Become a councillor
Becoming a councillor offers you the opportunity to represent your community on the issues which matter to them.
Why are councillors important?
Councillors play a key role in the city as the voice of the community, representing local people and any concerns they have.
They speak up for the users of local services, help shape future services, and make decisions on many major issues which affect residents of Leicester, such as setting council tax.
Councillors represent Leicester’s biggest employer, which has more than 11,000 members of staff.
What do councillors do?
Councillors are elected to represent a number of local residents in an area called a ward.
The role of a councillor can be very varied and it is up to each individual councillor how they work, but each councillor has responsibilities to their ward, the council and the community.
As a councillor you will find that much of your time is taken up by contact with local people. Your role will be to listen, explain council policy and make sure that the policy has been carried out fairly.
You can represent views on behalf of your constituents, and you can also represent an individual or family at special appeals.
Why become a councillor?
There are many reasons why people decide to become a local councillor.
- They want to be involved in shaping the future of their community, or want to represent the views of local people
- They are concerned about their local area, or one specific issue, such as care for the elderly
- They want to pursue their political beliefs, and see it as an extension of what they are already doing, such as work with an political party, trade union, or school governing body.
You can find out more about becoming a councillor on the Local Government Association website.
Who can become a councillor?
You do not need any qualifications to become a councillor - life experience is probably the best thing you can bring to the role.
You don’t have to belong to a political party or group, but the majority of people become councillors as a result of joining a political party. Some people stand for election as independents, and don’t belong to a political party.
If you are thinking of standing as a candidate for a political party then you will need to be a member of its local organisation.
Contact us
Ring us on: 0116 454 6360