Commitment and culture - barrier to progress, or gateway to opportunity?

Picking up where I left off last time...

The personal commitment aspect is a less tricky one.

Frankly, in a small village, the volume of work is, relative to that of a district or county councillor, derisory. And as for metropolitan or unitary councillors, our 'burden' would be barely noticeable. That isn't to say that what we do is irrelevant, more that our powers are rather few. However, like at any level, the amount you do beyond the statutory minimum is up to you.

It is, perhaps, the cultural element which offers the broadest challenge. What sort of parish council is it? Is there a sense of 'Führerprinzip', with a hierarchy of authority, or is it more collaborative? How are the tensions between those styles of governance managed, where they exist? If there is a hierarchy, does it respect the ability of councillors to deliver both their legal, and their representative obligations?

I freely admit that I struggle in this area. You might expect that I tend towards a more collectivist sense of responsibility, whilst the fact that I am (potentially) directly elected makes me personally accountable. I'm also spontaneous, to an extent which troubles the Chair, and the Parish Clerk. If something arises urgently, and there isn't a parish newsletter due (and as it is published quarterly, it is likely that it won't be), my first thought is to do something to publicise it.

Naturally, I can't do that in an official capacity, because it isn't approved by the Chair and the Parish Clerk. And now, it seems, they don't want me to do it in a personal capacity, at least, not without their approval. It is, to put it mildly, a paradox. What happens if they don't approve of it?

It is, I suppose, a question of potential effectiveness. A difference of opinion between us potentially weakens my ability to influence the decision making of the council as a whole (the validity of the argument isn't always enough), and if I believe that I have a useful role to play, then I have to take a longer view.

And whilst the cultural differences between some of us may be difficult to bridge - and in this instance, I fundamentally differ, I may have to accept that subliminating one's personality for a greater good is the best option.

Now, all I have to do is reconcile myself to that...