While it often depends on the specific local council in which you are working, there is support and benefits to help you perform your role:

Pay

County, Unitary and District Councils offer a small payment to help you be a councillor – which is a basic allowance. If you take on extra responsibility, you might be paid more. Every council pays at a different rate , the basic level tends to be between £6000 and £10,000

Equipment

Your Council should provide IT equipment and maybe broadband for councillors – as well as supporting any special facilities or adaptations that you may require to perform your role.

Casework support

Some councils might offer support to political groups or have a secretariat that can help with letters and chasing casework. Email has made it easier to communicate directly with officers making the job much easier regardless of the support you get.

1. What we are looking for

2. Starting the process

3. How the council supports your role

Are there Lib Dems near you

As with all parties we have a stronger presence in some areas than in others. The first step is to get in touch with your local party (you can find details of your local party here). You can also contact the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors to find out more about the council in your area by email or phone 01422 843 785

What to expect

All political parties are volunteer led organisations, and not every local party has permanent staff, so there will not always be someone at the end of the phone or e-mail, and you may need to leave a message (or call more than once!) Please be persistent – it really is worthwhile pursuing this role and in joining a great network of people who are passionate about creating change.

Once you are involved, you can start off in any number of the different roles outlined in the What does a Lib Dem Councillor do section of the website

I started by helping the current Ward Councillors in delivering focuses, and then began to petition on everyday topics, in the course of that I picked up casework, which I followed through by contacting the right Officers in the Council, this sometimes involved chasing Officers, by making several phone calls. I was attracted to standing as a councillor so I could do more of this and become the voice of my community, to deliver change and to act as a positive role model. Cllr Humaira Khan , Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

Approval and selection

Every local party has its process for selecting candidates. Political parties will tend to pick candidates for wards they hold or are more likely to win first – so it’s best to get involved as soon as you can. Being involved in local campaigns will also help you to find out more about what the role would entail once you get elected.

ALDC can give you advice and help all year round

1. What we are looking for

2. Starting the process

3. How the council supports your role

Perhaps you have a stereotypical view of politicians and are not quite sure that you fit the bill. But what we are looking for is the skills and experience that YOU are able to offer, regardless of your background and public speaking abilities (we’ll leave all that to the MPs!)

Rather, we are looking for people who:

• Know their community well, and play an active role in community life
• Have used council services, and/or have had experiences with social services
• Come from all walks of life – from running a small shop, to being a mother, to setting up your own business, to working in the City, to being a teacher – you name it, we want it!
• Are any age – from 18 – 80, your views and experiences are vital to us

The key is that you care about your area – and with that passion comes the drive you need to stand for councillor, win the seat, and make a difference.

“I really enjoy being a councillor. At times it can be frustrating and you feel like you’re not making progress. But one year on and we are gradually securing funding for projects in our area that will greatly benefit the local community.” Cllr Andy Stamp , Medway Council A Day in the Life in First News

1. What we are looking for

2. Starting the process

3. How the council supports your role

Advice Surgeries and working with residents

This is the chance for residents to come to you presenting their issues and problems and entrusting you to solve them. You will take calls and receive e-mails from residents, and be able to use this knowledge of their issues and problems in order to change how the local council does things.

It started when a resident rang me about the noise at all hours of the night on a bench located a stone’s throw from their young lad’s bedroom window. The bench is the property of the parish council, not Bath and North East Somerset council, but nevertheless I felt I could liaise with the clerk to suggest that it might be better placed elsewhere. Cllr Sarah Bevan , Bath and North East Somerset Council, A Day in the Life in First News

Roles within the Liberal Democrat Group

A less formal, yet equally important role, is that of managing the group dynamics and cohesion of the council. You could be group chair, making sure your group decision-making happens fairly and swiftly, or you could be Chief Whip, meaning that you are supporting colleagues to sort out problems and negotiate with other parties. Attending group meetings, you will make decisions in line with the Liberal Democrat Standing Orders, drawn up to ensure everyone works well together . If you are to provide stability to your Council and show residents that you are strong leaders, how you work as a team is important and these roles vital.

1. Speak up for your local area

2. Protect your patch

3. Develop your talent

Learn something new every day, develop your skills, and get inspired! Becoming a councillor will open you up to a new wealth of opportunities, which you can pursue based on your talents and your interests. Levels of responsibility are not based purely on length of service – we value you as individuals, and aim to find the roles that best suit your experience and expertise, as well as how much time you are able to offer.

Here’s a quick snapshot of some of the roles and opportunities that you might be doing as a councillor. Of course, they will vary depending on where you are based and what the pressing issues are for your local council, but this list gives you a broad idea about some of the ways that you can be involved:

• Area or Neighbourhood Committees or Community Councils
• Executive/Cabinet or shadow Executive/Cabinet
• Scrutiny or Review Committees
• Mayor
• Audit committee, pensions, appeals, standards and other panels
• Champions
• Corporate Parenting
• Regulatory Committees

Area or Neighbourhood Committees or Community Councils

Councillors and local residents meet regularly to discuss and make decisions about local issues. As with any committee you could end up being chair, vice-chair or perhaps chair of a sub-committee. This allows you to really focus on local issues and on improving the lives of the residents in your community, by listening to the people, and taking relevant action.

