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How to communicate effectively with the council

When it comes to expressing your concerns over Greenwich Council's implementation of low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) across East and West Greenwich, it helps not only to know what to say and how to say it but also who to say it to.

Below are some tips to help get you started.

Who should you write to?

The first port of call should be your local councillors.

A councillor's primary role is to represent their ward and the people who live in it. Your councillors are responsible for providing a bridge between you and the council. They should present themselves as advocates for local residents and be able to deal with issues and concerns on your behalf.

According to the Local Government Association, your councillor should:

respond to your queries and concerns
communicate council decisions that affect you
know the area they represent and be aware of any problems
work with representatives of local organisations, interest groups and businesses
represent your views at council meetings
lead local campaigns on your behalf

Who are your local councillors?

To find out who your councillors are, or if you're unsure, visit our useful contacts page.

Should you include anyone else in your email or letter?

Sometimes, it helps to include someone else when writing to your local councillor, particularly if you've already written to them and haven't received a reply.

People you may also want to write to include:

Matthew Pennycook, local MP for Greenwich and Woolwich
Anthony Okereke, leader of the council
Averil Lekau, cabinet member for climate change, environment and transport (she also currently oversees the West and East Greenwich traffic management scheme)
Debbie Warren, chief executive of the council
Ryan Nibbs, assistant director for transport
Ryan Bunce, transport strategy manager

You can email any of the above people by visiting our useful contacts page.

Tips on what to say

Be straightforward and honest - write to the point and in clear language. Be clear with what it is you want to say.

Be respectful - your councillor probably isn't responsible for rolling out LTNs and should be more likely to help if you are polite.

Tell them how it affects you - if LTNs (or anything else for that matter) impact you in any way, for example, if you're disabled, elderly, or depend on your vehicle, let them know.

Don't threaten legal action - unless you're willing to follow up with legal action, don't mention it. Fighting the council in court can be an expensive process.

What you should do after you've written

After you've written to your local councillor, or council representative, make sure you keep a record of your correspondence. It's a lot easier to keep a record if you write by email. If you do decide to send a physical letter, make sure you send it by registered post and keep proof of receipt.

What if you don't get a reply?

If you haven't received a reply from your councillor or council representative after 14 days, contact them again and remind them of their responsibilities.

It is at this stage that you might want to copy in someone else, such as your MP, Matthew Pennycook, or chief executive, Debbie Warren, if you haven't done so already.

Remember, council officers, councillors and your local MP work for you. They should always have the best interests of the community in mind.

If you have any questions about contacting anyone about LTNs or other ill-thought-out plans the council is looking to introduce, send us a message, and we'll try to help.