Being a councillor

Local government plays a critical part in the delivery of the most vital services for communities in NSW. Councils are driven by the aspirations of their communities and the decisions made by councillors directly affect people’s everyday lives.

Residents have put their faith in councillors to show leadership and to always act in their best interests. This is an important responsibility that must not be taken lightly.

Being a councillor is a privilege and a wonderful opportunity to make a difference to your community. New councillors have a lot to learn as quickly as possible. Returning councillors need to be up to date with changes that impact the sector and to continue to develop their knowledge. Although challenging at times, your service will have a profound impact on your local community.

As a councillor you are expected to represent the views of the community while making decisions in their interests, demonstrate conduct that the community expects of its elected representatives, and plan and oversee the running of a significant and complex business.

The Office of Local Government provides key resources which outline how councillors can meet their wide range of obligations. These resources help ensure that you are fully prepared for the role.

Key Resources

  • Councillor Handbook

    The Office of Local Government has published a 2024 edition of the Councillor Handbook to assist new and returning councillors to fulfil their statutory obligations and perform their civic duties to the best of their abilities.

    The handbook is the go-to resource for all councillors during their electoral term and includes links to other useful resources when more information is needed in relation to a particular issue.

    >Councillor Handbook – PDF – [2.62MB]

  • Councillor Induction and Professional Development

    Councils are required under the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021 to provide induction training and ongoing professional development to mayors and councillors.

    Visit Councillor Induction and Professional Development Guidelines for more information.

  • Mayoral Elections

    Elections for mayor by councillors must be conducted in accordance with the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021.

    Visit Mayoral Elections for more information.

  • Council Portal

    A series of “Hit the Ground Running” councillor webinars will be conducted by the Office of Local Government following the 2024 local government elections.

    The webinars will provide essential information to support councillors in serving their community and fulfilling their responsibilities. All councillors, both new and retuning, are strongly encouraged to participate in the webinars.

    Visit Hit the Ground Running on the Council Portal for more information.

  • A Snapshot of Diversity in Local Government

    Information and statistics on local government representation can be found in the Candidate and Councillor Report 2021/2022.

    An updated report will be published following the 2024 local government elections.