Councils are run by councillors who are elected by the people. These councillors set goals and make decisions for the community.
Councillors come from many different backgrounds, which is important because it ensures that a wide range of voices help to improve the services the council provides to everyone.
Councillors choose to run for different reasons, but they all have the chance to make a big difference in the lives of people in their area.
A councillor's main job is to lead and connect with the community. They also:
Councillors need to balance the needs of the people they represent, their political party (if they have one), and the council.
East Cambridgeshire District Council has 28 councillors, each representing a different ward in the district.
To be able to stand for election to the East Cambridgeshire District Council you must be:
You must also fulfil at least one of the following requirements:
Once you have decided to stand as a councillor there are two main routes:
If you want to represent a political party, then get involved with your party locally as soon as possible. They will advise on what is involved and ultimately select candidates.
If you are thinking of standing as an independent candidate, you will need to be aware of issues in your local area and what your local council is doing about them.
We welcome the public to attend our meetings. Why not come along to a meeting soon? We also livestream many of our meetings so you can view them online via the link on each meeting’s webpage.
Whether you have been selected by a party or are standing as an independent candidate, you must make sure that you are officially nominated.
This means getting two people to sign your nomination papers. They must both be registered electors in the ward where you wish to stand.
The next District Council Election will be in May 2027.
More information about nominations, election expenses or any other aspects of the election can be obtained from your political party office, from existing councillors, or by emailing the electoral services team: elections@eastcambs.gov.uk or call us on 01353 665555.
Being a councillor requires commitment and hard work, but the role can be done flexibly around employment, studying, caring, and other voluntary commitments. Although many employers will, within reason, allow some time off for council work, this is something you need to check before making a commitment.
The amount of time you spend on your duties as a councillor is largely up to you and will depend on the different roles and commitments you take on. As a rough guide, the minimum number of hours is likely to average out to the equivalent of about one day a week. But leading councillors, such as political group leaders, committee chairmen and group spokespersons, could spend considerably more time than this.
At present, we have a mixture of daytime and evening committee meetings. Full council meetings are held in the evening.
We offer a comprehensive programme of induction for all new councillors. This will help you to become familiar with our services, challenges and priorities. There is training for example on planning, licensing, finance, safeguarding, equality and diversity, and the code of conduct. Training is also aimed at developing and supporting councillors’ personal skills to enable them to undertake the particular roles they take on most effectively.
The induction programme is designed to provide you with the information and support you will need in a phased way over your first few months in office.
Councillors can be given IT equipment and support as well as business cards and stationery, if required. You will be given a comprehensive list of activities and contacts in your initial period so that you know who to contact about queries received from your constituents.
During a councillor’s term in office, we offer continual member development opportunities to help with knowledge of council services and to develop personal skills and confidence.
Our democratic services team are always available to offer advice and support to all councillors: email democraticservices@eastcambs.gov.uk or call us on 01353 665555.
Good luck and we hope to welcome you to serve on our council.
Additional advice can be obtained from the Electoral Commission on 020 7271 0516 or visit the Electoral Commission website.
Anyone wishing to stand for election for their parish council must contact the parish clerk to obtain the relevant forms.