Executive/Cabinet or shadow Executive/Cabinet

This is the part of the council responsible for the day-to-day decisions. It is made up of a Leader, who is an elected councillor, and up to 9 other elected councillors. A shadow cabinet, just like in the house of commons, is the opposition party’s version of the cabinet. You don’t have to be an expert to do one of these roles – the most important skill is being able to ask the right questions and maintain a vision about how you want things to be done. You are a leader, making decisions to implement Liberal Democrat policies every day that will affect your local and neighbouring communities.

“Last year was a huge year for the city. I was honoured to be leader during this time and witness first-hand the growth in confidence the whole city experienced. Liverpool has been placed back on the map nationally and internationally, it’s beginning to shrug off the old perceptions of a militant city and is now an exciting place to work.” Cllr Warren Bradley, Leader, Liverpool city council

Scrutiny or Review Committees

These committees work like a select committee in Parliament, and they vary from council to council. The committee has several major functions, such as hearing call-ins of decisions made by the executive, and undertaking reviews of services and policies that are affecting local communities. As a councilor in this role, you might do work-shadowing, site-visits, and meetings with other councils to look at best practice and how things might be done differently. You can see here some examples around the country of reviews undertaken in the area of children and young people or Bath and North East Somerset’s review of post office

Mayor

One of the most high-profile roles – Lord Mayor, Mayor, or Council Chairman. Broadly speaking, the Mayor’s role is to chair meetings of the council and to act as a kind of conscience for the decisions that are made. The Mayor also takes on a series of public engagements throughout the year, acting as the area’s ‘First Citizen’ –school visits, attending community groups, opening events to welcoming official visitors, being present when a member of the Royal Family attends a function in the area, and presiding at civic occassions throughout the year. A very special office, your year of office as mayor will not be one that you forget in a hurry!

Audit committee, pensions, appeals, standards and other panels

As a councillor, the buck stops with you. This means you need to know that the organisation is running well, that the staff are happy, that the finances are in order, and that risk is well managed.

Champions

This role ensures leadership in specific areas that need focus – you could be the champion for certain demographics such as youth, or maybe look at an element of the running and marketing of the party that needs work, such as design, or perhaps focus on an umbrella area such as equalities and rights. A fantastic way to develop expertise in a subject that you are interested in.

“Today was going to be different. I am a member of Leicester city council’s disability partnership board and since I had been made a Special Olympics ambassador I felt I needed to get some experience of some form of disability. Fortunately Ian Bradwell, a local campaigner” Cllr Dave Keeling Leicester city council

Corporate Parenting

County and Unity authorities look after children in care, and every councillor is a corporate parent –a crucial role, ensuring the welfare of children on adoption and fostering panels.

Regulatory Committees

The council is responsible for quasi-judicial roles within the council. A more formal role driven by government policy, this role nonetheless allows you to shape and make changes in your local area.

As a councillor, the decisions that you make will have a big impact on your area and the everyday lives of its’ residents. Having been elected, you are consequently entrusted by your community to make decisions that reflect their wishes. You will have to carefully balance the needs of the different communities involved, be able to deal with conflicting views, and take decisions within legal guidelines (for example planning and licensing). Through knocking on doors, attending community group meeting and getting to know local residents, you will be responsible for advocating their views at the Town Hall, and making sure that workable agreements emerge, and that improvements begin to be made.

“I wanted to be a new, approachable face whom all groups of the community felt they could approach with a problem they wanted me to sort out. I really enjoy challenging perspectives at the council, and asking why something has just always been done the same way out of tradition and not because it is actually delivering a result!” Anne Pascoe, former Councillor, Camborne, Cornwall

The IDEA has produced and excellent booklet on being a councillor and your role in civic life and tells you a lot more about the roles and responsibilities.

1. Speak up for your local area

3. Develop your talent

4. Work in their ward and as a team

When you become a Liberal Democrat Councillor, not only do you become part of your local team, but also of the national party, and will be involved in policy development at many levels. We also have a lot of internal think-tanks in the party, influencing policy, sharing ideas, and writing publications. Whatever your interest, from education to the environment, you can connect with other people in the party who share your passion: see a full list here

We also have our own organisation that supports councillors – The Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors – that, as a member of the party, you can join, get guidelines from, and attend their training sessions.

You can also attend our party conferences, which are exciting events. You will meet a wide variety of people, have access to training, discuss political ideas, and hear interesting people speak. Any member can come along and we always welcome people to join us for the weekend if they can’t come for the full 4 days. You can see details here.

