Becoming a councillor

We have compiled some brief information about why you might become a councillor but you may be most interested to hear directly from those who are already in the role. Cllr Val Marden describes why she got involved and what motivated her to become a parish councillor.

Why become a councillor?

There are many reasons why you might become a councillor:

• to make a difference and help shape the future of the local community
• concern about your local area and wanting to ensure the community gets the right services
• to represent the views of local people and ensure that community interests are taken into account
• concern about a specific issue and wanting to do something about it
• having good ideas for the council and community in a time of scarce resources
• to contribute your skills
• to build on other community work through a charity, voluntary group or school governing body
• it can be a career-enhancing activity, allowing you to develop leadership and analytical skills and to obtain practical and managerial work experience.

Becoming a councillor, Cllr Val Marden

Having lived in Bracebridge Heath since 2000, I had just finished full time employment, serving for many years in the Royal Air Force and subsequently within MOD at various bases within Lincolnshire. My husband and I decided to remain living here in Bracebridge Heath. We both liked our house and its location, as a village with its own identity but on the edge of Lincoln. Being a local Councillor was something I had previously considered, but I now felt that I had the time to devote to various voluntary roles and to take on a role as a Parish Councillor. I applied for the role advertised and I was delighted to have been co-opted onto Bracebridge Heath Parish Council in June 2019. Currently I also sit on the Parish Council’s Personnel Committee and am the Parish Council’s representative for the local Neighbourhood Watch group.

One of my interests is the Village’s history, and it is really good to see the continued restoration and conversion of the St John’s Hospital site to housing, as this was derelict when we arrived here in 2000. I am also keen to see the Village’s amenities modernised, such as the current renovation to the Village Hall, which is progressing to plan. I also think it’s essential that we all do what we can to keep our Village clean and tidy, so I am also a member of the Bracebridge Heath Wombles, along with two other Parish Councillors.

Cllr Sue Manders - Winner of an NK Champion award 

Cllr Sue Manders recently won an NK Community Champion award for her longstanding contribution to the parish council and other local organisations. Watch the video of Cllr Manders talking about her work in the community at https://www.nkawards.org/ (section 9 – longstanding contribution).