Councils are about far more than filling potholes and collecting bins. Schools, libraries, social care, local transport, planning, housing, youth services, emergency services, parking, leisure centres, even farms – all fall within the remit of local government. And with so many devolution deals in the offing, that list is set to get longer.
On Wednesday 18 November, a week before the chancellor sets out his spending review, councillors and local authority staff from across England and Wales will take to Twitter to celebrate the masses of work they do.
The #OurDay tweetathon, organised by the Local Government Association and Knowledge Hub, is an opportunity for councils to demonstrate what they achieve each day despite 40% cuts to their budgets and a five-year, public-sector pay freeze, and a chance for the public to show their gratitude. David Cameron, the great defender of council frontline services, is sure to be on board.
Local government may be hollowing out faster than almost every other public service, but the staff that remain still know how to make some noise. Last year’s tweetathon garnered 16,564 tweets from 8,079 different Twitter accounts.
Are you proud of your council? Do you work in local public services? Whether you’re a member of staff or simply a local government admirer, tell us what you do and what your council means to you – and share your pictures from your local government workplace. Afterwards we will be putting together a gallery of your images on the Guardian Public Leaders Network.
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