Here at the Southwark News we are excited to be embarking on a new way to cover the local elections – in the hope that we will get more people out voting come May 5th.
This is the first time that we have run such a project involving video, internet and our traditional newspaper coverage. We hope that this Gogglebox-style initiative will appeal to those who do not usually engage in local politics and get them to see how important it is to go and vote.
Our hand-picked focus group of local households do represent the make-up of the local population in just one small area of Southwark – the ward of Newington in Walworth.
The candidates standing in this one area of the borough are being asked specific questions on subjects around housing, crime, environment and transport. Their answers are being videoed. Our focus group are watching their answers. Each person’s reaction and opinions in the group is then forming the basis of our coverage.
Just like when watching the hit Channel 4 show, we hope that our readers will be more interested in hearing and watching what people like themselves are saying, rather than us simply videoing and covering what the political candidates have to say.
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This pilot scheme, which is being assessed by the Public Interest News Foundation, will, it is hoped, give the electorate more of an understanding of what and who they are voting for this May.
Newington is one ward out of a total of 23 wards in the borough and it has one of lowest turnouts in Southwark, hovering at around just 30 per cent.
It has some of the highest levels of deprivation but also some of the most expensive housing in London due to its inner city location, with the northern part of the electoral ward being just south of the Elephant and Castle roundabout.
Alongside a large traditional white working class community there is now a sizeable middle class / student population and 48 per of Newington is BAME. The largest ethnic make-up is from the African diaspora and there is a sizeable Latino community.
The focus group is made up from these four groups and has not been picked from any particular political party or campaign group.
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Please watch our videos online and consider watching the full debate at the bottom of the online articles. It is important that people understand what each party is offering, but it is also important that people meet the candidates. We hope this might encourage you to actually engage with the people standing for election in your part of Southwark. Often it is a case of thinking to yourself when meeting them, would I like this person to tackle my housing, parking problems or any general issue you have with council services. If the answer is yes, then vote for them. And allow the borough to be truly representative of what people want and need.
It is after all no use complaining when you have not even bothered to ensure – through exercising your democratic right – that you got people in whom you wanted to see at the council.