Being a Councillor
Councillors are elected to represent the interests of local people in deciding the Council's policies and the services it provides for the local community.
Milton Keynes is divided into 19 wards, each of which is represented by 3 councillors.
The role of a Councillor is a varied one. The main functions are:
- To represent his or her Ward
- To act on behalf of the residents in his or her Ward on any matter where the Council is either directly responsible or able to influence the relevant organisation. Councillors can raise issues with officers at the Council, at a meeting of the Council or one of its committees, or give advice on how constituents can make their own representations
- To ensure that the administration of the Council is both fair and efficient
- To ensure that the resources of the authority are fully utilised and that the priorities for competing resources are fairly assessed
- To help to determine the policies to be pursued by the Council, not only for activities in which they may have a special interest, but those which also concern the Council as a whole
- Some Councillors are elected by the Council to be the Cabinet, which is responsible for making decisions about many of the Council’s activities
- Other Councillors sit on committees which are responsible for planning decisions, licensing matters, developing Council Policies, holding the Cabinet and officers to account, and reviewing the work of the public sector organisations
More information on being a Councillor can be found on the Local Government Association Website
Interested in becoming a councillor?
If you think you might be interested in standing for election, details can be found on the Electoral Commission website