Councillor Information

What matters to you in your local area? Whatever needs changing in your neighbourhood, you could be just the person to change it by becoming a Peoples Independent Party (PIP) local councillor.

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There are many reasons why you might like to become a PIP councillor

• to make a difference and help shape the future of the local community

• concern about your local area and wanting to ensure the community gets the right services

• to represent the views of local people and ensure that community interests are taken into account

• concern about a specific issue and wanting to do something about it

• having good ideas for the council and community in a time of scarce resources

• to contribute to your skills

• to build on other community work through a charity, voluntary group or school governing body

• to pursue your political ambitions and contribute to your community

• a career-enhancing activity, allowing you to develop leadership and analytical skills and to obtain practical and managerial work experience.

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In order to be truly democratic, local councils need to be representative of their community. Castle Point Borough Council (CPBC)  can only be as effective as the relevant and vibrant people elected to run it, so we need councillors who are capable, energetic and engaged – from all backgrounds and experiences to reflect their communities, and who can bring their own perspective on what is needed locally. 

CPBC is led by democratically elected councillors who, working together, set the council’s vision, direction and budget. CPBC is run on a system similar to that of central government, with a small elected executive (or cabinet) to decide on policy and make decisions which other councillors then ‘scrutinise’ or examine in detail.

CPBC plays a big part in the local economy and influences many aspects of the lives of the people who live and work in Castle Point. Central government still has some influence over councils through controlling some of their funding and through legislation, however, this is lessoning as more powers are devolved locally.

Are you ready to help change the face of local government? No other role gives you the chance to make such a huge difference to the quality of life for people in your local area.

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CPBC is responsible for a range of services, including;

• planning and licensing

• health and wellbeing

• housing and regeneration

• community safety and cohesion

• waste collection and recycling

• parks and open spaces

• leisure and community halls

What do councillors do?

Councillors are elected to a council to represent their local community, so they must either live or work in the area. Becoming a councillor is both a rewarding and privileged form of public service. You will be in a position to make a difference to the quality of people’s daily lives and to their prospects. Being an effective councillor requires commitment and hard work. Councillors must listen to the views of residents, other councillors and experts and work to bring them together to a common aim.

Residents, community groups, local business, outside bodies and the council, will all make legitimate demands on a councillor’s time, on top of the demands and needs of their personal and professional lives. If you are considering becoming a councillor it’s worth discussing the idea with your family and friends. You will need their support as you will have to spend time attending to council business, and depending on your ambitions this can amount to a substantial amount of time. The time commitment for councillors can range from 5 to 20+ hours a week. Your role within the council and local circumstances will determine how much time you spend on council duties. Joining a planning committee, for example, will increase your workload. Being a councillor is very worthwhile, but it does also require time. You will need to balance your council commitments with your personal and professional life, and this can sometimes cause conflict. If you have caring responsibilities you will also need to think about how to manage those. That said, there are many people looking after children or dependent adults who make excellent local councillors, particularly since they often have direct personal knowledge of the services they are responsible for providing or overseeing. By law if you are working your employer must allow you to take a reasonable amount of time off during working hours to perform your duties as a councillor. As with most things in life, what you get back will depend on what you put in.

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What’s expected of a PIP councillor

The councillor’s role and responsibilities include:

• community leadership, engagement and support

• making decisions

• attending full council meetings, and most attend scrutiny meetings (the process of examining the work and decisions of the executive).

• developing and reviewing council policy

• scrutiny and holding the executive/cabinet to account

• regulatory, quasi-judicial and statutory duties , for example planning and licensing committees which take non-political decisions on applications

• hold regular meet your residents sessions, which provide a chance for residents to discuss their problems or concerns.

• at election times contribute to the return of PIP candidates who can deliver real change

Much of a councillor’s work can be done by telephone, letters or email, though sometimes it is better to arrange meetings with residents or council staff to resolve issues. Often all a resident needs is to be directed to the right information and/ or contacts to enable them to deal with an issue themselves, Castle Point is a two-tier area (where there is a local council along with a county council), and you will need to know who your county councillors are to redirect some inquiries to them.

