Councillors must listen to the people they represent, writes RUDI VIS, MP for Finchley and Golders Green

As an MP I endeavour throughout the year to represent my constituents' views on numerous issues; internationally, nationally and locally.

As you can imagine in a constituency like Finchley and Golders Green, the subjects are varied but no less important to each individual who expresses a concern.

That is why all year round I try and reach as many of my constituents as possible. This is done in various ways: through advice surgeries, coffee mornings, visits to institutions and events and of course, knocking on doors. Probably the most effective way of reaching people is knocking on doors. It is a method that keeps me in touch with the issues that affect people locally and affects the quality of their lives. It is not about foreign policy or the Gross Domestic Product, although those issues are often raised. It is about their local environment.

The priorities I have pursued have been those of local people and organisations. It is all very well making promises to win votes in certain areas but when elected we have to represent everyone.

That is why I was very surprised to see that the Barnet Council cabinet member for the environment, Conservative councillor Brian Coleman stated that the decision to install CCTV in Brunswick Park and East Barnet was because of political priorities'.

Surely the priorities should be guided by crime figures, not votes. It is the sort of politics that toppled Dame Shirley Porter with her housing policy.

Even through the summer months I am constantly being asked to make representations to the authorities on local issues. The proposed variation at the artsdepot is a recent example.

Local people were opposed to the changes and I am pleased to see that the theatre will go ahead. I had little doubt about it since I had asked the builders of the artsdepot some weeks ago and they told me that they were building the theatre (perhaps with shelves added later).

But there are other examples, such as the changes being implemented at East Finchley Tube station, enabling customers to access the ticket office via The Causeway. London Underground was not going to do this but residents opposed this and contacted me. Together we convinced them to change their minds.

Be it traffic calming, planning, housing, street cleaning or leisure provision, I am working to represent the views of my constituents, so that local and national government are aware of their priorities.

August 20, 2002 12:00