We don't need to tell you how important the elections in May 2012 are to the Party.
 
To help ensure that as many of the hundreds of Lib Dem candidates next May WIN, we're offering HALF PRICE membership of ALDC to every Lib Dem candidate in the May 2012 local elections.
 

For as little as 79p week, all ALDC members will be able to benefit from:

• exclusive access to campaign literature templates, artwork and advice
• exclusive weekly "Campaigner" email, packed full of campaign issues, ideas, council motions and best practice
• ALDC's bi-monthly members magazine "Local Campaigner"
• a free "MyCouncillor" website
• full access to our advice line and online advice - exclusively available to ALDC members.
• Free Connect Casework for ward work, worth £36
  

It's not just councillors who join ALDC, we're also proud to have a large number of candidates, agents, local campaigners, Parliamentary and local party staff as members.
 
The 50% discount is only available for people who join us by direct debit. Join us "paperfree" online today by filling in your details here. Call us on 01422 843 785 for more information.
 
Group Members of ALDC? - why not add your candidates?
The most successful local party in the 2010 elections was the London Borough of Sutton. What did they do in advance of the elections - sign up every single candidate as a member of ALDC through their group membership scheme. With the 50% discount this is even more affordable.

ALDC is currently recruiting for a Communications Officer (Hebden Bridge) and 2 x Development Officers (location flexible). Deadline for applications is 6 February 2012.

Following the receipt of new income from the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd, and after an internal re-organisation we are currently looking for three new staff members to join the ALDC team.  

This includes a Hebden Bridge based Communications Officer who will lead the development of our communications, particularly online and social media, as well as taking forward our councillors’ website platform “myCouncillor”.   We’re also looking for two new part-time Development Officer posts to work on the ground to develop the capacity and success of Liberal Democrat activists outside of target parliamentary seat areas. We’re specifically looking to extend the on the ground support we can offer away from Hebden Bridge, so we are NOT looking for staff to work in the nearby regions of North West and Yorkshire and the Humber.  

Communications Officer

(Full Time, Hebden Bridge)
Help lead ALDC’s communications with our members and partners through taking forward our online communications and use of social media. Help our members communications by taking forward our “MyCouncillor” website platform for Lib Dem councillors and campaigners.
SO1-SO2 £24,646-28,636 + 8% pension contribution

Download Application Pack here

Development Officer x 2
(3 days a week, location flexible)
Help us support and develop teams of Liberal Democrat activists around the country in our ambitious programme to help develop effective campaigning and local election success. We are looking to extend the on the ground reach of ALDC, so are not looking for staff to be working near to our base in Hebden Bridge (ie not North West, not Yorkshire and the Humber), but otherwise location flexible). 

SO1-SO2 £24,646-28,636 pro-rata + 8% pension contribution

Download Application Pack here

The deadline for application is 9.00am 6 February 2012.

All interviews will take place on 15 February 2012 in Manchester.

G8 Grants for Local Campaigning for the 2012 Local Elections

The G8 Grants Committee is looking to make grants to local parties in Scotland, Wales and England who have local elections in May 2012. We know from experience that early campaigning activity works. We want to reward those that are starting early on their campaign for 2012 and are therefore "Round 2" of the grants, will be to reward local parties who can demonstrate a good level  of campaigning activity in the Autumn/Winter period running up to Christmas.

Where people have elections by 1/3rds we are keen to support wards that we are defending in 2012 but that we lost in 2011.

To be eligible for a grant we will need to see most of the following in place:

• knocking on doors has been taking place, and that a plan of knocking on doors, and phoning voters is in place up to the elections in target wards
• regular delivery of FOCUS and other literature and a literature plan in place up to the elections.
• candidates in place in target wards
• a good strategy in place for the May elections across the authority including which wards will be targeted, with strong leadership and the team on board

Applications are through a simple online form, Link to application form for England, Scotland and Wales .

Applications must be returned by Sunday 8 January 2012

All ALDC members will shortly receive a FREE booklet all about how to use Connect - the party's new data management system.  The booklet will come with the next members mailing that will be arriving in the post next week.

The booklet has been written by Tim Pollard and Austin Rathe from the party's Department of Elections and Skills who have been leading on the project.  It includes:

• Ten ways Connect will help you win
• How to first start using the system
• How to search for information and use lists
• Tags, questions and scripts (or how to record different sorts of data)
• Creating reports and canvass sheets
• Entering data
• Printing letters
• Managing casework using Connect Casework (free to ALDC members early in the New Year)
• How to get more help

The booklet is designed as a simple introduction to get people going and further booklets and advice will be produced at a later.  All ALDC members will receive one free copy and further copies will be available to purchase for £4 via the ALDC shop in the New Year.

You can find out more about Connect on the ALDC website.

The ALDC Office will be open until 3.00pm on Friday 23 December 2011, and re-open at 9.30am on Tuesday 3 January 2012. 

Messages on the answerphone will be dealt with in the new year, so if there are any urgent advice queries please use the "Advice" facility on this website, which will be checked over the holiday period. 

If there are any urgent queries over the myCouncillor system, or any system problems, these should also be reported through the same link. 

Can we take the opportunity to wish all our members and friends a very Happy Christmas, and the very best for 2012. 

Anders, David, Eleanor, Emma, John, Mark and Tim!