Becoming a councillor

Councillors are the voice of the community, representing local views and interests. They are at the heart of local decision making, ensuring the Council spends taxpayers’ money wisely.

What’s involved

As a councillor, you would represent the views of local people with a special emphasis on those in your own ward. Your role will also depend on whether you are in the majority party or in the opposition. Most councillors will serve on one of the five decision-making Service Committees.

As well as carrying out ward work and resolving residents’ problems, you may be involved with setting policy, scrutinising service delivery and sitting on bodies such as Planning Committee.

Being a councillor is a commitment by you to improving the local area for residents, visitors and businesses. It is both challenging and very rewarding.

Visit the Be A Councillor website for more details on what the role entails.

You can also view more information on becoming a councillor on the Electoral Commission website.

Time commitment

It can be a challenge to balance Council work with having a job, family and hobbies. Most of the meetings you would attend as a councillor are in the evening.

On average, as a councillor you may spend between 5 to 20 hours a week on ward work alone. You will receive many emails and letters plus phone calls from residents, businesses and council officers. You will also need to read reports and other Committee documents in preparation for meetings.

If you are elected, your term of office will be four years. Councillors elected in by-elections serve until the next full election.

Training and support

On becoming a councillor, you will be given:

• A reference file containing ward and Council information
• Information to help you understand and tackle local issues
• Dedicated online support
• Access to a training programme and online training resources

Pay and expenses

You will receive an allowance to reimburse time and expenses for Council business. Travel expenses outside the borough for Council duties are also paid.

If you take on an extra role such as Committee Chair, you will receive an additional special responsibility allowance. The amount varies according to the role.

Experience and qualifying criteria

We need people from all backgrounds and experiences who reflect the communities they serve to put themselves forward for election. You don’t need any experience or special qualifications. Your life experience, everyday skills, passion and commitment to people and communities are vital, and it’s important that councils reflect the local population. 

Qualifications

To be able to stand as a candidate at a local government election in England, you must be at least 18 years old, be a British citizen, eligible Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of any member state of the European Union, and meet at least one of the following four qualifications:

To be a councillor you need to be: 

• British or a citizen of the Commonwealth. You may also be eligible as a citizen of the European Union, however the criteria has changed now that the UK has left the European Union. Check on GOV.UK for advice about EU citizens’ voting and candidacy rights in local elections
• At least 18 years old
• Registered to vote in the area or have lived, worked, or owned property there for at least 12 months before an election.

You can’t be a councillor if you: 

• Work for the council you want to be a councillor for, you can work for another local authority as long as you are not in a political 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
• Are subject to any relevant notification requirements, or a relevant order, in respect of a sexual offence

Read the full eligibility criteria from the Electoral Commission. If you are in any doubt about whether you are eligible to stand as a councillor, you should contact the Electoral Commission for advice.

If you have a disability

The LGA has launched a guide for disabled people who are considering becoming a councillor, covering key areas of the role. An easy read version is also available.

Both guides have been produced with the help of disabled councillors and form part of a bespoke national campaign by the LGA to encourage disabled people to find out more about becoming a councillor. This campaign is funded by the government and aims to increase the representation of disabled people in local government.

Political party or independent?

If you wish to stand as a political party representative, you must contact and join the local political party in good time ahead of the election. They will be able to advise you on their councillor selection criteria.

If you do not wish to represent a political party, you may stand as an Independent candidate. Contact the Electoral Services Office on 020 8891 7196 or electoral.services@richmond.gov.uk for more information.

Contact

For queries about becoming a councillor:

• Email: democratic.services@richmond.gov.uk

For queries about the electoral process:

• Email: electoral.services@richmond.gov.uk