David Levene: The Councillor

Campaigning is my favourite thing about politics. From the dizzying heights of the NUS affiliation referendum in my first year, to Council election canvassing the year after graduation, I can’t get enough. What can I say, political types are an odd bunch.

And it’s a busy time for campaigning. Recognising an increasing interest in single issue campaigns, myself, Hull Road Councillor, Neil Barnes, and the good folk at the University Labour Club are petitioning against student support cuts. There have been some worrying reports about the Government considering cutting funding targeted at getting the poorest into HE, or reducing the amount of available grant and converting it to loans. Given that a central argument of those increasing fees was that it would come with more generous financial support, this didn’t seem right.

Now, as one fine gent put it as we were collecting signatures recently, “Yeah, but it’s all bollocks, isn’t it?”. Well, maybe. Maybe not. 38 Degrees, where we have an online version of our petition, has a whole section listing successful campaigns. And I think it’s important people let their representatives know there will be consequences to their decisions. Raising this always causes a bit of fuss, but at a hustings for the last General Election, a certain York Outer MP promised to sign NUS’s pledge not to raise fees. He didn’t. He then voted for the rise. Now there’s a notable silence on cutting grants. Is this right? Is he representing his constituents’ interests? If not, it’s important people speak up.

In the next couple of weeks I’m also going to be working with YUSU to get some guarantees from the University on improved Hes East facilities. For too long, when someone argued it was not okay for Goodricke, and now Langwith, and soon Constantine students, to have to cross an A road to get to a shop (the petrol station), everyone would agree, but where is the retail provision? Where are the student activities spaces? Where is the social and catering building? This has a big impact on those living there, as well as the surrounding area, so we want a debate at the City Council to discuss this issue. This takes 1000 signatures, so we’ll be working to get groups like Heslington Parish involved, too. A good example of a campaign bringing different communities together.

So get signing. Get voting, get involved. Or at least, don’t scowl at me too much when I try and grab you as you pass
Vanbrugh Stalls!

P.S. Outside of campaigning, YUSU, the Police and the Council are planning a Volunteering Fair-type event covering student and community activities to advertise opportunities and showcase work already done.