How to become a Councillor Are you interested in what could I first six months or so are quite daunting What’s say!? So here I because of the range of things its possible becoming a Councillor? am representing to become involved with, but I soon saw involved in Becoming a Councillor means that you St James’ Ward this as an opportunity to make my mark. becoming where I live and will be responsible for speaking up for and I work full time, with a demanding job in I haven’t looked a representing your local community, and the transport industry, and the balance back since! will work on behalf of that community to between work, council and home can be a Councillor? make it a better place. It has been a challenge. It’s tough to have to let anyone Representing great experience down but with careful time management it This leaflet will help you decide if people in your in many different ways. I’ve been lucky to is more than possible to get the best of all becoming a Councillor would be right area for you, and explain how the process of meet so many interesting new people. I worlds. I love being a Councillor and am People will come to you with problems standing for election works. have also enjoyed trying to get my head looking forward to what the next few years around some (complex) local issues. bring. and ask for your assistance, for example Helping people with their problems can be with a contentious planning application or Can anyone become a very rewarding. Issues such as speeding Councillor Victor Webb problems with noisy neighbours. Groups Councillor? and poor street lighting may seem trivial to ‘I became a Councillor to take the and organisations will also expect your help, for example getting financial support To become a Councillor you must be: an outsider but they really matter to locals. concerns of ordinary people into the Not being a political animal, it has been Council Chamber and to protect the for a new sports initiative. These issues aged 18 or over (there is no maximum a steep learning curve but I have tried to interests of our local communities and our may not always be related to the Council’s age limit) contribute lots of enthusiasm and fresh nation through good governance. area of activity, but they will always relate to the development of your local area, and thinking. a British, Commonwealth or European I have lived in as a Councillor you’ll have the ability and citizen I’m a full-time teacher and father to a Tunbridge Wells authority to do something about it. on the local electoral register (or have lively toddler but am lucky to have a very all my life and lived, worked or owned a property in supportive family. Life can be pretty manic my children were Community leadership the borough for at least one year). but I wouldn’t have it any other way! educated at local Councillors are community leaders. They schools. I want Give being a Councillor some thought. work closely with their communities, on You must also have the support of ten to see a better If you have read this far then we need behalf of their communities, and for the people in the area you want to represent future for all and people like you! You don’t have to aspire benefit of the whole community. Working (who are also on the electoral register), the voices of to be Prime Minister or even an MP to get with other organisations is a big part of and they will need to sign your nomination ordinary people involved and make a difference! this, and leaders from groups such as the papers before you make your application. to be heard. Most council, the police and health services Councillor Nicholas Rogers: of all I want my children to be able to say often work together to ensure that local who governs them and how, and I will do Why become a Councillor? I have always loved Tunbridge Wells. It’s efforts improve the well-being of people my best through my term of office to see a fantastic place to live with so much to in the borough and are coordinated and Councillor Ben Chapelard: that this comes about. offer. Having been born and brought up effective. I became a Councillor by accident. Almost here, I felt that I wanted to put something National policies and even international two years ago Making decisions back in to the community and to play my policies have a great impact on how when I moaned part in making Tunbridge Wells the best it local authorities operate and impact their All Councillors are involved in making to my local can be. financial policies. decisions. Councillors regularly meet councillor about with other Councillors, local groups and parking issues Being a Borough Councillor is a great way By profession I am a Law Costs organisations to debate each decision, his response was to make a difference. Apart from being Draftsman and have a very wide and find the best solution for the area. ‘why don’t you able to help any of my residents with local experience of our legal system and Nearly all meetings are open to the do something issues, I am also able to have a say in the process. This helps me to deal with press and public, and Councillors have about it?‘ Well, future direction of Tunbridge Wells. The people’s problems and concerns.’ a responsibility to get their communities involved with Can I get time off from You will need to do The Council provides a wide range the decision- a certain amount of of services, from waste collection to making process. work to be a Councillor? work at home, and economic development, tourism and street As a Councillor, Yes. be able to respond cleansing. you will need to to requests for Each year the Councillors elect a Mayor explain to your If you are working, by law your employer help, advice and from among themselves. The Mayor is the community why must allow you to take a reasonable information in your civic head and represents the Council at the Council has amount of time off during working hours to own time. events throughout the borough, regionally made these do Council work. The amount of time off An average time and nationally. decisions. will depend on your responsibilities as a commitment of around six to eight hours Councillor and the effect of your absence Each Councillor represents their local per week is likely, but this can vary greatly on your employer’s business. You should area, known as a ward, but also has What about political depending on a number of things. You are discuss this with your employer before responsibilities for the whole of the required to attend regular meetings of the membership? making a commitment. Borough of Tunbridge Wells. committees that you are a member of. Councillors don’t have to be a member of The Cabinet Councillor a political group, although in practice most How much time am I Councillors must attend one meeting at are. least every six months, or they will be Some Councillors are chosen to take an expected to commit? disqualified. executive lead on decision making within This is entirely your choice. The time commitment varies depending on the Council. Key roles for these members Those people who don’t want to represent the number of committees you serve on, How long could I be a are: a political group stand as an ‘independent and whether or not you take on more roles Strategic leadership Member‘. If you want to stand as an and responsibilities such as Chairman of a Councillor for? Independent Member you’ll be responsible Committee once you become a Councillor. Councillors serve a four-year term of Councillors with Cabinet responsibilities or portfolios act as strategic leaders for their for completing the nomination papers You will receive a large volume of office. If you wish to stand again and get Council. They lead an area(s) of work, yourself and sending them in to the paperwork to read on issues for