The role of a councillor

Do you want to speak on behalf of your local community?
Do you want to represent the interests and needs of local people?
Do you want to help shape, direct and monitor local council services in Salford?
YES? Why not become a local councillor

The local election process for Salford City Council begins when a Notice of Election is published in the press and public places throughout the city, approximately 25 working days before an election is due to take place.

Local elections offer you the perfect opportunity to stand as a representative of your local community and become a Salford City Councillor.

All the information you need about becoming a councillor and frequently asked questions are contained in various sections.

Why are councillors important?
The position of councillors is vital in the local community because:

they are a voice of the community
they are champions of the users of local services
local people know what is best for local communities
they are critical to the effective functioning of democracy
they play a very important role in helping to shape future services for the benefit of the local people

In order to make sure this happens they work very closely and in partnership with the police, health services and other public bodies and the private sector:

They play a vital role in the effectiveness of local government in developing a better quality of life for Salford

Why become a councillor?
There are many reasons why people decide to become a local councillor. For example, some individuals stand because:

of their concern over the local area in which they live and a desire to ensure that their local community is provided with the services needed
they want to ensure that local community interests are taken into account in the council’s decision making and are committed to representing the local people’s views
they want to be involved in shaping the future of the local community
they want to make a difference and they are concerned about a particular issue in their community or in the city
it is an extension of what they are already doing as they are active in a political party, trade union or school governing body and they see the next step as to become a councillor
they want to pursue their political beliefs
they want to contribute business or professional skills

If you have ever had concerns about the future of local services and felt that you could be a voice for your community in pursuing the public interest, you may want to think about becoming a councillor.

Legal requirements to be a councillor
To stand for election in the City of Salford, on the day of nomination and also on the day of election, you must be:

18 or over
be a UK, EU or Commonwealth citizen
be registered to vote in or have either worked or lived in the area for one year.

You cannot stand if:

you work for Salford City Council
you hold a politically restricted post for another local authority
you are bankrupt
you have served a prison sentence (including suspended sentences) of 3 months or more within 5 years prior to the election
you have been disqualified under any legislation relating to corrupt or illegal practices.

What qualifications do I need?
You do not need any formal qualifications to become a councillor.

What do councillors do?
Councillors or Members are elected by local people to plan, run, monitor and develop council business.

This includes taking part in partnerships with others to do this. Councillors work to improve the quality of life for people within the Salford City area and make decisions about local and city issues.

Councillors are essential in deciding what is in the public interest amidst a range of conflicting issues and views.

Councillors usually represent a political party. However, they can be independent. All councillors represent all the citizens of Salford, including taxpayers and customers of the council's services.

The role of councillor can be very varied and it is up to each individual councillor how they work. However, the three main areas of responsibility are:

representing the people in their area (ward) and becoming a representative of Salford
community leadership
formulating policy

A councillor’s role:

...as a representative

Many councillors see their first and foremost role as representing their ward and the people who live there. To do this they:

Hold ‘drop-in surgeries’, usually in community buildings such as a local community centre – a place where local people regularly go
Deal with constituent enquiries about aspects of council business e.g. claiming a discount for Council Tax
Undertake casework such as representing an individual or a family at special appeals, perhaps related to housing benefit or school admission
Explain council policy and make sure that the policy has been carried out fairly
Support local partnerships and organisations
Campaign on local issues, championing the causes that further the interests, quality of life and development of the community
Win resources for their ward
Encourage community participation and citizen involvement in decision-making
Listen to the needs of local people and take their views into account when considering policy proposals and in decision-making

They also need to ensure local people are informed about:

services in the area
decisions that affect them
the reasons why decisions are taken by the council

... as a community leader

Community leadership is central to the Government’s thinking about modern local government. It involves partnership with other organisations.

Salford City Council works in partnership with many local bodies and councillors serve on these local forums on behalf of the council.

Councillors exercise community leadership by:

representing the council and constituents on local management boards, school governor committees or local partnership panels
participating in the activities of any outside body to which they are appointed and reporting back to the council
developing a working knowledge of the organisations, services, activities and other factors important to the community's well being and identity

... as a policy maker

All councillors are involved in decision making. Councillors, as Members of council and Scrutiny Committees, meet with councillor colleagues from all political and other groups, to debate and approve council business in a formal setting.

Most meetings are open to the press and public. There are written rules that govern behaviour and procedures at these meetings called Procedure Rules and these enable councillors to take part effectively.

Councillors can influence local policies through:

their role on full Council
for some, membership of the Cabinet
their role on committees which both scrutinise the work of the Cabinet and recommend policy developments
their role as employers of staff, on appointment panels, disciplinary and grievance appeals etc.
membership of management boards of voluntary bodies and school governors
membership of partnership boards
membership of a political group, which meet separately from council meetings
undertaking casework

So what’s involved?

How long would I be in office?

City councillors serve a 4-year term
If you are elected at a by-election, you serve until the next scheduled local elections

How much time would I have to commit?
It is for you to decide the level of commitment you are able to give to being a councillor and it also depends on your role within the council and the number of commitments you take on. For most of the meetings you attend, there will be papers you will need to read beforehand.

