Becoming a councillor
As a councillor, you would attend council meetings and might represent the council on an organisation outside the council, such as a local partnership, charity or other public body. Papers for full council meetings and for any other committees you are assigned to, will be posted to you and you will need to read them before the meeting. You will also be emailed links to documents for all the councils’ other committees, which you can read at your leisure. Some committee meetings are held during the working day so, if you are assigned to one of those committees and are working, you will need an understanding employer.
If you are thinking of becoming a councillor and would like to know what committee meetings are like, you can attend most council meetings as a member of the public. The dates of council meetings are open to the public and published online.
The people on the ward you represent will ask for your help in dealing with their problems, even if sometimes they may not directly involve the work of the council. You will have to respond to letters, emails and telephone calls from residents and not every caller will call at what you might consider a reasonable time.