Local councillor

A Councillor is a member of a local government council.

All local authorities in the United Kingdom are overseen by elected councillors. These include:

According to Debrett's Correct Form the English title "Councillor" (often shortened to ‘Cllr’) applies only to elected members of city, borough or district councils. However, there is no legal basis for this restriction and in practice the title is applied to all councillors at all levels of local government. Where necessary, parish and county councillors are differentiated by the use of a fuller title such as "town councillor" or "county councillor". The title precedes the holder's rank or other title, as in Cllr Dr Jenny Smith or Cllr Sir James Smith, and for women it precedes their title of marital status, as in Cllr Mrs Joan Smith.

Councillors are typically elected as members of political parties or alternatively as independents. Councils may also co-opt unelected councillors to fill vacancies on a council where insufficient candidates have stood for election, although in practice this is rare outside parish councils. Once elected, they are meant to represent all the residents under the whole authority, not just those who voted for them or just those in the district or ward they were elected in. They are bound by a code of conduct enforced by standards boards.

In 2007 the age limit for councillors fell to 18, leading to younger people standing.

Youth Councillors are also elected in local areas.

Most councillors are not full-time professionals.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland most larger borough, unitary authority or county councils do pay them basic allowances and out-of-pocket expenses. In addition, special responsibility allowances are paid to councillors who carry out more senior duties. The basic allowances and special responsibility allowances are theoretically paid to compensate councillors for time spent on council duties and are classed as salaries for tax purposes. Parish, town or community councillors may, since the Local Government Act 2000, be paid for their services, but most do it voluntarily.

In Scotland, since 2007, councillors have received a salary of £15,000, as opposed to a series of allowances. These are often topped up by special responsibility allowances.

The London Assembly is regarded, not as a local authority, but as a regional devolved assembly and its members are referred to as Assembly Members, not councillors.

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