Annandale North Councillor Stephen Thompson has launched a blog to help keep his constituents up-to-date with what is going on in the area.
He said: “I was trying to find a way to bring together the various weekly activities of a ward councillor, both in committees and in communities, so that a reader would find it easy to relate to, or useful if they need help getting in touch.
“It’s also a way that helps me to express and consolidate in one place what I’ve been busy with that will let me manage my duties more effectively.”
He added: “There is a growing number of people searching for and using online information so it’s another way to be accountable and keep people up-to-date.
“I’ve also become aware that the council looks very different depending on whether you’re a member of the public, a community council, a parent of a child at school,a community group, a service user,a front-line member of council staff, or a service manager.
“Part of the exercise is to try and de-mystify some of the ways in which the council works so that it can work better for people in future.”
Mr Thompson publishes a weekly update offering a summary of what’s been happening locally and glimpses of his diary as a councillor.
He said: “I think the blog’s worth doing in its own right, and it’s available online for anyone to access. “The more I write about issues that are important to Annandale North, the more likely the blog is to be found when people are searching for help or information on specific local concerns.”
Discussing the blog’s future, he said: “I’m discovering that part of learning how to write well is to write often, and this in turn helps improve communication, so for now I’ll stick to the basics and keep working at it.”
