Why do local councillors have party political affiliations?

[2Btoo]

Genuine Q chaps, why do local councillors have party political links?

Having voted today for someone from a party for which I would normally have no time at all, I wonder what's the point of a local councillor having a link with a Westminster party? I can understand why an MP may find it helpful to have a party political link (although I also think that their party should be irrelevant to what they do most of the time) but a local councillor?

For reference, I voted for the person today because they are the candidate whom I see around most often, they live locally, they seem genuinely interested in the area and have good ideas; not something I can say about any of the other candidates. What party they represent seems to me to be completely irrelevant.

[boyse7en]

In a word: funding

Being a party affiliated candidate will get some money for printing posters and leaflets, will probably get some party member support for going around house dropping leaflets off, posters in gardens etc.
For the party you get someone with more incentive to follow the party line in terms of planning etc.

[Skyedriver]

A number of voters will vote for the Party rather than the person in my opinion.
Where we live, we have received had a number of flyers through the door but mostly from party candidates, although two were from Independents.
TBH it's a foregone conclusion which party will get the council seats up here but that party was the only one who stuck masses of their symbol signs on lamp posts, railings etc except for an occasional banner in town for two other parties.
At the Polling Station yesterday, there was only one Candidate actually turned up to see progress but there were two people from one of the parties (the one most likely to win) came three times each to check numbers.

[Evanivitch]

People from grass roots all the way upto top of government align themselves to parties.

They may see it as a way of working collaboratively with others to provide greater influence on the council policy, which thus affects their constituents.

A party supposedly represents the majority of views you share with others within the party. I'm not sure I agree with that, but nonetheless even the independents in my council have formed a loose association group.

[2Btoo]

Interesting and helpful answers, thanks chaps.

Boyse7en particularly. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that it all comes down to money.

Thanks again.

[Riley Blue]

boyse7en said:

In a word: funding

Being a party affiliated candidate will get some money for printing posters and leaflets, will probably get some party member support for going around house dropping leaflets off, posters in gardens etc.
For the party you get someone with more incentive to follow the party line in terms of planning etc.

That was certainly true when I became a councillor.

I'd intended to stand as an independent in the parish and district council elections but the LD's, who were in power locally, got in touch - I worked for one of them and must have said something at work.

I had an informal meeting, they were keen to have me as a candidate, their local policies weren't a million miles away from my own thinking so I joined the party and was elected, then re-elected.

With hindsight (it was over 20 years ago) I should have stayed an independent as they failed to get a majority so I spent my time as an opposition portfolio holder but hey-ho, that's local politics for you.

[N111BJG]

My parents were both local labour councillors for many years, over time they developed friendships with conservative councillors, in fact on the majority of local issues the differences in their views were not of political origins.

Inevitably it was only national politics where they would not see eye to eye

[Riley Blue]

N111BJG said:

My parents were both local labour councillors for many years, over time they developed friendships with conservative councillors, in fact on the majority of local issues the differences in their views were not of political origins.

Several of us had an interest in classic cars and most likely would have become good friends but for political bitterness due to group leaders being long time adversaries. They were both county councillors and I learned had the knives out for each other for decades.

N111BJG said:

Inevitably it was only national politics where they would not see eye to eye

Sadly, my experience was very different. I became so disillusioned I resigned my seats on both parish and district councils. I'm now firmly of the view that party politics has no place in local government and that there should be a maximum of terms in office for councillors.

[StevieBee]

Riley Blue said:

Sadly, my experience was very different. I became so disillusioned I resigned my seats on both parish and district councils. I'm now firmly of the view that party politics has no place in local government and that there should be a maximum of terms in office for councillors.

I agree with this. I also think that that weighting of party politics on local politics is largely the result of media interest - in other words, in reality, it matters not a jot which party a councillor aligns themselves to but knowing this provides fodder for the news channels to suggest changing national opinion.