This is the cornerstone to the Declaration. A statement to the community and clear lines of communication on progress with partners will be necessary to ensure that the council is truly representative of the community it serves.

There are a number of ways to enact this aspect of the Declaration, but our recommendation would be to take the steps outlined in the LGA Equality Framework for Local Government. The four improvement modules are on Understanding and working with your communities, Leadership, partnership and organisational commitment, Responsive services and customer care, and a Diverse and engaged workforce. Taken together, this Framework is a useful tool in achieving substantial culture change.

This part of the Declaration is key. Your Action Plan should set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time bound) goals and be reviewed regularly to ensure it is meeting not just the requirements of the Plan, but the wider spirit of your endeavour. Key milestones should include: Diversity Ambassador appointment with specific targets, establishment of a mentoring and shadowing programme designed to reflect the needs of your specific community, scheduling and running information and learning events for potential candidates, co-operative working with partners in the planning, promotion and delivery of the actions in the plan, a survey for candidates and councillors that has clear objectives prior to being run and established actions based upon findings, and clear targes that the council might stretch to achieve at the next local election.  This Action Plan to be reviewed and evaluated upon completion for learning and further steps.

Learning and development for councillors is important in ensuring that councils and councillors deliver what communities need. The LGA’s Councillor Development Charter supports councils to enrich their councillor development programmes. Through this concise framework, councils can take a strategic approach to towards councillor development and support with step-by-step targets to evidence the skills and knowledge garnered by councillors throughout the programme.

Care and well-being of elected members is an increasing area of focus in many local authorities. Options for achieving this include, but are not limited to, Mental Health First Aid training, working alongside local partners to provide counselling services without additional costs to members, . Bullying and harassment has increased in recent years, in person but particularly online. Women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ colleagues and those with disabilities are targeted at disproportionately higher rates. Councils should visibly adopt a stated zero-tolerance approach. Practical steps and guidance from the LGA are available.

Many councillors take on the responsibility of being an elected member alongside other family and work commitments. The time commitment required to be an effective councillor can hold back those aspiring to serve their community in this way. The recognition of this and implementation of a flexible way of working widens opportunities. Women disproportionately are impacted by caring commitments, so flexibility in meeting times and opportunities for remote working allow more women to stand. Additionally, those with a disability or long-term condition can benefit from hybrid or remote working if mobility issues arise. Councils can achieve this by reviewing the current meeting times and seeking to diversify timings. This goes beyond seeing what works for current councillors, but must also take into consideration how the existing meeting times bay deter those who might put themselves forward as candidates in future. Hybrid or remote working, where possible in law, can accommodate busy schedules and mobility needs.

Fair renumeration is essential for anyone in work. The time and dedication required to be a councillor should be compensated proportionately. For those with caring responsibilities, councils should ensure that there is a dedicated policy for remuneration of care so this is not a financial obstacle to participation as a councillor.

Councils should ensure that insofar as possible Members are able to take appropriate leave at the time of birth or adoption, that both parents are able to take leave, and that reasonable and adequate arrangements are in place to provide cover for portfolio-holders and others in receipt of Special Responsibility Allowances (SRA) during any period of leave taken. See resources below for links to the LGA website for a model policy.

The councillor development and support programme outlined above will ensure a wide pool of talent in any authority. Councillors from under-represented groups should be actively encouraged to take on high profile, high influence roles. Mentorship and shadowing opportunities should be made available to members to encourage individuals into more senior roles. Councillors, as a group, should recognise and promote the talent and diversity of colleagues so the council will actively and visibly recognise all people in society.