Knowsley is run by 45 elected councillors, and the decisions they take — on housing, planning, services and how the borough’s money is spent — are open to residents far more than most people realise. Here is how to take part.
Who runs the council
The council is Labour-controlled. Its executive decisions are taken by the Cabinet, led by the leader, Cllr Graham J Morgan. Day-to-day scrutiny runs through committees — the Planning Committee, for example, is chaired by Cllr Gary Bennett. The Mayor of Knowsley, currently Cllr Ken McGlashan, is the council’s civic head and chairs full council meetings.
Find your councillor
Each part of the borough is represented by local councillors you can contact about an issue where you live. You can look yours up — by ward, with their roles and surgery details — on the council’s councillors and elected representatives page, which also lists Cabinet members, the borough’s MPs and parish and town councils.
Watch or attend a meeting
Council and committee meetings are held in public. The agendas, reports and minutes — and the calendar of what’s coming up — are on the council’s meetings portal, and most meetings are streamed live and archived on the council’s webcast channel at knowsley.public-i.tv. Reading an agenda before a meeting is the quickest way to see a decision coming.
Have your say
Beyond watching, there are ways to put your view directly. The council explains how its decisions are made — and how residents can ask a question or speak at a meeting — on its decision-making and governance page. It also runs consultations on specific plans and policies, where anyone can give their views.
Register to vote
You need to be on the electoral register to vote in local and national elections. You can register in a few minutes at gov.uk/register-to-vote, and find details of current elections and the electoral register on the council’s voting and elections page.
To report a problem or contact the council directly, use the contact us page.
In a borough with little dedicated local news, knowing how to follow and influence these decisions matters more, not less.
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