An Interview with Councillor Karen Allison - Newsome Green Party Candidate

What have the last 4 years been like as a Kirklees Councillor?

Busy, non stop, varied and lots and lots of issues and problems to deal with on a daily basis. It’s everything from reporting potholes, planning issues, trying to ensure the Council has robust child protection policies and lots more besides. It’s all about dealing with day to day local community matters. It's great being part of a great team. Myself and the other Green Councillors Andrew Cooper and Julie Stewart-Turner are all different characters but we work together really well and each have our projects and issues that we lead on.

Cllrs Andrew Cooper & Karen Allison with the New Years Day Bus

What’s frustrating about being a local Councillor?

We’re not able to solve everything and some things take longer than you would like to solve. Top of the list has to be Newsome Mill. It is privately owned with an overseas owner. We’re in touch with the agent acting on his behalf and we are trying to work with a variety of agencies seeking to get some movement but it is painfully slow.

What are the most common issues people bring to you?

Potholes and dumped rubbish. My mobile phone isn’t full of family snaps it is all broken roads and

old fridges/sofas etc. Checking to make sure you direct the Council to the right place is essential. We also gather evidence and try to get flytippers prosecuted.

What is different about being a Green Councillor?

We don’t have party bosses or ‘Whips’ telling us how to vote. Most of the time the Green Councillors vote the same way but we are free to vote differently if we wish.  Ultimately people are voting for an individual to represent them and I’d like to think people know my views won’t be overruled by someone higher up in a Party machine.

The other thing that is different about us is that we get ‘stuck in’ with community activities. We aren’t all about sitting in meetings. Our New Year’s Day bus service, our clean ups, cleaning Village signs are all examples of us not just talking about local problems but actually doing something about them.  Our support for community activity is very practical and you’re likely to see one of us washing up or putting tables and chairs away. When it comes to working in the community Green Councillors walk the walk as well as talk the talk.

What do you do when you’re not ‘on duty’ as a Councillor?

I’m married with two ‘grown up’ children which keeps me grounded. I’m also involved with local theatre companies helping with costumes as a volunteer. I’m not a total ‘Councillorbot’  7 days a week.