LGA issues call for evidence on abuse and intimidation of councillors

The Local Government Association has launched a call for evidence on abuse and intimidation of councillors, as an ongoing part of its Civility in Public Life programme

The LGA said: “There are growing concerns about the impact an increasing level of public intimidation and abuse has on our country's democratic processes, particularly at a local level. This harmful behaviour can prevent elected members from representing the communities they serve, deter individuals from standing for election and undermine public trust in democratic processes.”

The call for evidence can be viewed here.

The Association said evidence collected in this way would help it develop a body of evidence to support its calls for legislative and systemic change and develop support for elected members.

It added: “This survey is primarily designed to capture the experiences of councillors experiencing or having experienced abuse or intimidation from the public due to their elected role. Candidates who have run for election, officers who have supported candidates or councillors and members of the public may wish to share their reflections of abuse and intimidation suffered by candidates and councillors.”

Issues around standards of councillor conduct are dealt with under the LGA’s Standards and Model Code of Conduct workstream and are not the focus of this call for evidence.