Great expectations of 'humble residents' groups'

Debabani Majumdar
BBC News, London

Ms Badrick says people are dissatisfied

It is a David and Goliath story set to be played out in many parts of London over 'localism'.

Between 1964 and 2006 the vote share of Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in the council elections fell while that of the small parties more than doubled.

In 1964, 66 out of 1,859 elected councillors belonged to parties other than the big three. The figure fell to just 36 in 1971 and remained at about that up until 2002.

But in 2006 the number of councillors from other parties, including residents' associations and parties based around local issues, jumped from 33 to 75, taking 17% of the votes cast.

Much of their success has come from campaigns based strongly around local issues, experts said.

Hoping to be the latest success story is Residents' Association of Barnet (RAB), a new entrant in the 2010 race with 15 candidates.

'Feeling very dissatisfied'

Dorothy Badrick, who contested as an independent candidate for Barnet Council in 2006, is a founder member of RAB.

She said: "Under the last three administrations it's been proved that there is no local democracy.

"When I stood the last time, that was a protest vote against a particular issue - Hendon Football Club - and I only canvassed two-and-a-half days in one polling district and I took 50% of the vote in that polling district.

"There is a current underneath of people feeling very dissatisfied, rail-roaded and feeling that no matter what you do if the party in power decides to go ahead it will do so regardless."

The RAB will rally against planning permission granted to the Brent Cross regeneration project.

In contrast to the RAB, Havering Residents Association (HRA) - which incorporates five residents' groups in the east London borough - has been a part of the council since 1964.

PARTY CONTROL OF LONDON'S COUNCILS

1. Hillingdon
2. Harrow
3. Barnet
4. Enfield
5. Waltham Forest
6. Redbridge
7. Havering
8. Brent
9. Camden
10. Haringey
11. Islington
12. Hackney

13. Ealing
14. Hammersmith & Fulham
15. Kensington & Chelsea
16. Westminster
17. City of London
18. Tower Hamlets
19. Newham
20. Barking & Dagenham
21. Hounslow

22. Richmond
23. Wandsworth
24. Lambeth
25. Southwark
26. Lewisham
27. Greenwich
28. Bexley
29. Kingston
30. Merton
31. Sutton
32. Croydon
33. Bromley

The council has the highest number of councillors from independent and residents' groups, 16, more than anywhere else in London.

HRA formed the main opposition group with its 12 members in 2006, but has previously shared power with the Tories.

Councillor Clarence Barrett, the leader of the HRA, said: "There is disillusionment with the mainstream parties, particularly now with MPs' expenses, and people are looking for democratic representation based on sincerity and comprehension of the issues that affect the local people.

"Our strap-line is local people for local issues."

Although the HRA lost three seats in the 2006 elections it hopes its 40-odd candidates will help it recover lost ground. Councillors from two other residents' groups are also on the local authority.

Robert Gordon Clark, managing director of London Communications Agency, which studies the politics in the capital, said: "If these parties manage to pick up more seats there is the possibility of the borough moving from Conservative back to No Overall Control (NOC) as it was between 2002 and 2006."

'Not complacent'

With only six councillors, the Independent Community Group shares power with the Tory minority in Hounslow Council, the only such borough at present.

The group first contested elections in 1998 and managed to get one candidate elected.

In 2002 three candidates won seats and in 2006 the number rose to six and they shared power with a Tory minority.

Despite its steady rise the group is putting forward only nine candidates this year.

Phil Andrews, councillor from Isleworth Community Group, who is the leader of the Independent Community Group, said: "We are not content to sit on the sidelines and watch politicians make decisions.

"We are putting up nine candidates as we target areas [three wards] we know we can win. We are not in the business of being complacent."

We may be humble residents' groups but our aspirations are significant and great

Councillor Phil Andrews

The rapid rise of local issue-based parties has a lesson for the big three.

Mr Gordon Clark said: "The most prominent example is in Hounslow where in 1971 the Con/Lab/Lib vote made up 97.6% of the total; by 2006 this had dropped to 77.5%. This is a clear indicator of the political fragmentation occurring across the capital.

"Resident groups are entitled to question the national parties on what 'localism' actually means for their area.

"In theory they will always trump the main parties on 'being local' and responding to residents' concerns."

Although the local and general elections fall on the same day, which could mean a record turnout, it may not be the best year for small parties.

"An increase in turnout is unlikely to favour smaller parties. Those people who wouldn't normally vote at local level but do at a a general election are more likely to vote for one of the main parties right across the board," Mr Gordon Clark said.

But political first-timers and veteran local voices are far from deterred.

Mr Andrews summarises the spirit saying: "We may be humble residents' groups but our aspirations are significant and great."