Perseverance

If there is one quality that you need in this game, it's perseverance.  Tenacity. Doggedness. Dedication.  Persistence.  Without these, you'll get nowhere.

If you've read some of my earlier postings, you'll find that dealing with government requires a certain amount of bloody-mindedness.  Jolting apathetic institutions out of their peaceful slumber is not something that can be achieved with a single phone call or email.  

If you have something in your neighbourhood that needs cleaning up, and you are interested in tackling your local council or government authority and encouraging them to do something about it, then my only advice is to prepare for a long period of trench warfare.  If you don't have the backbone to endure a bit of a struggle, you'll probably find yourself giving up at the first hurdle.  Before you start, prepare yourself mentally for a prolonged campaign.  Don't expect success at your first attempt, or even your second.  Be prepared to follow up every week or two.  

Get used to the idea of dealing with some public servants who have no interest in serving the public, and who will only get off their backside and do something when forced to do so.

Perseverance.  Let that be your middle name.