Business Man,

Peer pressure meant I dropped out of school when I was younger but that did not stop me opening a butchers business when I was just 17. I am now the proud owner of a chain of butchers spanning South West England.

I like to keep busy and have since completed GCSE’s and A-Levels and am planning to study a law degree. But it is my community involvement that got me interested in standing for council. The local Lib Dems saw what I was doing in the community and asked me if I would stand for election and I said yes.

I am still involved in a huge range of projects and organisations from the local regeneration project on Easton and the local Mosque through to mentoring projects for young people who want to start their own business. I am the founder of a community legal advice service which opened its doors last year.

You can get a lot done as a councillor and sometimes it is the small things that make a difference. I set up a Muslim Funeral Committee to help repatriate deceased Muslims to their desired countries of burial and helped Bristol City Council make a dedicated kitchen for Halal School meals.

Basically I knew there was an opportunity and vital service needed in this area that was profitable in the way that I could give back to the community and empower them and so this was the way to do it. If the community still wants me then I’ve achieved something – it means that I’m doing something right and that I’m helping to empower people who will also lead the way.

• Scientist,
• Eco-warrior,
• Music buff,
• Liberal Democrat Councillor in Reading.

I am a man of passions, science, the environment and music and I am lucky that I can indulge in all of these. My PhD in polymer chemistry at the University of Reading is what brought me here and I now combine being a post-doctoral research assistant in the Department of Chemistry with being a councillor, by day I make hydrogels for wound dressings!

The Liberal Democrats are the party of the environment and that is why I joined them. In 1997 I was 18 and could vote for the first time, I voted Labour. Following that I went to university and realised that my view did not tie-up with those of Labour… I could and would never vote Conservative so investigated the Liberal Democrats - Pretty much every thing I believed in they seemed to as well.

Several members of the local party eventually asked if I’d like to stand, and by that point I’d caught the Lib Dem bug - good and proper! I was a little concerned about the work load, but this hasn’t turned out to be too bad.

Climate Change is the biggest challenge we face globally but we can start tackling it in local neighbourhoods which is why being a councillor is so important to me. Since being elected in May 2008 I have become the Environmental Spokesperson and get to scrutinise how green the council is.

I contribute to the development of policy for the party through membership of the Green Liberal Democrats and Lib Den Humanists. So you could say I get things done at a national and local level.

I love interacting with the public, which I wouldn’t be able to do in my day job as a Polymer Chemist. I put aside a lot of my free time for Council based activities, and that’s fine by me!

I am passionate about music and enjoys going to live concerts and festivals, in particular Glastonbury, Reading and Latitude festivals. I run for ‘fun’, play badminton and swim.

You can see more about Glenn on his website

• Magistrate,
• Mental Health Support Worker,
• Role model,
• Liberal Democrat Councillor in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

I joined the Lib Dems in 1999, whilst I was still studying for my Psychology degree. I believed it was unfair to place the financial burden of Tuition fees on students, then when the Labour Government broke their promise of not introducing Top-up fees, this and for many other reasons I wanted to become more involved in politics.

I started by helping the current Ward Councillors in delivering focuses, and then began to petition on everyday topics, in the course of that I picked up casework, which I followed through by contacting the right Officers in the Council, this sometimes involved chasing Officers, by making several phone calls. I was attracted to standing as a councillor so I could do more of this and become the voice of my community, to deliver change and to act as a positive role model.

I really got a feel for elections, in the run-up to the General Election campaign, the atmosphere, the buzz, the early days and late nights of delivering, canvassing, made me feel that I was doing something worthwhile.

I did have reservations about standing for council but I was well supported by the Group and my family. I thought I was too young to be a Councillor, then only 23 years old, but with training and a supportive group I became more confident and grew into my role as a local campaigner.

When I first became a Councillor I hoped to achieve a number of things namely, a new park facility, a library, and a day centre for the elderly. Once elected, it soon becomes a reality that cost and finance sometimes means that you can’t always achieve want you hope for.

The most rewarding aspect of being a Councillor is meeting people, either on the doorstep, through voluntary groups or by working with outside bodies. We are in the very privileged position of being able to make a difference to people lives; this has its own challenges at times, but is very worthwhile.

I would recommend the role to anyone, be bold, be confident, and remember that you are doing one of the most rewarding jobs. There may be late nights meetings, a lot of debate, but its worthwhile, when you get the right decision. Having the opportunity to represent a community of people is that best things I have ever done and the most proudest part of my life, it really has made me the person I am today.

I work for the NHS as a Support Time Recovery worker for people who suffer with mental health conditions. I am also a Magistrate for the East Berkshire Bench, a member of the government Task Force BAME, the main objective is to encourage Black, Asian, Minority, Ethnic into public life  but I do have a normal life too. I am married, I like watching movies, going out for dinner, and seeing my adorable nephew and niece.