Councillors, democracy and elections

Citizenship ceremonies: Citizenship ceremonies should be provided for local citizens who have had their application for British citizenship accepted.

Community assemblies and committees - schedule of meetings: Publication of details of local assemblies and committees and the dates and venues for forthcoming meetings.

Council - minutes, agendas and reports: The local authority records and publishes all decisions taken and recommendations made by the local authority and its committees and panels.

Councillors - committee membership: A committee is a group of councillors chosen by the Council to make decisions about an area of service such as Planning or Licensing and Appeals. Councillors appointed to serve on Committees reflect the overall political make-up of the Council. The Council decides the size of committees and appoints the Chair. Committees set the objectives and policy for their service and oversee their implementation by the officers.

Councillors - information and advice: The local authority provides general information on local councillors, including details of who they are, which area they represent and what they do within the council.

Councillors - surgeries: Councillor advice surgeries are available to the public who want to obtain information and advice, make a complaint or enquire about local authority services.

Elections - electoral nominations: The local authority provides information on the process of electoral nominations (how to stand in an election), and publishes a list of nominations for forthcoming local elections.

Elections - electoral register: A record of everyone who lives within the boundaries of the local authority and who is eligible to vote at elections. This must be kept in two versions, full which includes all electors and edited which only includes those electors who have given permission for their details to be on the list. The edited version may be sold commercially.

Elections - postal votes: Provision of a facility whereby people who cannot attend the polling station on an election day can have postal ballot papers sent to them.

Elections - proxy votes: Provision of a facility whereby people who cannot attend the polling station (usually for reasons of ill-health or employment) on an election day can nominate another person who will vote on their behalf. The proxy must be eligible to vote in the election them self in order to act on behalf of another person.

Elections - results: Appointment of a returning officer, the arrangements for the count (including recruitment and payment of staff) and the declaration of results as well as the publication.

Elections - results publication: Publication of the results of all local elections in a variety of formats to make them accessible to all members of the community.

Elections - voting: A programme enabling the members of the public whose name appears on the register of electors to exercise their right to vote in the election. Providing facilities for voting and counting and declaring results following an election.

Mayoral invitations: local organisations may invite the Mayor or Provost (in Scotland) to attend an event they are organising. The council will review and respond to invitations and organise and publish the Mayors' or Provosts' diary

Spending plans - consultation: Arrangement of public meetings or other means by which citizens can be consulted on budget plans for the forthcoming year. Previous consultations may be published or available for view on request.