Councillor Call for Action: Best practice guidance

Councillor Call for Action (CCfA) is about helping councillors to resolve issues and problems on behalf of their residents. Section 236 will further bolster this role, giving ward members powers to respond directly to local need. CCfA should not be regarded as merely a scrutiny process. Being able to use it effectively will require councils to consider making improvements to a wider range of council functions, including:

• support for councillors’ ward work
• the complaints process
• call-in
• petitions.

The Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) and the Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) have developed sector-led guidance on the new legislation to help councils respond and reap the potential benefits. The guidance draws on examples of councils who have already developed practice in this way of working.

This guidance is not about providing councils with a prescriptive view of how they must set about putting CCfA into practice. It provides a steer to those who are keen to use CCfA to its maximum possible effect. It provides guidance for those councils wishing to use their powers to delegate functions under section 236. It suggests ways that this might be done so as to complement CCfA and existing neighbourhood working arrangements.

Councillor Call for Action: Best practice guidance – (PDF, 52 pages, 799KB)

Councillor Call for Action: Background evidence – (PDF, 10 pages, 67KB)

Councillor Call for Action: Summary document – (PDF, 8 pages, 557KB)

Councillor Call for Action workshops

Published February 2009.