At one or a councillor or MP was a calling to serve their community, nowadays it's a money bank for most. Councillors are harder to contact or engage, most MPs have little at no interest in their constituencies but seem to run up expenses at an alarming rate claiming for everything under the sun and some things that aren't.
Selection as a councillor or MP is not what they can do for their communities but that they'll tow the line prioritising party over people. In councils we are starting to see more independent councillors being elected as they tend to concentrate on local issues that matter to the community.
Think about that next time the local elections come around.