Women encouraged to take up council office

Mrs Harker is a member of the black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) women councillor's taskforce and was joined by fellow members and councillors from across the south-east and London to address the 100 strong crowd.
She said: "Our aim is to encourage women from BAME backgrounds to get involved in public life and also in local democracy.
"It is important to have representation at all levels of democracy so that people can identify with the political arena."
Meral Ece OBE (Lib Dem) was the first Turkish speaking councillor elected in the UK when she won a seat on Islington Council in 1994.
Addressing the conference she said: "Women are so unrepresented in public life and we all have a duty to change that. When I first started out I didn't realise how much fuss would be made.
"But I was taking calls from Istanbul and beyond and it went crazy. But it is so satisfying and I would recommend it to anyone."
Denise Headley (Lab) has served on Enfield council for eight years and is the only woman of Caribbean descent to win a second term in the history of the council.
She said: "We experience inequality all the time and that is something we should not shy away from admitting or changing."
Councillor John Warder, leader of CDC, said: "Local people should be the ones making the decisions that affect them and where their families live.
"By getting involved in public life, women can have a major impact on local and even national issues."
Anyone interested in becoming a local councillor of finding out more can call BAME on 0208 4813375.