If you're not selected

If you're not selected for your first choice ward, try and get feedback from the ward members before you go for another ward. There may be lessons you can learn to improve your speech, how you came across in the meeting, and questions that you had not previously thought of and could answer differently.

If you're not selected during this selection round - commiserations and don't give up! Get as much feedback as you can from the interview and assessment team, the LGC and wards so you can prepare for next time. There may be elections every year, in which case you may not have long to wait, and even if your area holds local government elections only every four years, there may be by-elections for unexpected vacancies in the meantime.

If the feedback concerns a lack of experience either in community or party activities, think about what you can do to address this:

• explore local volunteering or other opportunities such as becoming a school governor. These are worthwhile ways to put your values and beliefs into action anyway, but will also demonstrate your commitment to the local community and to voluntary and public service, and enable you to find out more about local issues.
• volunteer to help out in more party activities eg campaigning, leaflet delivery, organising fund-raising or social events, taking on formal party roles such as branch secretary. The Labour Party is a voluntary organisation and people who are willing to roll their sleeves up and help out, even in the most unglamorous activities like stuffing envelopes, are always valued and get themselves known as reliable and helpful.
• volunteer to stand for election in a ward that the party considers not normally winnable because it is usually held by another party. Even if you don't win, fighting a strong campaign in such wards (a) could box the opposition into defending their areas rather than going on the attack in Labour-held areas, (b) will give you valuable experience of being a candidate, and (c) will earn the gratitude of the local party since it is often harder to find candidates for the less winnable wards. All these factors will stand you in good stead the next time selections for more winnable wards come around or if there are by-elections.