So you want to be a councillor?

A resource for prospective candidates in Queensland local government elections

The role of a local government councillor is a demanding one. It requires knowledge of local government systems, an interest in people and a willingness to invest time and energy in serving the needs and interests of the local community. In many Queensland councils the role of the mayor or councillor is a full-time job.

The information in this resource will help you make an informed decision about whether you wish to nominate for election. In it you will learn more about the roles and responsibilities of a councillor and the key functions of local government in Queensland.

About this resource

The resources in 'So You Want To Be a Councillor' are organised into six modules. Each module is designed for you to work through at your own pace.

  1. Introduction - introduces the role of a councillor and outlines the skills, knowledge and qualities needed to succeed in the role
  2. Standing for election - focuses on the key eligibility criteria for standing for local government
  3. Local government in Queensland - provides information about the background and role of local government in Queensland
  4. Councillor roles and responsibilities - will help you to fully understand the roles and responsibilities prescribed for councillors
  5. Corporate and financial management - relates to corporate planning and the importance of councillors' roles in the planning process
  6. Working with your community - focuses on the important work that councillors perform within the community.

Getting started

To find out if the role of councillor is for you, get started with the first module...

 

 
Title Filter     Display # 
# Article Title Hits
1 Local government elections 1901
2 Standing for election as a mayor or councillor 1994
3 Managing a conflict of interest 1071
4 Managing a material personal interest 988
5 Councillor conduct and performance 1858
6 Case study 2 - Setting rates 1579
7 Case study 1 - Membership of a sporting club 1708
8 SYWTBAC dummy 1034
9 Register of Interests 2956
10 What is a material personal interest? 2892
11 Disclosing conflicts of interest 2810
12 What is a conflict of interest? 3076
13 Public interest vs private interest 3194
14 Case Study 1 - Councillor Brown's well-meaning request 3061
15 Role of the chief executive officer 3446
16 Councillors’ interactions with council staff 3136
17 Register of delegations 2548
18 Delegation to standing committees 2411
19 Delegation to the Chief Executive Officer 2686
20 Module 3 - Quick quiz 2978
21 Participating in council meetings 2877
22 Summary 2925
23 What councils do 3166
24 The role of local government 3115
25 Delegations 3115
26 Local government today 3215
27 Roles of councillors and mayor 3597
28 The decision-making role of councillors 3458
29 Evolution of local government in Queensland 3469
30 Corporate governance and risk management 3006
31 Accountability and annual reporting 2487
32 Annual budget 2642
33 Linkages with other plans 2085
34 Contents of a corporate plan 2734
35 What is a corporate plan? 2491
36 A councillor’s role in corporate planning 2743
37 Community engagement 2717
38 Working with your community 2959
39 Learn more about the role of councillor 3647
40 Why do I want to be a councillor? 3658
41 Self-assessment tool 3135
42 Module 6 - Community planning 3202
43 Module 5 - Corporate and financial management 3538
44 Module 4 - Councillor roles and responsibilities 4607
45 Module 3 - Local government in Queensland 4014
46 Module 2 - Where do I find election information? 5059
47 Module 1 - Introduction 5688