Councillors make a huge difference in our local communities and to wider society and it is crucial that people from all backgrounds and experiences have the opportunity to take up the role, including those of working age from a variety of job types and industries. Effective working and support between employees and employers is therefore key to balancing both roles and realising the mutual benefits.
Our Guide for employees and employers has been developed for people in employment who wish to stand for election (or are already councillors) and their employers. The guide sets out practical considerations for both employees and employers to ensure staff can be supported in this community role whilst ensuring business needs are met.
Being there for your constituents, understanding the issues and concerns they face, and being equipped with the skills, confidence, and ability to take action in response to their queries, is an important and valued role for any councillor. The problems and issues local people raise with you are often referred to as ‘casework.’ Casework can sometimes lead on to policy development or issue campaigning. Casework will often be picked up by councillors through their day-to-day activities as an elected representative of the area, ie., through letters, surgeries, ‘social’ events, telephone calls, emails and door knocking.
The amount of casework you receive can vary considerably and it is true to say that the higher the level of deprivation in your area, the more casework you are likely to face. If the casework in your in-tray is consistently sparse, ask yourself the crucial question – is this because you represent a very self-sufficient community, or because your residents are not sure how to approach you, or your profile is too low?
Dealing with casework will require you to develop your own simple, but effective, ways of managing both the information and ‘paper’ flow. Some councils have begun to explore the use of technology-based solutions to help councillors – so-called e-Casework systems. But sensible use of the equipment you already have available in your home or office and an efficient paper-based record system will serve just as well. Good note-keeping and diary management are essential, as well as a good filing system. For those councillors that like to make use of technology, spreadsheets and databases can help to store, search, and retrieve details of individual cases, alongside the use of email as an essential communication tool.
Casework can be both rewarding and frustrating in equal measure. Each case will be different, and each must be managed with a degree of humility as residents with evidence of failure by ‘the council’ may see their ward councillor as a last resort. The reasons for any real or perceived failures by the council can be many and varied. In providing casework support you should function as a ‘one-stop shop,’ wherever possible, in listening to and responding to their concerns. This ability to make a difference to the lives of local people sits at the very heart of your community leadership role.
Read the full Councillor Workbook on Handling Casework which includes real life examples and tips from councillors as well as practical exercises which bring the role to life.
How much do you really know about your local area?
Think about the area that you would represent if you decided to stand for election. It would be important for you to know about the different communities who live there, the industries and workplaces, and the infrastructure that exists to serve and support local people.
Write down what you know about the following:
- How many people live in the area? What are the demographics?
- What proportion of people claim housing benefit?
- What proportion of the local population are of retirement age?
- What do the most recent crime statistics tell you about crime concerns?
- Who are the major employers?
- How many people commute into the area each day in order to work?
- How many affordable homes are being built?
- List some of the local community organisations you know about.
How well do you feel you know the area? Could you learn more? Would you feel comfortable to be asked any of these questions by one of your constituents or the local media if you were a councillor?
Seeing the bigger picture as a local councillor, an example
- You receive four separate cases from residents about potholes on a stretch of road.
- You notice a rise in the number of queries received about on-street parking by people commuting in from other areas.
Imagine you are the local councillor who receives these cases:
- How might you react?
- List some of the possible issues that could lie behind these cases.
- What wider concerns would they suggest?
- What initial steps would you take?
- What longer-term steps could you consider?
Have you heard of the Seven Principles of Public Life?
As a councillor, you will be required to adhere to your council’s code of conduct for councillors. Each council adopts its own code, but it must be based on the Committee on Standards in Public Life’s seven principles of public life. These principles were developed by the Nolan Committee, which looked at how to improve ethical standards in public life and are often referred to as the ‘Nolan principles’. They apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder.
New councillors should make themselves familiar with the principles. Experienced councillors should also review them regularly.
Holders of public office should uphold the following seven principles:
- selflessness – holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest
- integrity – holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work – they should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family or their friends – they must declare and resolve any interests and relationships
- objectivity – holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias
- accountability – holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this openness – holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for doing so
- honesty – holders of public office should be truthful
- leadership – holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour – they should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.