If you have a family and personal relationships to consider it is wise to talk through the implications of being a councillor with them first because you will need their support and understanding.

Some of the issues you will need to devote time to are:

The people you represent will look to you for help in dealing with their problems. You are likely to receive a lot of post, emails and a great many telephone calls. And not every caller will telephone at what you might think is a reasonable hour!
Most councillors hold at least one drop-in surgery each month; some hold two surgeries each month
You may find that a large proportion of your time is spent dealing with constituency and associated casework, either taken at the surgeries or received via post, telephone, fax or email

You may also spend some of your time visiting constituents at their homes or at the council offices.

There are usually six full Council meetings each year, which you will be expected to attend. These are formal meetings with other councillor colleagues from all political groups
Places on committees are agreed with all the political groups and you may be a member of more than one committee
If you are elected a chairperson or member of the Cabinet the role can be very demanding, as you take responsibility for some part of the council’s expenditure each year
Your meetings may not be evenly spread out so some weeks you may be out more evenings than others
Many councillors represent the council on one or more outside bodies
For most of the meetings you attend there will be papers that you will need to read beforehand. These papers can be quite detailed and take time to read and understand
If you are a member of a political party there will be additional calls on your time to attend party meetings and seminars/training events

When do council meetings take place?

Meetings of the full council take place approximately six times a year in the Council Chambers, Salford Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton, Salford and start at 9.30am.
The meeting always takes place on the third Wednesday of the month.
Many Community Committee meetings take into account the fact that representatives have full time jobs and can only meet during the evening. These meetings normally start between 4pm and 7pm.
The average length of a meeting is approximately two hours.
Meetings for other groups, partnerships etc. take place at a range of times and venues.

If you would like more information on the current year’s cycle of council meetings please contact Committee Services on (0161) 793 3009.

Can I get time off from work?

If you are working, by law your employer must allow you to take a reasonable amount of time off during working hours to perform your duties as a councillor (Employment Rights Act 1996, Section 50).
The amount of time off will depend upon your responsibilities as a councillor and the effect of your absence on your employer’s business.
You should discuss this with your employer before making the commitment.

Will I get paid?
Councillors receive no salary for the time they give up to serve their community. However, you will be paid an allowance to reimburse you for time and expenses incurred whilst on council business.

You can find more information on members allowances by visiting our Members Allowances page.

The following councillors receive an additional allowance in recognition of their special responsibilities:

Leader of the Council
Deputy Leader
Cabinet Members
Scrutiny Chairs

If you receive state benefits, these may be affected by your entitlement to councillor allowances. You are advised to seek the guidance of the local DSS office.

Come along and see for yourself!
There is no better way to see what life is like as a councillor than to attend one of the council's meetings.

Contact Committee Services on (0161) 793 3009 for the full calendar of meetings and details of those which the public can attend.

What support will I get from council officers?
Council officers are employed to carry out the decisions of councillors. They are committed to help you fulfil your duties as a councillor. There will always be someone who is able to offer advice or support on any issue and all you would have to do is ask.

More often though it will be the more senior officers - including the Chief Executive, Corporate Directors and Senior Management - helping you to make the right decisions.

If you are a member of a political group, or other group, support and assistance will also be available from other members of your group.

Can I get help with my paper work?
At Salford we have a Members Services Section that provides full time dedicated support to meet the needs of councillors.

Services offered include:

a confidential secretarial service
help with dealing with enquiries and complaints from your constituents
information gathering/research
dealing with Members’ enquiries
provision of stationery/business cards
assistance with booking a surgery venue and printing of surgery posters
booking external meetings/seminars and making the necessary travel arrangements
administering Members’ allowances
a courier service of messages/post to Members’ homes

You will also be offered a PC and printer for use at home with email and Internet access.

You will have access to fully equipped Members’ rooms and meeting rooms based on the First Floor of Salford Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton, Salford.

All rooms have facilities for both formal and informal use, telephones, fax, computers, printers and refreshments.

Will I need to work at home?
You will be required to work at home reading your papers, preparing for forthcoming meetings and dealing with enquiries from the public.

All councillors receive a PC connected to the council's intranet and the Internet for research purposes, making it possible to look at reports online and respond to emails from constituents.

Office equipment for home use to assist you in your council duties such as a filing cabinet etc. can be requested as part of a support package included in the members’ allowances scheme.

Is there any training available for new councillors?
Immediately upon election we arrange induction training for councillors, including introductions to directors and a tour of departments.

If you are a member of a political or other group there could be training and support from your political group.

In addition every councillor will be given the opportunity to have a development plan drawn up to meet their specific training and development needs.

Councillors will also be able to attend general courses on topics such as:

computer skills training
political conventions
Best Value
public speaking
specific service issues
Data Protection and Freedom of Information Acts
chairing skills
training for Scrutiny Committee members
mentoring schemes for new councillors

This page was last updated on 02 April 2008

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Salford City Council, Salford Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton, Salford M27 5AW

0161-794 4711