Balancing Act: The Challenges of Being a Local Councillor and Serving on an External Board

For Havant Borough Council two examples are Langstone Harbour Board & Chichester Harbour Conservancy

Introduction – Local councillors play a crucial role in shaping their communities, advocating for residents, and making decisions that impact their local areas. However, when they are appointed to serve on external bodies or boards, it can become a delicate balancing act between political responsibilities and their duty to work for the external board without any political bias. We thought it worthwhile to explore the difficulties faced by local councillors when they take on these dual roles and the importance of maintaining impartiality in external appointments.

The Role of a Local Councillor – Local councillors are elected representatives who work to address the concerns and needs of their constituents on a whole range of matters; we serve as a bridge between the community and the local government, Havant Borough Council is made up of 38 councillors. Councillors are democratically accountable to the residents of their ward including those who did not vote for us.

External Appointments: A New Challenge – Local councillors are sometimes selected to serve on external bodies or boards, such as non-profit organizations, advisory committees, or even corporations; in the case of Havant the Langstone Harbour Board Membership of the Board is made up of:

• 6 councillors from each of the two local authorities, Portsmouth City Council and Havant Borough Council,
• 1 councillor from Hampshire County Council
• 2 members of the Advisory Committee representing a wide range of Harbour stakeholders.

The Board meets 5 / 6 times every year. The programme of meetings, minutes and papers are published on the LHB  website. The Board responsibilities are wide ranging (https://www.langstoneharbour.org.uk/board-responsibilities)

OPEN PORT DUTY	CONSERVANCY DUTY
General Duty to Ensure Safe &  Efficient Port Marine Operations	Stakeholder Engagement Responsibility
Civil Contingencies & Port Security Duty	RESPONSIBILITY FOR REVISING DUTIES AND POWERS
Financial Responsibility	Environmental Duty
Responsibility to Promote & Improve the Harbour as an Asset

The appointment of councillors to external bodies poses a concern in that it can lead to frequent turnover in council representation, e.g. during election cycles (some councillors losing their seats and new inexperienced councillors), resulting in a lack of continuity. They also present a unique set of challenges:

The Challenge of Political Neutrality – Councillors are expected to leave their party affiliations and biases behind. This can be particularly challenging, as their political beliefs may strongly influence their perspectives on various issues.

Striking a Balance – Balancing the responsibilities of being a local councillor and serving on an external board requires a delicate touch. Here are some of the key challenges that councillors must navigate:

1. Conflict of Interest: Local councillors cannot be seen to have conflicts of interest between their council duties and the goals of the external organisation. This might mean excusing themselves from certain decisions or discussions.
2. Public Perception: The public expects their elected representatives to be transparent and accountable. Any perception of political bias in their external roles can create mistrust in their ability to make impartial decisions at the local level.
3. Time Commitment: Serving on an external board demands time and effort, which can make it more difficult for a councillor to fulfil their local duties effectively.
4. Policy Alignment: Striking a balance between their personal beliefs and the policies and objectives of the external organisation. This can be challenging if there is a misalignment between the two.
5. Communication: This must be clear and transparent with their constituents about their external roles, emphasising their commitment to impartiality and the benefits it brings to the community.

Conclusion – Being a local councillor is already a demanding and important role. When appointed to external bodies, the challenges of maintaining political neutrality can be complicate our work. On the plus side external appointments can also bring valuable insights, expertise, and connections to the local community.

We hope the above helps to explain how  complex this combination of being a councillor and combining it with external appointments can be, being alert to potential conflicts of interest, prioritise transparency and impartiality, and effectively communicate our commitment to serving both the community and external organisations without political bias. Striking this balance can be challenging, but it is essential to uphold the integrity of local government and ensure that decisions are made in the best interest of the public.