Local AuthoritiesThe role of the Councillor

A councillor's primary role is to represent the interests of local residents. They can help you if you have an issue in your area with things such as:

Public transportRoad maintenancePlanning decisions Licensing Running of schools, libraries, museums and galleriesSocial work services Refuse collectionHousing benefit and council tax benefit.

The role of the councillor?

What councillors do?

• Councillors attend full meetings of the council.

• Make decisions about policy, budgets and services at a local or community level

• May have executive posts in relation to policy making, delivery of services and use of resources – for example A member of the Education Committee.

• Attend community council meetings.

• Serve on forums through which local issues can be discussed between elected members, council officers and the wider community.

If you had a problem with a service provided by the council how could your councillor help you?

• In pairs, see if you can think in what ways a councillor could help you with this issue.

If you have a problem how then can the councillor deal with it.

• Offer you advice.

• Speak to the relevant Department on your behalf.

• Raise your issue with the relevant council Committee.

• Take your issue to a meeting with the full council.

• Contact the MSP/MP or EuroMP on your behalf.

What kind of Committees can councillors be a member of?

• There are a number of different committees.

• We are going to look at two Committees In North Lanarkshire

• Planning Committee.

• Licensing Committee.

Licensing Committee

• The Safety of Sports Grounds- (turnstiles, crowd size, seating)

• The Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act. (Opening hours, gambling machines, location of premises)

PLANNING COMMITTEE

• Meet every 3 weeks and make decisions on,

• Roads.

• The lighting of roads and streets

• The naming of streets and the numbering of premises

Question – (You have 6 minutes)

• Councillors can assist their communities in many different ways.

• Describe, in detail, two ways in which a councillor can help the community they serve.

(4 marks)

Point

Describe

Example