The Scottish Government

Development Department Research Programme Research Findings No. 88

The What, Where and When of Being a Councillor

Paolo Vestri and Stephen Fitzpatrick
Scottish Local Government Information Unit

Main Findings

• On average, councillors spend 36 hours per week undertaking council work. Leaders, provosts and convenors spend more time than other elected members, recording around 50 hours per week time commitment.
• Around 4 hours per week are spent attending council and committee meetings, 3 hours preparing for such meetings and 2 hours attending party and group meetings.
• Councillors spend an average of 5.5 hours per week holding ward surgeries and dealing with constituents' enquiries. A further 4 hours are spent on other constituency business such as attending school boards and community councils.
• Travelling related to council business accounts for an average of 5 hours per week. This figure is higher for councillors in rural authorities, 7 hours as compared with under 4 hours for respondents from urban and intermediate authorities.
• 66% of council work is undertaken during the day, 22% in the evenings and 12% at weekends. Councillors in full-time employment undertake a higher proportion of their council work in the evenings and at weekends.
• 55% of council work takes place within council headquarters or other council buildings, 15% in ward locations and 10% outwith the council area. On average 20% of council activity is undertaken within councillors' own homes but this figure is higher for rural members (31%).

Introduction

The Renewing Local Democracy Working Group was established by the Scottish Executive to take forward a number of inter-related recommendations from the report of the Commission on Local Government and the Scottish Parliament.

To support their deliberations, research was commissioned to generate information on the time commitment and activities undertaken by councillors. The specific objectives were to gather, collate and present information on:

• the aggregate time spent on council duties;
• the specific activities undertaken by councillors in relation to their council duties;
• the time spent on various activities;
• when time is spent on council duties (daytime, evenings, weekends);
• where activities are undertaken (e.g. main council offices, at councillor's own home).

Research Methods

To secure the required information, a sample of councillors was asked to log all activities undertaken in relation to being a councillor during the period 15th-28th November 1999 (inclusive). Participants were asked to complete a diary using pre-determined codes for activities and locations. The diary was subdivided into 30 minute slots running from 7am to 10.30pm. Respondents were asked to indicate if the time commitment and activities recorded during the survey period were atypical and to note any council activities outwith the pre-set day and/or activities.

Diaries were sent to 640 of Scotland's 1,222 councillors. All leaders, provosts and convenors were asked to participate and 50% of other councillors. 191 responses were received. The responses accounted for 15.6% of all elected members in Scotland.

The survey results provide an insight into how councillors spend their time. It is a snapshot based on self-completed returns during a two week period. It is probable that if the survey were undertaken during a different two weeks or was completed by a different set of councillors, some variation in the findings would be evident. The results are therefore best regarded as a guide to the time commitment and activities undertaken by councillors.

The survey returns have been analysed according to position in the council and by employment status. The results have also been disaggregated according to the population of the authority with summary results generated for authorities with populations under 100,000, between 100-250,000, and over 250,000. Consideration has also been given to the relative dispersion of authorities' populations using the following classification:

• urban: less than 7% of population in settlements less than 1,000;
• intermediate: between 7% and 29% of population in settlements less than 1,000;
• rural: 30% or more of population in settlements less than 1,000.

Total Time Spent on Council Work

Table 1 shows the total time spent on council activities. The average amount of time councillors spend undertaking council work is 36 hours per week. Not surprisingly, leaders and provosts/convenors spend most time on council activities, recording 50 and 49 hours respectively. On the basis of this survey, majority group backbenchers spend around 23 hours undertaking council business but the number of responses within this category was relatively low so this finding should be interpreted with caution. All other groupings are within 5 hours of the 36 hour average.

Table 1: Total Time Spent on Council Duties

In terms of employment status, survey respondents who classified themselves as full-time councillors spent 44 hours per week on council business. This compares with around 31 hours for elected members in full-time employment or self-employed and around 37 hours for those in part-time employment or retired. There was no substantive difference in total hours spent on council business according to the total population or population dispersion of authorities.

Time Spent on Specific Activities

Table 2 provides a breakdown of time spent on specific activities related to being a councillor. On average, around 4 hours per week are spent at council and committee meetings. A further 3 hours are spent preparing for such meetings and almost 2 hours in attending party/group meetings. These figures are broadly consistent across all categories considered.

Around 6 hours per week are spent on other internal council business such as follow-up activity from council meetings and meetings with officials. The amount of time spent on this activity increases with council responsibility ranging from under 3 hours for majority group backbenchers to over 12 hours for leaders.

Considerable disparity is evident in the time spent at civic functions and receptions. Leaders and provosts/convenors respectively spend 4 hours and 8 hours on this activity whilst all other categories of councillor spend 1 hour or less at civic events.

The time commitment associated with external meetings and seminars similarly varies with seniority ranging from nearly 11 hours for leaders to under 3 hours for majority group backbenchers. Respondents who considered themselves full-time councillors, spent above average time on this activity.

On average, councillors spend five and half hours per week holding ward surgeries and dealing with constituents enquiries. Leaders recorded least time on this activity (3.6 hours) and minority group backbenchers most time (5.9 hours). Considering employment status, it is interesting to note that councillors in part-time employment spent most time on this activity (7.5 hours). There is some variation in time spent on direct constituency activity by population dispersion with respondents in urban authorities recording most time.

Table 2: Average Hours per Week on Specific Activities

Around 4 hours per week are spent on other constituency business such as attending meetings of school boards and community councils. There is some variation within this figure according to position within the council.

Councillors spend an average of 5 hours per week travelling. Respondents from rural authorities recorded 7 hours on this activity whilst those in urban and intermediate authorities spent less than 4 hours travelling. Leaders had above average travel time but this is likely to reflect their increased participation in external meetings.

Other Information

The survey also generated information on when councillors undertake their council work and where activities are undertaken. Table 3 provides relevant information.

66% of council work is undertaken during the day. 22% is undertaken in the evenings and 12% at weekends. Councillors in full-time employment undertake a higher proportion of their council work in evenings and at weekends.

Around 55% of council work is undertaken within council headquarters or other council buildings and 15% is undertaken in locations within councillors wards. Councillors undertake around 20% of their work at home and 10% outwith the council area. Councillors from rural authorities undertake a higher proportion of their council work at home, 31% as compared with 16% for councillors from urban authorities.

Table 3: When and Where Activities are Undertaken