Council candidates to be offered extra guidance

Concerns that people might be standing for council seats without understanding what the job entails has prompted a local authority to issue an advice booklet.

All 54 seats on Coventry City Council will be up for election in May, but a council report revealed concerns that individuals were elected in other parts of the country without anticipating or understanding the demands of office.

It has produced a 20-page pamphlet explaining everything from securing a nomination through to how the council works and what services it runs.

The council said it would also be "reviewing the induction and training offer, particularly in the first few weeks following the election".

Members of the council's ethics committee will be asked to endorse using the booklet when they meet on 8 January.

They will also be invited to recommend any additional information which could assist prospective councillors.

Every year the council's returning officer also holds briefings for candidates and their agents prior to the election.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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