What can a councillor do for you?
Much of a councillor's time is taken up with working
directly with the residents in their ward. A councillor
may do the following type of work:
- Handle phone calls and letters asking for help and advice
- Receive complaints about local public services and refer them
to the right department so that they can be resolved
- Keep their eyes and ears to the ground in their ward to bring
to the council's attention any problems or improvements which are
needed
- Hold surgeries or take other steps to ensure they are available
to all the ward residents
- Liaise with other public services, such as the police, fire
authority and health services on behalf of ward residents and for
the benefit of the community as a whole.
Many councillors serve on their local school governing body
and/or
Parish Council and help in other ways at action groups,
management committees of community associations and village
halls. You can look to your ward councillors to represent
your interests within the council's guidelines.
What is expected of a councillor?
Councillors come into contact with a very wide range of people
and are asked to make decisions about many different local
issues. It is important that they follow high standards of
behaviour and integrity, acting as they do on the public's
behalf. The council's Code of Conduct for members sets clear
guidance for councillors and can be found within the council's
constitution.
Some key points are:
- Councillors must treat others with respect.
- Councillors must not bring the council into disrepute.
- Councillors must not use their council contacts or knowledge to
secure to themselves or others an improper advantage, or to place
others at a disadvantage.
- Councillors must not act on an issue where they have an obvious
conflict of interest.
All complaints alleging a breach of the code of conduct are
referred to a sub committee of the
standards committee for initial assessment. Councillors
and cabinet members lead the council's policy programme and make
important choices about our services. Others approve (or
reject)
planning and
licensing applications or hear appeals. Some provide
independent challenge and scrutiny
of cabinet and committee decisions. All 57 councillors together
decide the budget, council tax and major policies.
Members' interests
Under the code of conduct for councillors all members of the
council must declare any interests of a personal or professional
nature that they might have, in the interests of openness and
transparency.
These are classified as:
- Financial or other interests including employment, property or
business interests
- Involvement in external organisations, for example as a school
governor or council representative on another public body
Details of all councillor's interests are maintained in a
register kept for the purpose by the council's Democratic Services
Section and is available for inspection by members of the public.
Some councillors have also consented to details of their interests
being published on the council's website. See your councillors
information pages to see registered interests (if consented).
Political groups
The council has 57 councillors in total, they represent the
following political groups:
- Conservative - 32
- Labour - 11
- Independants - 7
- Liberal Democrats - 4
- Liberal Party - 3
Useful links