Story in today’s Sunday Times that the best way to get more women into local politics would be to set up a body that would examine reports of misconduct in local government.

The report says “sexism and sexual harrassment, which is being increasingly scrutinised in Westminster, is equally prevalent in the corridors of our local town halls” and goes on to say that some female councillors end up resigning because of sexist or inflexible behaviours that are hard to combine with family life.

It suggests that any aspiring female politicians, for whom local government could be a stepping stone to Westminster, are turned away by sexism.  In England 32% of councillors and 12.3% of council leaders are women.

The society’s head of policy says, “Sexism in local government is both a cause and effect of the lack of women councillors.  We have found numerous examples of male councillors making sexist, offensive and derogatory remarks”.

Lucky for us then that councillors such as Eileen Wragg, Claire Wright and Susie Bond continue to do their sterling work.

But how long before the situation changes?