - Making a Difference”.
The challenge is there - I urge you accept that challenge!
The speech was as follows:
I am delighted to be involved with this important initiative “ Women in Local Councils” and to be given the opportunity this morning to share some of my own personal experiences with you.
First, for those who do not know me, let me give a little background about my own involvement in local government generally.
I have been a District councillor on North Down Borough Council for twelve yeas. Since becoming a Councillor I have also got involved with a number of other local government organisations. I am a non-executive director of the Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust. I have just been appointed Vice Chairman of the Local Government Staff Commission (I am afraid I remain a little old fashioned in the use of the term Chairman. But such is the involvement of females in what used to be a male preserve that the term is now completely neutral - and I see little point in being pedantic on battles which have been won.). I am also a member of the Northern Ireland Local Government Association and have been a member of the South Eastern Education and Library Board. I am proud to say I have also served as Deputy Mayor and Mayor of my Borough.
You will see therefore that I have a reasonably high profile in the area of local government. I consider I have that involvement not just as a woman but as a person in my own right - and that is a point to which I will return.
Twelve years ago I was not involved in any of this. So, how did it all start? I may well disappoint this audience by saying that I did not start as a Women’s Right campaigner but rather as what would now be called a single issues campaigner.
My entry into politics was through fighting to retain a local residential home for the elderly which had been earmarked for closure. I had very close connections with that home as my late mother-in -law died there after receiving the most loving care imaginable. I therefore agreed to form a committee to fight the closure. I can still remember the terror when I was first called upon to speak in public on the issue. However we fought a good campaign and at least managed to delay the closure for two years by which time most of the residents had made satisfactory alternative arrangements.
During that period I forged close contacts with a number of District councillors who were supporting the campaign. I quickly realised the importance of that support and that you needed to get involved with the local government structures if you wanted to even try to get things done. I also realised that there were a range of other local issues which needed to be tackled beyond the single issue on which I had cut my teeth. I was encouraged by a number of people who had been involved with me in that first campaign - particularly by the late Hazel Bradford who was then sadly coming to an end of her own very distinguished political career. I still reflect that her high profile involvement was at a time when the climate for female politicians was much less favourable than it is to-day.
Whatever your view on her politics she does deserve an honourable mention as one of the early pioneers of involving women in current affairs.
For reasons that I will not go into a bye-election was called in Bangor West. I was selected by the Ulster Unionist Party to be their candidate and then had my first experience of trying to persuade people that I was worth voting for. In the event I won that bye-election and have retained the confidence of the electorate in three subsequent elections.
So what advice can I give to other aspiring female politicians in this audience? Perhaps the first point is to be genuine and be yourself. The second would be not to take the view that you can succeed by simply being women. You must have a vision of what you want to achieve for the good of society generally. Different women will have different aspirations on the wide range of local issues facing us at present. You need to keep a broad perspective and not limit yourself to one or two pet issues.
The whole climate of women involving themselves in politics is changing to the extent that you will be unfortunate if you meet outright opposition from most of your male colleagues as you try to find a way forward. Be warned however that there is still a level of covert resistance out there which attempts to preserve the “male club” atmosphere.
One example was that early in my career as a new Councillor I was discussing an issue with a group of four experienced male politicians. I suddenly realised that without anything appearing to have happened I was no longer part of the circle having been carefully nudged to one side. My immediate reaction was to give them a good kick on the shins. Fortunately however feminine intuition took over. I simply tapped one on the shoulder, smiled sweetly and asked if he could possibly hold my cup while retrieved my name badge from my handbag. So I was back into the circle again and fully involved in the discussion. To make it even better I think some of the sharper ones realised exactly just what had happened. So despite the progress which has been made you may sometimes have to fight your corner - it is for you to decide whether to go for all out attack or a more subtle approach.
I made passing reference earlier to my view that chairman is now largely regarded as a neutral term. However there are still battles to be fought in terms of women’s role in our political system and our political parties. And I am not just talking about Northern Ireland. I think I must have read the same paper as the Chairman did, and picked up the quote, that there are still too many politicians throughout the British Isles who seem to think that the term “Leader” is a masculine noun!!
Events such as this are important in giving women confidence and much of the training and support is to that end. If you are starting from scratch that confidence building will be extremely useful. Even if you have already made a start down the path of greater involvement it will also provide valuable reinforcement.
But if you want to make real progress then at some stage you are going to have to stand on your own two feet as a person and argue your views logically rather than depending on some sort of nominal woman status. I don’t say that to be negative and others may well disagree with my point of view - all I can say is that it was the approach which I have always taken.
There were comments made this morning regarding the RPA – I have worries with regard to the future and RPA. I am here as a councillor for North Down, my constituents know me and I know them. But I must place on record that I am concerned about the decision taken on RPA i.e. 7 Councils. One of my main concerns is for the staff of local councils and just what is their position? There are many questions being asked of government and I am afraid very few answers being given.
Once again, I advise you, be yourself; be positive - the title of this morning is “Women in Local Council - Making a Difference”.
The challenge is there - I urge you accept that challenge!
posted by Marion Smith at 1:02 PM
<< Home