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In the 2018 census of local authority councillors, the Local Government Association found that;

• Eighty-five per cent of councillors became councillors in order to serve their community

• Sixty per cent thought that representing local residents was among the most important role of councillors, and fifty-one per cent thought the same of supporting local communities

• Eighty-five per cent would recommend the role of councillor to others

• Sixty-eight per cent intended to stand for re-election.

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Do I need any special skills or experience to be a councillor?

It’s important that councils have councillors who reflect and represent the communities they serve, and also have a broad range of skills and life experience. You don’t have to be highly educated or have a profession. Skills gained through raising a family, caring for a sick or disabled relative, volunteering or being active in faith or community groups can be just as valuable.

While you don’t need any special qualifications to be a councillor, having or being able to develop the following attributes will help you in the role:

• communication skills

• problem solving and analytical skills

• team working  

• organisational skills

• the ability to engage with your local community.

Don’t  worry if you don’t yet feel that you have all the skills to be a councillor, PIP & CPBC provide support, information and training for new councillors.

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Will I get paid for being a councillor?

CPBC councillors don’t receive a salary, but they do get a ‘member’s allowance’ (which is taxable) in recognition of their time and expenses incurred while on council business. CPBC also provide a special responsibility allowance to those who undertake additional duties such as the Leader of the Council, portfolio holders, scrutiny chairs and opposition leaders. 

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Can I be a councillor and have a job?

Yes. By law if you are working your employer must allow you to take a reasonable amount of time off during working hours to perform your duties as a councillor. The amount of time given will depend on your responsibilities and the effect of your absence on your employer’s business. You should discuss this with your employer before deciding to stand for election.

Please note that there are some jobs which will make an individual ineligible for councillorship. You are disqualified from standing as a candidate at elections in Castle Point if you are a paid officer or employee of CPBC. This can include if you are employed under the direction of a joint board or committee, such as fire services and education authorities. It is not always the case that a public service worker would be denied from standing as a councillor. Therefore, if you work in the public sector and are unsure of whether you can stand, you should seek advice from your employer’s HR department to establish whether the disqualification applies to you.

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What support is available to elected councillors to help carry out their role?

Councils have staff, known as Officers, available to provide support and assistance. Exactly what facilities you get will depend on position you hold. CPBC will provide you with a computer or tablet for council business use.

CPDC provides induction and training for new councillors. As a new councillor, you will be invited to take part in an induction programme, introducing you to the workings of the council. Training for councillors continues throughout their term of office on a variety of relevant topics. The professional offices working at the council, plus PIP councillors are available to assist in any way they can, such as advice about council procedures or problems in your ward.

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The timescale

Councillors are elected for four-year terms. At the end of this time you can retire or stand for re-election. You can choose to retire at any time. If you stand to replace a councillor who has retired during the year (not at a scheduled election or by-election) you will serve for the remainder of that person’s term of office.

Ideally, you will need to begin campaigning with PIP at least a year before an election so that you can get to grips with the important local issues, meet as many voters as possible and raise your profile before the election takes place.

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Who can become a councillor?

The easy answer is almost anyone, as long as you are:

• British or a citizen of the Commonwealth or European Union

• at least 18 years old

• registered to vote in Castle Point; or have lived or had your principal place of work in the borough for 12 months before standing; or have been an owner or tenant of any land or premises in the borough for at least 12 months before standing.

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You can’t be a councillor if you:

• work for the CPBC, or for another local authority in a politically restricted post

• are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order

• have been sentenced to prison for three months or more (including suspended sentences) during the five years before election day

• have been convicted of a corrupt or illegal practice by an election court.

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If you would like to find out more about becoming a local councillor please leave a message on our contact us page or by email at info@thepip.org.uk and we'll get back to you