re-elected you will serve another four-year including partnership Council by the cut off date. discussion at Council meetings. This term. There is no limit to the amount of working or policy is to keep you involved in the process times you can stand for election. However, if you want to stand for a development and and to provide an opportunity for you to political party, your first step would be to implementation. contact the local representative, who will contribute on behalf of your constituents. How does the Council then talk you through the process. work? Strategic management Tunbridge Wells Borough Council affects Cabinet Councillors How is Tunbridge Wells the daily lives of over 100,000 residents are responsible and works on behalf of businesses and Borough Council made up for working organisations in the area. politically? closely with chief officers and senior It employs around 400 people known managers to monitor and coordinate the The Council is elected by thirds, which as officers, and they are employed to implementation of Council policies and means that a third of the council is elected give professional advice to Councillors, decisions. This requires considerable in three years out of four, with no elections carry out their decisions, and oversee time and a need to respond to situations taking place on the fourth year. As such, the statutory requirements of central as they arise. Overseeing budgets and the Council’s political make-up can government. So if you become a forward planning are also key elements of change annually. Details on the current Councillor, you wont be doing it on your this role. political make-up of the Council can be own! found on the Council’s website www. tunbridgewells.gov.uk or are available from the contacts at the end of this booklet. The Non-Cabinet Councillor Regulatory The Council has an Allowances Scheme If you are a member of a political group, or Most Councillors are not Cabinet Other committees consisting of: other group, support and assistance will also come from other members of your Councillors, and have other roles to play. perform work known a basic allowance paid to all group. These roles for the Borough Council as ‘regulatory‘ Councillors include: work, where the Council is acting a travel and subsistence allowance Can I get help with my Overview and Scrutiny in a ‘quasi-judicial’ a special responsibility allowance Non-Cabinet Councillors are responsible manner. This means paid to Councillors who hold the paperwork? for overseeing and scrutinising how they are making Chairmanship and Vice-Chairmanship At Tunbridge Wells we offer Councillors Cabinet members lead the Council. This legally binding decisions on matters such of certain committees and sub- support in various requires reviewing policy development as planning and licensing, and it is the committees . More information on how ways: and implementation, contributing to that Councillor’s role on these committees to Councillors are remunerated can be helping with process and monitoring the outcome. determine, according to Council policies found at www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk enquiries and and central government legislation, Holding Councillors with Cabinet complaints whether an application should be responsibilities to account is an important from your approved or refused. Do I have to sign any role and central to ensuring checks and constituents balances are in place. undertakings? Ethics dealing with Yes. Scrutiny involves: An integral part of becoming a Councillor Councillors’ is a commitment to high ethical standards. When you become a Councillor you will enquiries make recommendations on the This is in order to maintain public trust in need to sign a Declaration of Acceptance Council’s policies and budget providing Council stationery and the Council and the decisions it makes. of Office, and agree that you will business cards set up small ‘task and finish’ groups or Councillors are required to be fair, open undertake to observe the Code of Conduct help scrutinise specific areas and honest in all of their work on behalf of expected of members. A Register of booking external meetings/seminars Interests, which details your financial and and making the necessary travel examine decisions made by the the Council. personal interests and is open to public arrangements executive leadership The Tunbridge Wells Borough Council inspection, also needs to be included. administering members’ allowances. make recommendations to the has a Standards Committee, which is responsible for overseeing ethical leadership on whether decisions made What support will I get You will be offered help with purchasing a are appropriate, or need reconsidering. matters relating to the Council, and for PC and printer for use at home with e-mail assessing complaints made against from Council officers? and internet access and you will have members of the Council. The Council access to a Members suite at the Town maintains a Code of Conduct and this is Council officers are employed to advise on and to carry out the decisions of Hall, which includes a computer room, used to assess whether a Councillor is library and formal meeting room. acting in an appropriate manner or not. Councillors. They are committed to help Further information about the role of the you fulfil your duties as a Councillor and Standards Committee can be found on the are able to offer advice or support on any Will I need to work at Council’s website. issue. home? Yes. You are required to work at home Will I receive any reading your papers, preparing for payments? meetings and dealing with enquiries from the public. All Councillors work via Yes. a computer and through emails/internet. Some Councillors purchase a specific PC or laptop for this, using their allowance. Will I receive any form of What are the next steps? training? The formal election process begins with the publication of the Notice of Election Yes. in March each year. The elections for the When you become a Councillor induction Borough of Tunbridge Wells normally take seminars are given aimed at providing place on the first Thursday in May. After you with the necessary information to the Notice of Election you can submit your begin your role. These cover the Council’s nomination papers and formally register basic functions, the decision-making your intention to stand for election. system, local government finance, and These nomination papers enable you to also introductions to directors and their provide a description of yourself, and will services. indicates any membership of a political In addition, every Councillor is given party, or whether you are standing as an the opportunity to receive skills and independent Councillor. subject based training. Some training is Nomination papers are available from: mandatory. Other training is advisable if you take on a specific role or Electoral Services, Tunbridge Wells responsibility. Training in a range of skills Borough Council, Town Hall, Royal aimed at helping you develop your role Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1RS. is available to you if you wish. And lastly, Phone: 01892 554106 e-mail: electoral. member briefings take place every two [email protected] months on current issues and topics of interest.
If you have any further queries on the role of a Councillor, or how to stand for election, please contact the Local Democracy Officer, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1RS. Phone: 01892 554179 e-mail: [email protected] If you require this information in large print, on audiotape or in any other format, please contact us on 01892 526121. This is an adaptation from the original design and content of ‘becoming a Councillor’ published by Canterbury City Council.