Be a Councillor

People like you are councillors

Welcome to Be a Councillor. This website provides information for people living in England thinking about becoming councillors in their area.

It might be the state of the nation, but then again it might be the state of a local park, community centre, school or service for older people that is making you think that things around your way need to change.

And you might be the person to do it.

There are roughly 20,000 elected councillors in England. Each representing their local community, all with their own reason for doing so.

You could be the new talent that your local council and the political parties are so keen to find. You could be the future for the country, or at least your local area. Everyone is needed, especially if you are one of the people under-represented on your local council - maybe you are under 45, a woman or come from one of England’s many ethnic communities?

With many council elections less than two years away, now is the time for you to find out what's involved in being a councillor and if it is the right move for you.

About the programme

Be a Councillor began in 2008 with a pilot programme in London to encourage more people to stand as local councillors in the 2010 elections and increase the diversity of local government. This was co-ordinated by London Councils Opens in a new window.

The national Be a Councillor programme was launched in January 2009 and is coordinated by the Leadership Centre for Local Government. Opens in a new window

The campaign was shortlisted for a 2009 Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Excellence Award. For more information read the press release.