If it's tough at the top it's even tougher at the bottom. If a minister gets busted, he'll spend a few months on the naughty step before sidling back into government. If an MP does what his minders tell him to, he can usually rely on his constituents continuing to vote for the colour of his badge.

But things aren't so easy for local councillors. The bit of the electorate they depend upon is small enough and volatile enough to actually hold them to account. An MP might be able to get away with dragging his country into a war, but if a councillor puts speed bumps in the wrong place, then he's in trouble.

This blog, then, will be dedicated to our local politicians. I don’t intend to deal with their every twist and turn (the Globe’s already got that angle well covered). Instead, I will try to show the human face of our democracy in all of its Dickensian glory.

I will be starting at this Monday’s open council meeting. As bear pits go, this one promises to be particularly savage and I’m looking forward to it immensely.