As a result of low turnout rates in local UK elections, there is a perception that people have little interest or confidence in the democratic processes that impact their everyday lives. In contrast, voting figures for reality TV shows continue to soar, supporting views about electoral indifference and reinforcing prejudices about the population’s priorities.  However, views about voter apathy have to be challenged.Turnout rates in local elections are low, but new ways of influencing decision-making are being accessed by the public. Recently, 1.8million signatures were registered on the Downing Street website against national road pricing. Although this was a UK-wide issue, it has considerable local implications and demonstrates a high level of public interest. In addition, with over a third of a million people serving as school governors and almost 20,000 volunteers working in the NHS, the UK’s population cannot be described as feckless when it comes to community involvement.