Sector Oomph - January/February 2023 Edition

Parish and town councils are essentially people organisations. Their success depends on the calibre, capacity, motivation, and ambition of the councillors and clerk (plus any other officers) all working together as part of a team. At Northants CALC we’ve been thinking recently about how much “oomph” parish and town councillors have currently (a technical measure, I know!). Our theory is that a person’s efforts – what they focus their time and energy on – typically falls into four realms: Family, Self, Others (i.e., not family or self), and Work. We did a poll on LinkedIn asking how people would prioritise those things and 46 of 59 respondents (78%) prioritised “Family” first, with 10 of 59 respondents (17%) putting “Self” first. Only one (honest?!) person put “Work” first, and only 2 put “Others” first.

The “Others” realm includes volunteering or taking an unpaid official position, such as becoming a parish or town councillor, so it is revealing that for many it is a low priority. If our sample had been limited to parish and town councillors only then perhaps “Others” might have scored better; after all, holding public office is by its very nature a Self-less activity.

Each councillor’s circumstances are unique, but it appears that only when there is anything left after “Family” and “Self” is there any “oomph” left for “Others”. Perhaps then when times are good, and the family is happily taking care of itself, and people are feeling good about themselves, there is plenty left over for Others. But when times are harder, and families are trying to hold things together, and people are just trying to make it through the day, there is understandably less to give to Others, however public-spirited one might be.

Then there’s the “cost” side of the equation too. What is the personal cost of allocating time and energy to “Others”? For example, if being a parish or town councillor is a joyful, pleasurable, and rewarding experience, then people are more likely to summon up the energy to continue. If on the other hand the experience is negative or stressful, or the council is inward looking and unproductive, then the “cost” of expending energy on being a councillor outweighs the benefits.

Councils can be on an upward spiral or a downward spiral. Councils that are doing brilliant things for their communities, are fun to be part of, and have a great team culture, are on an upward spiral. They have motivated councillors and staff. When there are casual vacancies they are easily filled, and the collective effort is focused externally on the community. Conversely, a council that is inactive, or not properly managed (chair and clerk), or is not fun to be part of, becomes demotivating for councillors, casual vacancies go unfilled, there is a turnover of clerks, and the collective effort is focused internally dealing with complaints and FOI requests.

Discretionary effort from councillors is the additional effort, beyond what is already expected in terms of simply attending meetings, and councils can, and should, do things to encourage this by, for example:

1. Showing appreciation – a councillor will feel more appreciated when they given recognition for their efforts, leading to an improved sense of purpose and belonging.

2. Providing vision and inspiration – collectively agreeing the purpose of the council and what it hopes to achieve in the coming three to five years gives councillors an understanding of how their efforts are helping the council to achieve its goals. A council is a for-purpose organisation whose role is to improve the environmental, economic, and social wellbeing of its area, so writing down what that looks like for your council in a simple business plan can be very inspiring.

3. Provide adequate resources and support – imagine, for example, asking a councillor to organise a big community event for the Coronation, but they will have no help from other councillors or staff, and no budget. It’s hardly likely to produce discretionary effort! Instead, make sure that all staff and councillors have the resources and support they need to be efficient and effective in whatever they are doing. Scrimping is likely to be a false economy in the long run.

4. Create a positive emotional culture – when there is culture of kindness, respect, and trust then councillors will flourish and will be more inclined to work hard. There is no issue that cannot be resolved if people are kind, respectful, and trusting.

5. Encourage a healthy balance – recognise that most councillors have competing demands on their time and energy, and sometimes they will be more able to give the council discretionary effort than at other times. During a time when a councillor is able to give less – perhaps because something is going on in their “Family” realm – be understanding, supportive, and provide cover until they are able to refocus on the council again.

Councillors who are supported and appreciated and have a clear sense of purpose are more likely to be happy, engaged, and willing to put in the discretionary effort that makes the council fly. Rather than feeling burnt-out from non-stop council demands, stress, and pressure, they feel energised, positive, and ready to give 100%.