If you want to make a difference to your local area, standing for election to become a local councillor could be the perfect opportunity.
What does a councillor do?
Councillors represent everyone who lives in the area they are elected into, and may end up working with local schools, community and residents’ groups and youth organisations to help to improve the community both in local wards and across the borough.
As a councillor, you give a voice to each individual resident, influencing what the council does and how we do it. Councillors are unique in the range of issues they deal with and the positive impact they can have on both individuals and the local area.
Councillors not only represent their communities and residents, they also help to make and shape the policies of the council. They do not directly manage services but they do make the decisions on what those services will be like.
Councillors attend various meetings in order to carry out their duties. Formal committee meeting of the council are usually held in the early evening. In addition, many councillors represent the council on outside bodies (such as local charities, etc.). For most meetings you attend, there will be papers which you will need to read beforehand.
The people you represent will look to you for help in dealing with their problems, even if these do not involve the work of the council. You are likely to receive a lot of post, email and many telephone calls. Not every caller will telephone at what you might think is a reasonable hour!
Despite the hard work, being a councillor can be very rewarding. If you are thinking about becoming a councillor, the following information may help you.
Legal requirements
If you would like to become a councillor in Hounslow, you will need to meet the following legal requirements on the day that you are formally nominated to stand for a seat on the council (which is usually a few weeks before the election):
you must be eighteen years old or over
you must be a UK, EU or Commonwealth citizen
you must be registered to vote
you must have either worked or lived in the borough for at least one year.
You cannot stand:
if you work for your local council; or
you hold a politically restricted post for another authority; or
you are bankrupt; or
you have served a prison sentence (including suspended sentences) of three months or more within the five years prior to the election; or
you have been disqualified under any legislation relating to corrupt or illegal practices.
You do not need any formal qualifications to become a councillor.
Unlike parliamentary elections, no deposits are required to stand for council elections.
Becoming a councillor
The majority of people become councillors as a result of joining a political party. However, some people stand for election as independent candidates (these are people who do not belong to any political party).
Standing as a member of a political party
If you are thinking of standing as a candidate for a particular political party, then you will need to be a member of that party's local organisation. Contact the political party of your choice to find out more.
For more information on the registered political parties in the United Kingdom, visit the Electoral Commission's website.
Standing as an independent councillor
The Independent Group on the Local Government Association has prepared a useful guidance document for independent councillors and candidates which you may find useful.
Nomination pack
Once you have decided to stand for election as a councillor, you will need to find two people, one to propose you (a nomination) and the other to second the nomination. You will also need to find a further eight people to act as assentors to your nomination (ie they agree that you would be a suitable candidate and are prepared to sign a document to confirm this).
Full details of the electoral process including the nomination procedure is available upon request from the council’s electoral services manager: elections@hounslow.gov.uk.
The nomination pack includes nomination forms, timetables and guidance notes. The timetable for the next local election is available on request. As a candidate you will be invited to a meeting held by the council to hear about postal votes, where the count of the votes will be held, where the polling stations are going to be and to ask any questions you may have.
Once elected, what support will I get?
As a new councillor, you will be invited to take part in an induction programme, introducing you to the workings of the council. This will comprise a series of training and induction events in the weeks after the election. In addition, training for councillors continues throughout their term on a variety of relevant topics.
The professional officers working at the council are available to assist you in any way they can, such as advice about council procedures or problems in your ward. As all officers must be politically impartial, they cannot assist in any matter that could be seen as supporting a political party or pressure group.
How much of my time will it all take up?
According to the commitments you take on, this can vary from a few hours each week to several hours each day. Those with an executive or chairing role will have a greater workload.
How long will I be a councillor?
The full electoral term for councillors is usually four years (although if you are elected in a by-election during this four year term you will only be a councillor until the next full council election). If elected, you will be a member of the council until you choose to retire or lose an election. There are council elections planned for May 2010 and May 2014.
Payment
Currently two types of allowances exist for councillors.
Basic allowance (paid to all councillors)
Special responsibility allowance (paid to those councillors who carry out special duties such as being the chairman of a committee or who are a member of the council’s executive)
In addition, councillors can claim for travel and subsistence allowances.
Currently the basic allowance for a councillor in Hounslow is £9763 per year, but this is subject to review.
Each local authority can decide how to pay these allowances but are required to set up independent panels to recommend local schemes of allowances. From 2004, access for councillors to the Local Government Pension Scheme has been allowed, at the discretion of each local authority acting on the advice of their independent remuneration panel.
Conclusion
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, then you should consider becoming a councillor. Those already working in local government find the role interesting and challenging and there is the opportunity to specialise in a particular topic or area of interest. However, do not expect to be able to change the world overnight.