What facilities and support are available? 

• How much will I get paid?

  All Councillors receive a basic salary. Councillors are also entitled to travel allowances. You can also claim your salary whilst taking family absence such as parental leave.

   

  View Councillors Remuneration and Allowances

   

  Those Councillors who undertake additional responsibilities such as being a Cabinet member, Committee Chair or leader of their political group will receive an additional payment. This is called a senior salary and is calculated based on the size of the Council.

   

  In certain circumstances a care allowance is available in respect of expenses incurred with arranging the care of children, dependents or the individual member which are associated with carrying out official business as a member.

   

  The above arrangements are determined by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) and more information is available here.

• I have a disability, will the Council provide the support I need? 

  Yes. The Council will provide support to cater for your specific disability. The Council will provide you with the access arrangements you need. It is also important to note that for meetings held in Council buildings these must be accessible by law for disabled people.

   

  Disabled candidates are entitled to funding to help with any additional costs associated with their impairment which could be a barrier to them standing as a Councillor.

   

  Some Council meetings may be held in a hybrid model (ie both physically and remotely), negating the requirement to travel long distances to attend in person.

   

  The Access to Elected Office Fund Wales seeks to remove the barriers faced by disabled people seeking elected office by providing financial assistance towards the cost of reasonable adjustments and support. The fund is administered by Disability Wales with funding from the Welsh Government.

   

  Following the successful launch of the Fund for the 2021 Senedd Cymru Election Welsh Government has given approval for the Fund to be made available to disabled candidates standing in the 2022 Welsh Local Government Elections. Both those standing for their community council and their principal local authority can apply.

• I have caring responsibilities, will the Council support me? 

  Councillors are entitled to reimbursement of the costs of care for those they care for, or for their own personal support. The schedule for Council meetings is arranged to avoid school holidays where possible.

• How much time will I need to dedicate to the role? 

  Councillors, on average, commit the equivalent of three days a week to the role. This can be challenging but many Councillors are able to do it. Not all Council commitments are during the working day but also in the evenings and at weekends. The Council will do all it can to accommodate you.

   

  Discussions can be held with group leaders outlining your responsibilities and commitments to enable the workload to be adapted to your needs (if applicable). You can be very clear with your constituents about the times that you’d be able to meet with them, take their calls and respond to emails.

• I’ve seen that some Councillors, like national politicians, can receive abuse on social media. Could this happen to me? 

  Some Members have unfortunately experienced this; however all local councils are working together to provide support for Members who experience any abuse and also to campaign against it. The Council provides access to dedicated Social Media training and provides best practice examples for Councillors. The Council also has a dedicated Social Media Policy.

   

  The Welsh local Government Association (WLGA) have also developed a Guide for Councillors regarding the use of social media.

• What facilities / equipment will I have access to? 

  Each political group will have access to a private room on site at the Council buildings to host internal meetings (COVID restrictions permitting). The Council Chamber provides Members with a modern and accessible space to attend meetings should they wish to do so in person. All Councillors will also be provided with equipment and digital support, providing Members with the ability to access meetings remotely.

   

  All Councillors also have access for advice from officers in Democratic and Scrutiny Services as well as advice from the other professional officers of the Council to help them carry out their duties.

• Do I have the right qualifications / Skills? 

  Councillors come from all backgrounds and abilities. This is important so that they can represent their communities. Councils need Councillors with a range of experiences, employment backgrounds and qualifications.

   

  As a member you’ll need to be able to understand reports that Council officers write before you take decisions, you’ll also be expected to do most of your work on a computer and have good people skills to work with everyone in the community.

   

  The main qualifications, however, are an interest in your community and a willingness to learn. Knowledge, experience and confidence will soon follow. You will be offered a comprehensive induction to your role as a councillor and ongoing support and guidance about your personal development.

   

  Ongoing regular training is provided on a one to one or open forum basis and is adapted to your needs and requirements to ensure you have the right skills to carry out role.

• How is the use of Welsh language encouraged in the role? 

  The Council works hard to ensure it aligns with the Welsh Language Standards. Agendas, Minutes and Decision Notices are available bilingually. 

• I’d like to get some experience of being a Councillor, how can I do this? 

   If you’d like to get an idea of the type of work that is currently undertaken at meetings you can get experience prior to committing by watching a Council Committee meeting on our website or by attending open sessions held in the Council Chamber (COVID Restrictions permitting). This will allow potential candidates to gain insight into how meetings are run.