A forum for open discussion on communities and local government policy.

Commission on the role of local councillors

Welcome to our forum. Each month, from April until September, we will be asking a different question for you to consider. The answers you give will form part of our evidence gathering. We are also drawing on a specially commissioned programme of social research, expert advice and, later in the summer, we will hold a series of events for people to attend around the country.

This month, to get the debate started, our question for you is ‘what motivates people to become councillors?’

In future months we’ll be asking about the support councillors need to enable them to perform effectively. We’ll also want to hear your ideas about how to attract under-represented people – such as younger people, women and people from black and minority ethnic communities – to stand as councillors.

We want to hear from people who are councillors, people who work with councillors, and also those who may be considering standing for election, or who have never thought about it until now. With local elections taking place in many parts of the country on 3 May this is a timely debate for us to be having.

Please sign up now to take part. As well as gathering your views on this month’s question, we’ll be able to send you future alerts and updates each month as the forum develops.

Thank you for taking part; we really value your contribution and I look forward to a stimulating and thought-provoking discussion.

Dr Jane Roberts DBE
Chair

Question Closed

Posted by Emma Hagan on 03/05/2007 - 17:23

Thank you to everyone for such a fantastic start to the forum. This question has now closed and we will be posting a new question shortly.

Your answers will be considered by the Commission as part of the evidence gathering process in addition to a specially commissioned programme of social research, expert advice and a series of events for people to attend around the country.

Although further responses to ‘what motivates people to become councillors?’ won’t be shown on the forum they can be sent here

Thanks again

Emma

Parish and Town Councils

Posted by Emma Hagan on 02/05/2007 - 09:58

In response to James Derounian’s suggestions about parish and town councils please be assured that the Commission will be considering the incentives and barriers to serving on parish and town councils as well as other types of local authorities as part of its review. The Councillors Commission has already made contact with the Commission for Rural Communities, who are currently holding an ‘Inquiry into strengthening the role of local councillors’, and it has been agreed that the Commissions will share evidence and make links where appropriate and valuable.

Lastly, a reminder to submit any final responses to this months question ‘what motivates people to become councillors?’ by the end of the day on Thursday as our question will be changing as of Friday 4th May.

Thank you all for your valuable comments so far. Please keep them coming!

Emma

Under-representation

Posted by ShaneMcC on 01/05/2007 - 18:55

When it comes to ethnicity, it may be the age issue that is the problem. According to the 2001 census the proportion of people over 45 years old who are of non-white ethnicity is 4.6% which is not far off the 4% of councillors who are also of non-white ethnicity. Perhaps the real problem is that people aged under 45 of all ethnic backgrounds are less inclined to stand. If more younger people did become councillors then the ethnic balance would improve.

what motivates peple to become councillors

Posted by mike hodgkinson on 30/04/2007 - 07:55

The two principal reasons why I became a councillor were:

1. To provide grassroots support to the political party I represent.

2. To help people in my local community.

Motivation

Posted by Rob Mitchell on 27/04/2007 - 09:37

The Association of North East Councils (ANEC) is the political voice for local government in the North East. It is a cross-party organisation which represents all 25 local authorities in the region, throughout Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham and the Tees Valley on issues of concern to them and the communities they serve.

As part of the region’s response to the White Paper, we established a Task & Finish Group to examine the role of elected Members, intending to lead to a report and set of recommendations towards the end of the calendar year. The Task & Finish Group will look at:

• recruitment,
• retention,
• terms and conditions,
• support and training, and
• the future roles of elected Members

At its first meeting on April 17th 2007, the Group considered the Forum’s first consultation question, “what motivates people to become councillors?” The views of Members on the Task and Finish Group are set out below.

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What motivates people to become councillors?

Posted by Peter Kent on 26/04/2007 - 17:36

I did some research on this amongst my own colleagues when I was a council leader. The options were put simply, and the overwhelming majority were "to improve the local community" and usually that related to their own ward rather than the district as a whole.
Very few had party political objectives at the top of their list but that's not to decry political principles - you need to have some central philosophy and discipline underpinning your activities, and all the platitudes about not taking the party whip ignore the reality of decision-making.
I feel that these days people who feel this way are more likely to take up single-issue campaigns so councils need to do more to spell out a vision and a context within which people can see how their concerns can be accommodated.

what motivates people to become councillors?

Posted by Bremner777 on 26/04/2007 - 15:16

In contrast to others perhaps I, with my family, am relatively new to the region in which I am standing. I am standing for the first time and new to the whole process. My prime motivation was to be involved in the community. PLUS - to bring a new and younger (38) professional (academic) face to a council that seems too set in its ways and in need of some invigoration. More importantly, if elected, to keep the concerns of the residents at the forefront of debate and decision making. I have certainly enjoyed meeting many people while canvassing. If elected, I will be on a steep learning and management curve. Learning: to know the ropes of local Government and management: to balance family commitments and a fulltime job.

Motivation to become a councillor

Posted by Sandra Semple on 24/04/2007 - 09:04

For me it was a single issue. There is a big regeneration area where we live and developers put in plans for the site which the whole town was against. However, the local district council is one of the landowners of the site and is keen to maximise its income from the site so is not taking on board what the town wants or needs.

We started a campaign group, which was, and still is, very successful. But we realised that we needed to be on the "inside" as well as on the "outside".

In addition, having gone to town council meetings were were dismayed at the way business was conducted - often along political party lines. There are many issues in the town that need a much more general and less rigid approach so eight of us from the campaign group are standing for council next month - at least one of us is certain to get in and possibly more. Ages of our potential councillors range from 20-73 (20, 34, 43, 49, 59, 63, 65, 73) with all sorts of different skills.

I think the fact that we are not political has attracted a much wider range of people than if we had strict party politics - this is certainly true of our younger participants.

What motivates people

Posted by mminion on 23/04/2007 - 11:19

I work with elected councillors on a daily basis. In my experience, and despite popular misconceptions, people stand for office because they think they can make difference to their communities (the frustrations of the role can though quickly turn to cynicism).

Don't Forget Parish and Town Councils!

Posted by James Derounian on 20/04/2007 - 11:41

I realise that The Councillors Commission is looking at elected representatives in 'principal authorities', but I would suggest that:

* The Commission recognises that many county, district etc councillors also double as parish/town councillors, thereby facilitating the Government's thrust towards greater community engagement; and indeed this may be part of an individual's motivation - to represent communities' interests in entirety rather than to a single tier e.g. Unitary authority;

* The Commission does incorporate coverage of parish and town councillors - many/most policy documents fail to register that Parish & Town Councils are local authorities; many of whom cover large communities (like Dover, parts of Birmingham etc) and exercise considerable budgets akin to smaller district councils.

* The Commission makes contact with the CRC (Commission for Rural Communities) - who are also undertaking a consultation on 'Strengthening the role of local councillors' including parish councillors