West Sussex County Council is keen to ensure that anyone thinking of standing for election to the Council in May 2025 has access to useful information about the role. We would therefore be grateful if you could let anyone who is considering standing for election as a county councillor know that we are holding two events providing opportunities to learn more about the role:
The first is our Be a Councillor event at County Hall, Chichester on Wednesday 13 November commencing at 6pm which can be attended in person or virtually (this replaces the June event postponed due to the General Election). This is an opportunity to learn more about the role and hear from existing county councillors.
The second is our Candidates’ event on 4th February 2025, commencing at 6pm which again can be attended in person or virtually, and is for those who have decided to stand for election in May 2025. This event will enable them to learn more about what to expect once elected and the support available to them.
Anyone wishing to attend either event is asked to contact to advise which event they wish to attend and whether they plan to attend in person or virtually.
In the meantime here are links to some useful information relating to the role:
- Local democracy/Be a Councillor film: explaining the structure of local government, what the council does, the role of councillors, how funding is allocated and features a range of cross-party councillors talking about their role. Here is a link to the film – https://youtu.be/_uCKsb8CF54
- ‘Be a Councillor’ website, is a useful source of information, including details of:
- A carer’s allowance to assist councillors with the care of family members as a consequence of their role can be claimed.
- Reasonable adjustments can be made for any councillors with a disability to ensure they can fulfil their role.
- The majority of informal meetings are held virtually but formal meetings must be attended in person with the majority of meetings taking place during the day at County Hall in Chichester.
- Information on the time commitment and expectations of county councillors in their different roles, including a councillor role profile.
Kind regards, Democratic Services