As a legacy to the centenary of the right for some women to vote, the LGA’s Be a Councillor campaign has created a ‘Meet Her’ page on the website (beacouncillor.co.uk). The page hosts insights, stories and tips from existing councillors to promote the role of councillor to women and encourage them to consider standing for election.
The equal participation of women and men in local politics, as our elected councillors and as our leaders, is an important condition for effective democracy and good governance. The Be a Councillor Campaign is based on the belief that local authorities, and political parties and groups, can do the best for their communities when they truly represent their place. Today, none of the combined authority mayors are female, and overall women councillors are still outnumbered two to one by men, they make up only a fifth of political leaders, and a third of local authority chief executives – despite 76 per cent of employees in the local government workforce being female.
We all have a role to play in encouraging more diversity and harnessing the skills, experiences and knowledge of under-represented groups, including women – and including women from black and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+, and of all ages. The LGA’s Be a Councillor campaign aims to increase the pool of talent from which councillors are elected, with a toolkit to help councils run local campaigns, and resources for individuals to consider whether standing for election is for them.
We are also creating a Be a Councillor Women’s Network for existing councillors and women interested in standing for election. If you would like to join, please email beacouncillor@local.gov.uk
More details at: https://beacouncillor.co.uk/meet-her/
Be a Councillor