Local Councillors

The main role of a councillor is to represent their ward, or area, and the people who live there. 

A councillor:

• provides a voice for and help to all members of the community
• makes decisions on behalf of residents
• contributes to council policy and strategy
• has responsibility for scrutiny (checking and monitoring what the council does)
• has regulatory duties (making sure laws are kept to, e.g. planning and licensing)
• is a community leader

 What does a councillor do for us?

• holds surgeries, where local people can ask for help or advice
• follows up on issues raised at these surgeries
• represents the community within the council and to other organisations
• develops links with all parts of the community
• supports local partnerships and organisations
• campaigns on local issues
• wins resources for the ward, e.g. money for local organisations or regeneration

Scrutiny

There is a new formal role for your councillor - through overview and scrutiny processes - to review council policies and activities.  All councils must have this function and must have one such committee, made up of councillors who are not members of the executive /cabinet. Scrutiny takes in a varied range of activities.  These are:

• Review and development of the council's policies
• Make policy and budget proposals to the council
• Review of proposed executive decisions
• Call in or review of decisions before they are implemented
• Performance monitoring and review
• Scrutiny of other local organisations, including health services

Regulatory Powers

All councils have committees, which reflect the political membership of the council, to make what are called quasi-judicial decisions. These are planning and licensing decisions, and include

• planning permission
• licensing certain premises
• licensing taxis

Community Leadership

Councillors take a comprehensive view of the needs and priorities of local areas and lead in the work that is needed to meet these needs.  This often takes place in partnership with other organisations and councillors may:-

• be involved with other voluntary organisations
• participate in joint working with other local authorities - including town and parish councils
• act as school governors
• serve on a range of regional, health or local partnership groups.