Argyll and Bute Council Constitution - Part A - All Councillors

1. Introduction

Being a local Councillor is an honourable job which can be a rewarding and enriching experience. It is no easy task being a Councillor. Society needs to have people, whether at a national or local level who are able, willing and prepared to take decisions on its behalf about matters which affect the lives of citizens and who are prepared to be accountable for these. Democratic election gives local Councillors, like Members of Parliament, a special status in public life which brings with it opportunities to contribute to the well being of society, and in doing so, responsibilities to act fairly and within the law.

2. Role of Councillors

Local government serves the people 

Providing public services is a prime function of local government. Local Councils are not the only providers of services to the public, but no other public body provides the range of services which a local Council does. Providing services to meet community needs and aspirations requires the development of policy about the nature of services to be provided and the planning of the delivery and resourcing of those services.

As a Councillor, he or she will, therefore, participate as –

• A policy maker
• An executive decision taker as part of the Council or a Committee of the Council
• A scrutiniser of the effectiveness of the Council in achieving its desired outcomes and delivering services

Local government represents the people 

Councillors are elected and then have a democratic legitimacy. They represent the people of their communities (including those who did not vote for them). Whatever service delivery functions a Council has (and even if there were none) this representational function would remain.

As a Councillor, he or she, therefore –

• Is a representative of all of his or her constituents
• Is a community leader providing a focus for the development of his or her community.

Local government makes rules 

All societies need principles to which action conforms, if they are to safeguard the freedom, safety and well-being of their citizens. At a national level there is a clear distinction between Parliament, which makes the rules, and Government, which applies them, and the Courts (or other tribunals) which interpret them.  A local Council, however, has three roles –

• It must apply certain rules which Parliament has laid down for it
• It may make rules of its own
• It must apply rules of its own which it makes

By participating in making or administering rules which affect the rights and obligations of citizens, and which include the granting or refusal of permissions, a Councillor, therefore –

• Pays attention to relevant considerations and ignores irrelevant ones
• Considers and weighs evidence
• Considers each issue on its merits
• Acts fairly and within the law

Local government works with others   

Not only is it for Councils to plan and deliver their own services, there is a statutory duty, under the concept of community planning, that Councils take the lead in drawing together the activities of the whole range of public bodies, and the business and voluntary sectors, in identifying a common agenda and drawing together the plans of the partners to address the needs of communities. Beyond that Councils work in a national framework with Government and Parliaments at UK and Scottish level, and with other agencies.

As a Councillor, he or she fulfils advocacy and ambassadorial role not only on behalf of his or her own community in a local context but also representing the interests of Argyll and Bute in a wider national arena.

3. Main Tasks

1. Regular attendance at meetings of the Council, and of any Committee, Sub-Committee and Working Groups to which the Councillor is appointed is an essential component of the policy making and executive decision taking life of the Council.
    
2. Dealing with issues raised by constituents by correspondence, telephone and in person on an ongoing basis, and making arrangements to facilitate access by constituents, including “surgeries” or in other ways, contributes to the representative role of the Councillor.
    
3. Actively being aware of issues, inside and outside the Council, affecting the Councillor’s electoral ward and the wider Argyll and Bute community fulfils a community leadership and representative function.
    
4. Working in partnership with other local organisations to identify and pursue local needs and aspirations and encouraging community action is fundamental to the role of community leader.
    
5. As a local community leader, Councillors will be invited by local organisations to participate in local forums and events which collectively provide a focus for community activity and development.
    
6. Representing Argyll and Bute on other organisations or agencies to which the Councillor may be appointed or nominated by the Council represents an ambassadorial function articulating the Council’s policies and views and projecting the good image of the Council and Argyll and Bute.

4. Core skills and competencies

A commitment to the ethos of public service lies at the heart of being a local Councillor. Active citizenship is a commitment to contributing to and focusing on what best improves the well-being of communities. Beyond this, succeeding within the role of Councillor requires a range of core skills which support elected members in fulfilling their governance roles effectively, thereby improving local governance and accountability of public services to local communities. The Continuous Professional Development Framework for Elected Members in Scottish Local Government identifies 10 core skills which are underpinned by a further range of detailed behaviours and is as follows:

1. Representation
2. Political Awareness and Understanding
3. Effective Communication
4. Analysis and Problem-Solving
5. Making Good Judgements and Decision-Making
6. Negotiation and Lobbying
7. Effectively Working with Others
8. Providing Leadership, Focus and Direction
9. Personal Integrity and Values
10. Personal Effectiveness

5. Training

Each Councillor requires to have a personal development plan designed to achieve at least the core competencies to support the core skill set out above. The Council will provide a range of training opportunities in support of these competencies. To play his or her full part as a Councillor requires a Member to be diligent in accepting the opportunities for training which are provided.