Councillors Commission
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Central Lobby
The Councillors Commission published the “Representing the Future” in December 2007 providing recommendations intended to encourage debate for the benefit of the future of local government. The report outlines proposals to promote democracy, broaden access to the role of councillor, reform local electoral systems and the relationship between local and national government.
Specifically the report calls for the creation of a job description for councillors, meetings to be made more accessible, the voting age to be lowered to16 and for local authorities to be allowed to use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) electoral system.
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Promoting Democracy
The Commission proposes placing statutory duties upon local authorities to establish structures that provide democratic engagement between councillors and their constituents.
Specifically they propose that Councils should promote democratic engagement by:
- proactively disseminating clear and accessible information on how local governance works: what councils and councillors do; what the responsibilities of other agencies are; how local agencies relate to one another (or not); even how to register to vote and how exactly to vote;
- facilitating more active civic participation in a range of areas (such as tenant and residents’ associations, school governorship etc). This may well require a more specific capacity building/community development approach;
- raising interest in and providing information on how to stand as a councillor;
- proactively promoting the role of councillor and the activities of elected members.
The accessibility of council meetings is targeted in the report which argues that
Councils should adopt modern business and meeting processes which seek to remove potential barriers to participation.
This should include:
- ensuring meeting times are accessible to both members and the public, with a preference for early evening meetings to enable working councillors to attend;
- ensuring meetings are chaired efficiently and have agreed maximum lengths;
- making use of modern technology to enable involvement in meetings without the need to attend in person;
- ensuring paperwork for meetings is concise and focused and provided in a timely fashion;
- making meetings as welcoming and inclusive as possible.
Councillor Support
The Commission seeks a Charter which will entrench the minimum support guaranteed by local authorities to councillors, with IDeA / LGA / LGLC identified as the drafting bodies. Any Charter at a minimum is recommended to include right of access to administrative & research support, IT equipment & training, surgery arrangements & publicity and child & dependant care coverage.
Expanding the access to the role of councillor is promoted with flexibility to accommodate those with obligations of full / part time employment. Furthermore the Commission identifies employers need to recognise being a councillor as a right to time off for public duty within HR policy.
Local authorities should engage with employers in raising awareness and IDeA/LGA should develop information packs, work with employer organisations and reintroduce Good Employers Awards. The Commission proposes a financial compensation scheme to be administrated by local authorities to employers of councillors for duty related absences.
Young people and citizenship
The Commission proposes that the role of councils and councillors and the value of local democracy (including the parish and town council tier) is mainstreamed within the citizenship curriculum. In addition they recommend that local authorities should be required to develop and implement strategies to engage meaningfully with young people, (ensuring that any such initiatives involve elected councillors), by:
- involving them meaningfully in consultation processes, for example by consulting with schools wherever policy impacts upon the lives of their pupils;
- utilising methods such as youth mayoral elections, political speed dating, and work experience/internships with councillors;
- encouraging pupils to interact with their councillors by discussing with them areas of particular concern or interest.
Elections
The Commission recommends that the Ministry of Justice reduce both the voting age and following a four year review thereafter the candidacy age to 16. The report suggests allowing representative reserve lists for local political parties to replace councillors in avoidance of by-elections. Elections are recommended to occur in a uniform cycle of four yearly to simultaneously elect candidates throughout England.
The Commission also believes that multi member wards encourage the election of underrepresented groups, teamwork and the sharing of responsibilities between councillors. They therefore recommend that multi-member wards should be adopted throughout the local government electoral system
Raising the participation of under represented groups leads the Commission to further promote STV to reform local elections and increase the diversity of councillors. The Commission suggests enabling local authorities to experiment with STV, with pilots introduced upon a majority vote on a minimum two term basis.
The Commission also recommends term limits for Councillors. They argue that after a transitional period of four years, there should be a statutory requirement to limit councillors to serve five consecutive terms; and to limit leaders and directly elected mayors to serve three consecutive terms.
In the interests of seeking new ways to engage the electorate, local authorities should be enabled to develop and use schemes which incentivise voting, for example by offering voters a chance to enter into a lottery
Political Parties
The Commission identifies the need of national party leadership to recognise and proactively work with councillors more in valuing the role as an integrated part of the system of governance. Local level public funding to political parties is promoted in the Report dependent upon voluntary agreements addressing the representation imbalance.
Another dedicated fund is recommended to also be established to provide public money for recruitment, training and selection of council candidates. Endorsing the Lyons Inquiry, the Commission recommends that national political parties extend exceptions to enforcing the party whipon the grounds of conscience to allow councillors greater leeway to represent ward issues.
Responses
Dr Ken Ritche, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society, stated: "After extensive research and consultation the Commission has reached the only conclusion it could, that First-Past-the-Post elections fail to deliver diversity of representation.
“In terms of age, gender, ethnicity and party affiliation England’s councillors are failing to reflect the interests and diversity of their constituents. As the Commission notes, policy making and social cohesion are at stake.” Delivering Diversity to Town Halls
Local Government Information Unit’s Tracy Gardiner stated: “It is a welcome step that the report recognises the legitimate role of local authorities to promote local democracy, by supporting people to vote and stand for election, to better support local elected representatives while doing the job and the report recommends ways to help move people on from local government.” LGIU welcomes report's support to help councillors remain as volunteers
Chairman of the IDeA, Cllr Ian Swithenbank, said: "This report recognises the role of local councillors in increasing people's involvement in the local political process. As such, it lays down the challenge to councils - to improve the support offered to councillors in their role as local community leaders." Council Leaders respond to Councillors Commission
