Do councillors need any qualifications?
No, you do not need any specific qualifications to become a councillor. Life experience is probably the best thing you can bring to the role.
Do I have to belong to a political party or group?
No, although the majority of people become councillors as a result of joining a political party. However some people stand for election as independents (candidates who do not belong to a political party).
There are 54 councillors serving on Leicester City Council and they are spread across four political parties. The political makeup of the council (as at May 2007) is as follows:
| Group | Councillors |
| Labour | 38 |
| Liberal Democrat | 6 |
| Conservative | 8 |
| Green | 2 |
| Total | 54 |
The council currently has a majority Labour administration and the Leader of the Labour Group is the the Leader of the Council.
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 details can be found on the Useful Contacts page.