Ever wondered what happens after being elected for local government? Well, as someone who has been elected five times, I thought I would briefly talk about the journey of being a newly elected councillor in Cheltenham, from the count to your first full council meeting.

Your journey begins with the count. Spending a whole day waiting for people to check and re-check voting papers, hoping each paper has a cross by your name. The

Returning Officer calls your name out and congratulates you for receiving the most votes in your ward – a representation of public trust. An incredible honour and privilege but, admittedly, a little daunting.

Support for your journey in enacting positive change in your ward

In your first week, you will attend a New Members Open Day where you’ll receive lots of information that will help you learn the tricks to your new trade. You will meet some of the Council Officers who will support you in your journey in enacting positive change in your ward.

The Leader of the group with the largest majority will then form their Cabinet. Councillors interested in being a member of Cabinet will have the opportunity to nominate themselves. Once Cabinet is appointed, members will be assigned their area of responsibility within the council’s constitution. Cabinet will then meet informally weekly to discuss points of interest and forthcoming decisions to be made at the monthly Cabinet.

Finally, your first council meeting arrives, where the whole council elects the Mayor, Leader, Cabinet and committee chairs of Planning, Licensing, Audit & Governance, and Overview & Scrutiny. Later that day you get to attend the inauguration of the Mayor – always a poignant moment for both the outgoing and incoming Mayors. The stories of years past and the year to come, full of pride for our town.

Hopefully this provided a little insight to the journey after election. I wish all the new members huge luck and hope they enjoy every moment.