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Taking elected office can be a daunting and confusing experience when you are first elected. Our new councillor essentials hub signposts you to the key resources and information to help you to settle into your role in the first crucial months after you have been elected.
Our resources are designed to complement and support your council’s induction processes and provide an introduction to some good practices to help you understand the important role of being a ward or division councillor.
Support for new councillors
The LGA has produced a suite of councillor elearning modules to assist you with your role as a councillor. The aim is to strengthen your knowledge of local government and help you to build the leadership skills to undertake your role effectively.
In-house training courses
The LGA can also offer a range of in-house training courses on a variety of topics from our range of community leadership resources.
Commissioning of these sessions is usually undertaken following discussion with council officers. As they represent offers for groups of councillors rather than as individual councillor development.
Topics include
To find out more about, any of our in house training courses, please contact Alison Edwards
Our suite of councillor elearning modules:
- corporate parenting
- councillor Code of Conduct
- councillor induction
- equality, diversity and inclusion
- influencing skills
- local government finance
- stress management and personal resilience
- the effective ward councillor
- UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
As part of our support to all councillors, whether or not you are newly elected, our political leadership offer includes a number of specific programmes to support you in your development.
These events provide councillors with valuable opportunities to build networks and meet peers and colleagues from across the country.
Focus on leadership events
Our 'Focus on leadership' events are designed to support councillors to excel in their existing roles and to provide them with a bridge to senior leadership positions.
We host 'Focus on leadership' weekender events for the following groups:
- black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) councillors
- LGBTQ+ councillors
- opposition leaders and deputy leaders
- young councillors (aged 40 and under).
To register for, or find out more about, any of our 'Focus on Leadership' events, please contact Grace Collins MBE, Adviser – Leadership
Disabled councillors leadership programme
We have partnered with Disability Rights UK to offer a bespoke leadership programme for disabled councillors. We are committed to supporting under-represented groups in local government and we understand the value of providing councillors with learning opportunities alongside peers with shared experience.
To find out more, or to book your place, please email [email protected]
Highlighted pages
The community councillor
Support to help you represent and advocate for your communities and residents effectively.
Committee / cabinet principles
Targeted resources to assist you to become an effective committee/cabinet member.
The Member’s role in improvement and assurance
All members have a responsibility to oversee and assure effective governance and accountability.