Leading your community
Working as its representative and being a voice for constituents who otherwise may not be heard. You will be approached by residents with a wide range of issues and problems. You will get involved with local groups and community projects who will look to you for guidance and help. You may also find yourself campaigning for an individual on a particular issue. Using the Council's policies and procedures you will be able to improve the well-being of your constituents.
Making and influencing Policy
By preparing for, and attending Council meetings you will have a direct influence on the policies which shape the quality of local services. You will be expected to promote the Council's vision whilst also scrutinising decisions the Council has made. Public interest will be at the heart of your decision and policy making.
Being a responsible Ward Member
You may be a single representative or join other Councillors in a multi-represented ward. You will be expected to engage with residents by attending Parish Council meetings or through ward, surgeries, emails and phone calls. There will be difficult decisions to make as residents are often divided on local issues and you will be expected to explain the actions of the Council. By remaining impartial and following the Council's procedures you will be able to make a positive difference.
How do I help my constituents?
A key part of your role as a Councillor is to represent your ward and the individual citizens who live in it. You are the bridge between the community and the Council. You will be contacted by your constituents with requests for help and you are likely to receive a lot of post, emails and phone calls. In terms of helping your constituents with their problems, you are not expected to be familiar with every single detail across the whole range of policies and services. Your job is to represent their concerns to the Council and try to get the problem solved.
You will not be able to solve every single problem but you should be able to make a difference for many of those who request your help. However, you should bear in mind that many people contact their local Councillor for help on issues that are not the responsibility of the local authority. In these cases you will try to put people in touch with other relevant agencies which can help.
Which Committees will I be sitting on?
The proportion of seats each political group gets on each committee is determined by the number of group members they may have (called political balance). Provisions exist to protect the entitlement of independent members. The Group Leaders then appoint councillors to those seats. This is all agreed at the annual meeting of the Full Council, which is normally held in May each year.
How will I know what is being discussed at a Committee Meeting?
By law, a Public Notice of a meeting with its date, time, venue and agenda must be posted publicly five clear working days before a meeting takes place. The agendas for meetings will be sent to the committee members at the same time and an email sent to all councillors. If there are any issues of interest to, or of concern to you and your ward and you are not a member of that committee, you can attend the meeting as an observer. You can also ask to speak but you can only vote if you are a member of the committee.
What training will I receive?
There will be induction sessions for newly elected councillors and further training for all councillors relating to the Council's services over the following six months. As well as this the Council will continue to support councillors' development needs during the term of office and you will be asked to complete a training needs analysis to help shape this process. Councillor support is provided by the Democratic Services team.
Where do I go if I need advice on the Council's services?
You can receive advice and guidance from a number of sources. You will be provided with contact details for all the Council's departments and can contact them directly. You can also liaise with more experienced councillors who will be able to assist. Finally, you can always contact Democratic Services who will either provide the advice needed or help direct you to where you can get the information.
Will I represent the Council on any other organisations?
The Council has a number of positions on other organisations which are collectively referred to as 'Outside Bodies'. Appointments to these outside bodies are made every two years at the Annual meeting of Full Council. If you are interested in any of these, you should talk to your group leader.
Can I have time off from work to attend Council meetings?
Yes. By law, if you are employed you are entitled to reasonable time-off to fulfil your role as a Councillor, although your employer does not have to give you paid time off. What is reasonable time off is not defined and will depend upon a number of factors, so you will need to talk with your employer about this.
What am I allowed to claim expenses for?
You will be entitled to a basic allowance that is paid in monthly instalments which reimburses costs you incur by doing Council business. You can claim for travelling to and from a committee meeting of which you are a member, Cabinet meetings and training sessions. You can also claim for travelling to and from Parish Council meetings held in your area of which you are not a member and for representing the Council at external meetings. There is also a childcare and dependants' carers allowance for attendance at meetings. Claims must be submitted on the correct claim form within three months of the expenditure being incurred.
How will the Council communicate with me?
The Council relies on IT and electronic means of communication both internally and with the public. As the public increasingly expects to be able to contact their local representatives by email, Councillors will be expected to have to use email and the internet. The Council will provide all Councillors with an official email address which is to be used for all Council business and which will be published on the Council's website.
Councillors will also be provided with access to relevant Council IT Systems and electronic information. Councillors are emailed a 'Councillors' Bulletin' each week and this includes articles of interest and important information relevant to all Councillors.