Time, money and support - frequently asked questions

How much time and money will it cost me to be a councillor?

It is for you to decide the level of commitment you are able to give to being a Councillor and it also depends on your role within the Council and the number of commitments you take on. If you have a family and personal relationships to consider it is wise to talk through the implications of being a Councillor with them first because you will need their support and understanding.

Some of the issues you will need to devote time to are:

The people you represent will look to you for help in dealing with their problems. You are likely to receive a lot of post, emails and many telephone calls
Most Councillors hold at least one drop-in surgery each month; some hold two or even three surgeries each month
You may find that a large proportion of your time is spent dealing with constituency and associated casework, either taken at the surgeries or received via post, telephone, fax or email
Full Council meets around six times annually to deal with formal business, and there are often presentations and briefings to which all Councillors are invited
Some Committees meet regularly. For example, Planning Committee meets the first Wednesday in every month. Some Committees meet as and when requested
You may be a member of more than one committee
Your meetings may not be evenly spread out so some weeks you may need to attend more than others
Many councillors represent the Council on one or more outside bodies
For most of the meetings you attend there will be papers that you will need to read beforehand. These papers can be quite detailed and take time to read and understand
If you are a member of a political party there will be additional calls on your time to attend party meetings and seminars / training events
The majority of meetings at this authority are held during the daytime.

If you are interested in standing for election and would like to see how a typical committee meeting is run, committee meetings are open to the public. Calendar of meetings, agendas, decisions and minutes (This link will open in a new window).

South Cambridgeshire District Council's Democratic Services can also put you in touch with current Councillors if you have any other questions.

Democratic Services
South Cambridgeshire District Council
South Cambridgeshire Hall
Cambourne Business Park
Cambourne
Cambridge CB23 6EA

Phone: 01954 713030
Email democratic.services@scambs.gov.uk (This link will open in a new window)

Can I get time off from work?

If you are working, by law your employer must allow you to take a reasonable amount of time off during working hours to perform your duties as a Councillor (Employment Rights Act 1996, Section 50).
The amount of time off will depend upon your responsibilities as a Councillor and the effect of your absence on your employer's business.
You should discuss this with your employer before making the commitment.

Will I get paid?

Councillors receive no salary for the time they give up to serve their community. However, you will be paid an allowance to reimburse you for time and expenses incurred whilst on council business.

Every elected Councillor is entitled to a basic allowance (see Members' Allowances Scheme (This link will open in a new window)). You can also claim travelling expenses for attending approved activities. The following councillors receive an additional allowance in recognition of their special responsibilities:

Leader of the Council
Deputy Leader
Cabinet Members
Council and Committee Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen

What support is available?

Council officers are employed to carry out the decisions of Councillors. They are committed to help you fulfil your duties as a Councillor. There will always be someone who is able to offer advice or support on any issue and all you would have to do is ask. If you are a member of a political group, or other group, support and assistance will also be available from other members of your group.

The Democratic Services team provides support to meet the needs of Councillors, including:

Help with dealing with enquiries and complaints from your constituents if there is no specific service officer
Information gathering / research
Dealing with Members' general enquiries
Provision of stationery / business cards
Administering Members' allowances
A pigeon hole for Members' post
A car parking space

You will also be offered a computer for use at home with email and internet access. All Councillors receive a personal desktop or laptop computer connected to the Council's intranet and the internet for research purposes, making it possible to look at online reports and respond to emails from constituents. The Council will pay reasonable costs of installing a second phone line to ease the use of the internet.

You will have access to an equipped Members' room and meeting rooms; there are facilities for both formal and informal use, telephones, fax, computers, printers and refreshments.

Is there any training available for new Councillors?

You will be invited to attend an induction programme shortly after the election. Councillors will also be able to attend general courses on topics such as:

Computer skills training
Time management
Political conventions
Best Value
Public speaking
Specific service issues
Data Protection and Freedom of Information Acts
Chairing skills
Training for Employment, Scrutiny & Overview, Standards and Planning Committee members

If you are a member of a political or other group there could be training and support from your political group.

All Councillors when declaring their acceptance of that office undertake to be guided by the Members' Code of Conduct (This link will open in a new window). In essence, if you have a private or personal interest in a matter on which the Council has to decide, you should take no part in that decision. You should also never seek advantage from your position or preferential treatment in any personal dealings with the Council and you should never disclose or use confidential information for personal advantage.

Download this information as a PDF booklet.