The role of a councillor is complex and demanding and becoming increasingly challenging with each new period of office. Councils provide all councillors with the support they require to deliver the outcomes needed by their communities. This includes information, guidance, and development.

 

Councils have a long history of working together and with the WLGA to share information, good practice, and resources for councillor support and development. This Councillor Support Self Evaluation Framework provides a mechanism for councils to assure themselves that they have all the support possible in place for their councillors. The Framework has been developed by the WLGA, democratic services officers and councillors, and provides an ambitious but pragmatic national framework of good practice in councillor support. It recognises legislative requirements, statutory and other guidance, the expressed needs of councillors and widely accepted examples of what works.

 

The Framework also reflects the sector-led approach taken with the wider programme for improvement and self-assessment in Wales and enables sharing of good practice between councils.

 

The Framework covers:

• support and development for councillors in the widest sense to incorporate support provided by the whole council. Including, but not limited to, for example, democratic services, legal, digital, communications, learning and development teams, and directorates in their support for scrutiny, the executive and frontline councillors,
• the needs of all councillors before election, as new members, and as experienced politicians,
• all councillor roles both within the council and in the community,
• the personal and ‘professional’ support provided to councillors within the influence of councils and also,
• the expectations placed on councils, officers, and councillors themselves.

For more information contact: Sarah Titcombe