WLGA responds to Councillors Commission Expert Panel report
14 August 2009
Responding to the Councillors Commission Expert Panel report into the way forward in recruiting new councillors, a WLGA spokesperson said:
“The WLGA welcomes the work of the Panel which seeks to promote the valuable role of councillors. However, we will need time to consider and discuss the 35 recommendations with our council members, in particular those recommendations which are directed at councils and the WLGA.”
“The role of a councillor is hugely challenging, it has grown in terms of responsibility and the skills required, as well as the workload and time needed to fulfil the role - latest figures show that on average councillors in Wales spend 25-27 hours a week on council business and this is on top of their day job and family commitments.”
“The role of senior councillors, such as leaders and cabinet members, is more than full-time; they are in charge of organisations with budgets of hundreds of millions of pounds, thousands of staff, delivering many of the major local services that the public most cares about.”
“We are already making progress on a number of the Panel’s recommendations around training and development. Ahead of last year’s elections, councils and the WLGA provided a range of materials including web-based guides to promote candidature. Councils have also hosted open days, produced information leaflets, encouraged shadowing and mentoring schemes and many are actively involved with school councils to promote youth democracy.”
“In July, the WLGA in partnership with the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government launched Step Up Cymru – a new scheme to encourage wider participation in Welsh democracy. The Scheme allows people from under-represented groups to ‘shadow’ councillors and Assembly Members giving them a valuable insight into local democracy and the role of the elected member.”