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Leadership Roles

There are a number of clearly defined roles within council:

• chairpersons and mayors
• deputy chairpersons and deputy mayors
• committee and subcommittee chairpersons
• councillors
• community board chairperson
• community board members.

Mayor

The role of mayor is very important as the ceremonial head of the council providing leadership to other elected members. The job is varied, involves long hours, and a wide range of duties including opening buildings, taking a stand on local issues and always being available to the constituents. The size of the job differs depending on the size of the town/city and the size of the council itself. The mayor is elected by the district as a whole and has the same responsibilities as other members of council along with additional duties.

The mayor advocates on behalf of the community in an effort to ensure the views of the community are represented. In this role the mayor is often the spokesperson for the council. In addition to these roles, the mayor also fulfils the responsibilities of a Justice of the Peace (while holding office).  The deputy mayor stands in when the mayor is absent or has delegated duties to the deputy.

Chairperson of regional council

The chairperson is elected by the members of the regional council at the first meeting following the local elections. As an elected member, the chairperson shares the same responsibilities as other members of the council. In addition to this, the chairperson has a number of other roles, including, the ceremonial head of the council, the presiding member at council meetings and responsibility for ensuring meetings are conducted in an orderly manner.

The chairperson advocates on behalf of the community by promoting and representing its interests and providing leadership and feedback to fellow elected members on teamwork and chairmanship of committees. In addition to these roles the chairperson also fulfils the responsibilities of a Justice of the Peace (while holding office).   The deputy chairperson stand in when the chairperson is absent or has delegated duties to the deputy.

Councillor

The role of councillor can, at times, be very demanding. Councillors need to juggle work, the community’s demands, their own priorities, the policies of their political party (if you have one) and the challenges facing their council.

The role and responsibilities of a councillor fall into two main categories:

•  being a member of the governing body of the council
•  being an elected representative of the community.

Community board chairperson and members

 

 

Last updated: September 2008

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