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 979
2 Standing for election as a mayor or councillor 1071
3 Managing a conflict of interest 565
4 Managing a material personal interest 514
5 Councillor conduct and performance 1276
6 Case study 2 - Setting rates 1112
7 Case study 1 - Membership of a sporting club 1200
8 SYWTBAC dummy 650
9 Register of Interests 2385
10 What is a material personal interest? 2318
11 Disclosing conflicts of interest 2271
12 What is a conflict of interest? 2499
13 Public interest vs private interest 2479
14 Case Study 1 - Councillor Brown's well-meaning request 2515
15 Role of the chief executive officer 2789
16 Councillors’ interactions with council staff 2534
17 Register of delegations 2130
18 Delegation to standing committees 2005
19 Delegation to the Chief Executive Officer 2294
20 Module 3 - Quick quiz 2433
21 Participating in council meetings 2325
22 Summary 2387
23 What councils do 2596
24 The role of local government 2504
25 Delegations 2544
26 Local government today 2626
27 Roles of councillors and mayor 2870
28 The decision-making role of councillors 2862
29 Evolution of local government in Queensland 2836
30 Corporate governance and risk management 2505
31 Accountability and annual reporting 2060
32 Annual budget 2170
33 Linkages with other plans 1712
34 Contents of a corporate plan 2277
35 What is a corporate plan? 1905
36 A councillor’s role in corporate planning 2291
37 Community engagement 2260
38 Working with your community 2528
39 Learn more about the role of councillor 2951
40 Why do I want to be a councillor? 2930
41 Self-assessment tool 2635
42 Module 6 - Community planning 2645
43 Module 5 - Corporate and financial management 2848
44 Module 4 - Councillor roles and responsibilities 3725
45 Module 3 - Local government in Queensland 3268
46 Module 2 - Where do I find election information? 4122
47 Module 1 - Introduction 4513