Northumberland Election 2008 Video

Your guide to the election - ELECTED COUNCILLORS

by Paddy Gascoigne from Blyth Valley Council (Deputy Returning Officer for Northumberland)

Legally Councillors come into office three or four days after the election itself but before coming into office they must sign a Declaration of Acceptance of Office which will allow them to act as a Councillor.  They have to sign this paper in front of the Chief Executive of the Council where they have been elected.   This piece of paper also signifies that they have read and will abide by the Code of Conduct by which they must act in office and behave as Councillors.  Once they have signed this paper they can attend meetings and vote.  Nowadays we also have induction programmes for Councillors.  Councils are large businesses and people cannot go into them without knowing how they operate and how they should act.  Inductions will entail Councillors being shown around the Council premises and learning about the various processes and how decisions are made, as well as meeting key Council Officers, learning the various services and sorting out their IT equipment.  This induction programme lasts about two months but the training programme is ongoing throughout their life as a Councillor because there is always something new coming along ie new legislation and new problems which they will have to deal with.