The starting point for our Local Leadership Framework for Councillors is the councillor profile – a short, positive summary of the most important things about you as a councillor, on a single page. If you're a councillor, here are some examples of councillor profiles, to support you in developing your own.
There is no single right way to be a councillor. Everyone brings different things to the role and everyone’s approach is unique. When developing as a local leader, it’s helpful to practice self-awareness, to know your strengths and values, and to use this understanding to help you to thrive and develop.
The starting point for the Local Leadership Framework for Councillors, therefore, is the councillor profile – a short, positive summary of the most important things about you as a councillor, on a single page. This idea is adapted from the ‘one-page profile’ – a tool now used widely in education, health, social care and personal development.
Developing your councillor profile can help you to be clear about how you approach the role and provide you with insights into how you work. Sharing your councillor profile can help others understand you better and work with you more effectively. You can see some example councillor profiles below.
Councillor Jones' profile
I hope to make a difference by:
- helping residents to access council services and driving improvement in my local community
- looking at the bigger picture and building long-term relationships with local businesses and community organisations.
What people appreciate about me as a councillor:
- I voice the concerns of my community, for example, halting plans to get rid of a popular cycle lane
- I always try and see other points of view, and make fair and balanced judgements.
As a councillor, it is important to me that I:
- feel like I’m able to make a difference, no matter how small
- help residents with issues that affect their everyday lives.
To support me well in my councillor work, you can:
- keep things simple if you can – and don’t assume I understand the jargon or acronyms of local government!
- contact me via my email address or by arranging a face-to-face meeting to discuss any issues.
Councillor Khan’s profile
I hope to make a difference by:
- making changes to policies – particularly on climate change as this is an area I am passionate about
- cutting through red tape and bureaucracy.
What people appreciate about me as a councillor:
- I champion the needs of my residents, acting as their voice to enable change in the community
- I enjoy working with others, especially hearing new ideas to improve my residents’ quality of life.
As a councillor, it is important to me that I:
- see that everyone is respected
- ensure that services in my ward are accessible and inclusive for all residents.
To support me well in my councillor work, you can:
- be patient with me if I ask a lot of questions – I'm checking that I fully understand the situation
- provide me with guidance and resources to develop my digital skills, especially using social media as a councillor.
Councillor Okoro's profile
I hope to make a difference by:
- bringing people and groups together to clean up our local high street
- being a voice for young people, as well as the youth services and voluntary organisations that do important work in our community.
What people appreciate about me as a councillor:
- I try to engage with council officers to understand different issues and situations that I may not be an expert on
- I value innovative thinking and challenge the status quo of how things have previously been done.
As a councillor, it is important to me that I:
- balance my councillor workload with my day job, and I recognise that this can be challenging at times
- encourage communities to get more involved in local projects, for example, litter-picking in their area or volunteering.
To support me well in my councillor work, you can:
- keep me updated with new developments – I like to be kept informed of what is happening in the council and local area.
