Role Description for All Councillors
Below are details of Councillor roles taken from the guidance available on the BANES Website here.
1. Accountabilities
▪ To full Council
▪ To the electorate of their ward
▪ To their political group (if applicable)
2. Roles and activities
a) Representing and supporting citizens and communities
▪ Communicate and engage with local constituents and groups
▪ Undertake casework and act as an advocate in resolving concerns or grievances
▪ Understand the shape and feel of the local area, including its local assets, needs and inequalities in fields such as housing, health and wellbeing, employment, education, transport, care, and community cohesion
▪ Liaise with the Council and partner organisations to ensure that the needs of the local communities are identified, understood and supported
▪ Represent and sensibly champion the interests and needs of local residents and communities within the Council and other agencies
▪ Communicate using all types of media, ensuring adherence to corporate guidance for internet and social media usage, and taking into account different needs of different audiences
▪ To be vigilant and do everything possible to protect adults and children at risk from abuse
▪ Promote tolerance and cohesion in local communities
b) Working across the ward strengthening partnerships with citizens and others
▪ Maintain and develop networks with a wide range of agencies, officers, fellow councillors and local communities to deliver better outcomes for local people
▪ Help foster new relationships between local people, communities and agencies to encourage local development and to find new solutions to local issues
▪ Liaise effectively with Parish Councils in the ward (if applicable)
▪ Enable local people and communities to find the tools and support to self-organise
▪ Honestly manage the expectations that local residents and communities may have of the Council
c) Linking the Council and citizens
▪ Be a channel of communication to local residents and communities on Council strategies, policies, services and procedures
▪ Participate in decisions and activities reserved for the full Council, e.g., setting budgets and strategic policy framework seeking to mitigate the impact of austerity on citizens
▪ Translate for communities a shift in the role of the Council, and in the relationship between the Council and citizens
▪ Have an awareness of the complexity of the system in which the council operates and be able to explain this to citizens
▪ Understand the remit and limitations of officer roles, and work with officers in a co- productive and solution focused way that seeks to avoid blame, as set out in the Councillor/Officer protocol; Constitution part 4.1 protocol on councillor / officer relations
▪ Recognize and adapt to changing roles and be flexible in ways of working with officers
▪ Critically analyse complex data and information and make it accessible for citizens
d) Representing the council
▪ Work with partners and outside bodies as a representative of the Council
▪ Understand and communicate the vision and changing direction of the Council with local people, communities and partner organisations in your ward
▪ Act in a way that is consistent with overarching policy, principles and direction of the Council
▪ Help others feel pride in the purpose of the organisation
▪ Be a member of and contribute to the local Area Forum
e) Governance and decision making B&NES Councillor Role Descriptions
▪ Inform the debate at full Council meetings and contribute to the formation and scrutiny of the Council’s policies, budget, strategies and service delivery
▪ Participate in informed and balanced decision making on committees and panels to which the councillor might be appointed, helping to ensure that decision making is consistent with local needs and takes account of inequalities in outcomes between communities
▪ Read all paperwork before attending meetings
▪ Take corporate responsibility for the protection of vulnerable children and adults
▪ Act within the budgetary framework of the council
▪ Promote and ensure efficiency and effectiveness in the provision of council services
3. Personal and role development
▪ Develop and maintain a working knowledge of the Council’s policies and practices in order to make well informed decisions at meetings
▪ Take personal responsibility for your personal development to build understanding, knowledge and skills to ensure that the role is undertaken effectively
▪ Review and complete the self-reflection sections within the LGA Political Skills Framework to identify strengths and areas for development
▪ Participate in member development opportunities made available to Councillors
▪ Complete core and mandatory training and development, and member induction, within recommended timescales. This will include attending sessions and completing e- learning
▪ Demonstrate and embed the core values within all communications and interactions with colleagues, officers and the community
▪ Actively participate in a skills audit to determine individual and group needs and areas of strength and development
▪ Promote the policies, activities and decisions of the Council to residents, stakeholders, partners and the media recognising at all times the requirement to act in a manner consistent with the Nolan Principles of public life and the Council’s Code of Conduct (section 4.2 of the Constitution) in a way which does not bring the Council or administration into disrepute through inappropriate actions, pronouncements or language
▪ Declare any potential conflict of interest (when a member’s personal or business interests affects their ability to act fairly in the best interests of residents
