What is…South Tyneside Council?

In this series, we're going to be looking at South Tyneside Council - what it is, how it works, how it's funded and so on. This edition: how STC works

Our aim is to work for our community in an open and transparent way and keep local people informed and involved in all we do.

Who works at the council?

There are two distinct groups of people who work at the council – those employed by the council and those elected to the council – and it’s an important difference to remember!

Council employees are the paid staff who do the work and provide the services. Office-based staff are often known as council ‘officers’. They do not represent political parties.

Elected councillors (sometimes known as ‘members’) represent political parties and are responsible for making the decisions which affect the borough. Although they do not receive a salary/wage, they get a basic allowance of £7,667* but are eligible for allowances by chairing committees or claiming for travel costs, out of pocket expenses and so on.

A councillor’s principal role is to represent their ward and the people in it. A good councillor is a bridge between the community and the council - a campaigner for local residents, keeping them informed about the issues affecting them.

Councillors are expected to:

respond to queries/investigate resident’s concerns
update the community on council decisions
know/work with representatives of local organisations, groups and businesses
represent resident’s views at council meetings

Each councillor (and council) is required to promote and maintain a high standard of conduct. Although each council adopts its own code, it must be based on the Committee on Standards in Public Life’s principles of public life. First set out by Lord Nolan in 1995, the Seven Principles of Public Life outline the ethical standards councillors are expected to adhere to:

Selflessness: holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
Integrity: holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
Objectivity: holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
Accountability: holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
Openness: holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for doing so.
Honesty: holders of public office should be truthful.
Leadership: holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

Councillors are elected to represent their local community, they are in a position to make a difference to the quality of other people’s daily lives and prospects – how do yours measure up?

SERIES CONTIUES HERE: How STC is funded (1)

* 2020/2021 figures

What is…South Tyneside Council?

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