Councillor
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A councillor is a member of a council (such as a city council), particularly in the U.K., Canada, and its former colonies. The US equivalent is councilman or councilwoman.
It is not the same as a counselor, who provides counsel or advice.
English Councillors
In the United Kingdom, any local authority is overseen by elected councillors.
These include:
- county councils,
- Any district, borough or city councils,
- civil parish, town or community councils.
Most councillors are full time proffessionals who are paid, however parish, town or community councillors are volunteers.
In the case of the London Assembly the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament, their members are not referred to as Councillors, but as Assembly Members.
Councillors are typically elected as members of political parties. Once elected they are meant to represent all their constituents and not just those who voted for them. They are bound by a code of conduct enforced by standards boards.