Be a councillor
Why be a councillor?
Being a councillor in Tower Hamlets can make a real difference to the local:
- decisions,
- policies, and
- services provided for residents and the community.
If you are passionate about making positive changes for your local community, find out if becoming a councillor could be right for you. People from all backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to find out more and the next upcoming local council election will be on Thursday 7 May 2026.
What do councillors do?
Councillors work with local people and partners, such as:
- community groups,
- businesses, and
- other organisations, to agree and deliver on local priorities.
The decisions are put in place by permanent council staff, council officers, who deliver services daily.
The role of a councillor is to serve and represent everyone in the ward that they are elected to. Some are also appointed to additional roles in the council, such as being a cabinet member.
The role brings people together. Councillors work with a diverse range of people from their community and have officers to support them in their role at the council.
To give an idea of the wide range of roles that councillors can undertake, the council has developed a series of Role Profiles. All councillors will perform the duties set out in the Ward Councillior role profile and if you take on ‘other’ roles such as Chairing a committee then different ‘add ons’ may also apply.
Regardless of whether you are elected as part of the biggest political group, a smaller opposition group, or as an independent councillor, there will be many opportunities to get involved in supporting the work of the Council and local people and organisations.
What are councillor role profiles?
Role profiles for councillors set out the roles and responsibilities as well as the skills and knowledge required for each role.
The Ward Councillor role profile is the foundation for each councillor. There are then additional profiles that can be added on top depending on the specific appointments accepted by each councillor (for example – Cabinet Member or Committee Chair).
The role of Mayor is unique and so has its own Role Profile.
There is also a role profile for the Council’s Co-optee Members which sits separately to the main Mayor/Councillor Role Profiles.
The different roles
The purpose of the role profiles
- Provide clarity for both councillors and officers about what is required of each role.
- Provide guidance in relation to the council’s Member Learning and Development Programme as to some of the key training that should be supported.
- To support councillors in their development by providing a checklist to identify their key development needs. Both for the roles they are currently undertaking and for future roles to support succession planning.
- To provide the public and potential candidates with a guide as to the main roles undertaken by Elected Members and Co-optees. To help those considering whether to stand as candidates in the future.
How to become a councillor?
Councillors can either represent a political group or stand as an independent candidate. If you want to represent a political group, you must contact their local branch. They will advise you further about standing to represent them.
Independent councillor
If you plan to stand as an independent councillor contact Electoral Services.
Email: Electoral.Services@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Standing as a member of a political party
If you are standing as a member of a political party, you should contact the party as early as possible before the elections are due to take place on Thursday 7 May 2026. The Electoral Commission hosts a list of all Political Parties in the UK.
Nomination papers
Whether you are standing as a member of a political party or as an independent councillor, you will need to be officially nominated and this involves completing a set of nomination papers. You can get these from the electoral services office or from the Electoral Commission website.
What support do councillors receive?
Once elected there is a range of support available to you including dependency allowance to support with childcare arrangements or training on how to make decisions during council meetings. see more information on support available for councillors.
More information