Hello, I'm James Corrigan, Managing Director of Council HR and Governance Support. With over 35 years in the local government sector, I've had the privilege of working with countless parish and town councils across the country. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak at Scribe Academy about one of my favourite topics: understanding what truly motivates councillors to serve their communities within parish and town councils.
This topic is particularly close to my heart because it stems from research I conducted during my CIPD qualification, where I surveyed over 1,000 councillors across all sectors to understand their motivations. What I discovered has profound implications for how council officers can build stronger, more productive relationships with their elected members.
The Two Types of Motivation
At its core, there are two fundamental types of motivation that drive human behaviour:
Extrinsic Motivation comes from external factors - rewards, punishments, or the classic "carrot and stick" approach. In the workplace, for unpaid Councillors this might include status, relationships, work conditions or recognition.
Intrinsic Motivation comes from within. This is when someone has a genuine passion for something or finds deep personal satisfaction in the work itself, gaining promotion, personal development, empowerment, and personal achievement.
Understanding which type of motivation drives your councillors is crucial for building effective working relationships and creating a positive council environment.
The Five Key Motivators for Councillors
Through my research and decades of experience, I've identified five primary motivators that drive people to become councillors, plus a rare one:
1. Genuine Community Good (Intrinsic)
This is the gold standard motivation, representing about 56% of councillors in our recent poll. These individuals genuinely want to make a positive difference in their community. They often come with existing community involvement - perhaps they're already running local groups, volunteering, or leading community initiatives.
2. One-Trick Pony - Positive Project (Intrinsic)
These councillors join with a specific positive goal in mind. It might be a young parent wanting to improve children's play facilities, someone passionate about environmental issues, or an advocate for better local services. While focused on one area, they can often be converted into broader community-minded councillors.
3. One-Trick Pony - Negative Issue (Intrinsic)
Unfortunately, some councillors join specifically to oppose something. I've encountered cases where groups have campaigned to become councillors solely to prevent projects like skate parks or community facilities. While their motivation is intrinsic, it can be destructive to council harmony and community progress.
4. Status and Recognition (Extrinsic)
Some individuals are motivated by the prestige of being "Councillor Smith" or the status that comes with the role. While this might seem less noble, these councillors can still contribute positively if properly engaged and motivated.
5. Obligation to Third Parties (Extrinsic)
This includes "paper candidates" put forward by political parties, friends or relatives recruited to support particular agendas,
6. Financial Gain (Extrinsic)
Generally, not an issue in parish and town councils but can be in authorities that pay a significant allowance. Or can be those seeking illegal personal gain, thankfully rare, but when it occurs, it can lead to serious issues including criminal charges for misfeasance in public office.
The Four Intrinsic Rewards That Keep Councillors Engaged
Once councillors are elected, four key intrinsic rewards determine whether they'll remain engaged and effective:
1. Sense of Meaningfulness
Councillors need to feel their role matters. This comes from:
- Having clear strategic targets and objectives
- Seeing tangible progress on community projects
- Understanding how their contributions make a real difference
- Developing passion for the council's work
2. Sense of Choice
While councillors can't make executive decisions individually, they can:
- Take ownership of specific tasks (within proper boundaries)
- Lead on community consultation projects
- Champion particular initiatives with council support
- Take responsibility for specific council functions (like flag ceremonies or community engagement)
3. Sense of Competence
This develops through:
- Comprehensive training programmes
- Gaining experience over time
- Receiving positive feedback from officers and the public
- Achieving measurable objectives
- Understanding their role and responsibilities clearly
4. Sense of Progress
Councillors need to see that they're moving forward:
- Breaking large projects into smaller, achievable milestones
- Regular progress reporting on strategic objectives
- Celebrating successes along the way
- Monitoring and communicating achievements
Practical Strategies for Council Officers
The Power of One-to-One Meetings
One of the most effective tools I recommend is annual one-to-one meetings between the clerk and each councillor. I cannot emphasise enough how transformative this simple practice can be. In my experience, about 80-90% of councillors welcome these meetings, and they help:
- Build stronger working relationships
- Identify councillors training needs and interests
- Understand individual councillors’ motivations and concerns
- Provide a forum for constructive feedback
- Plan councillors personal development for the coming year
These don't need to be formal office meetings - a walk, a coffee, or any relaxed setting often works better.
Essential Foundation Elements
Strategic Planning: Without exception, every dysfunctional council I've worked with (and that's about 50% of our business) lacked a strategic plan. Conversely, every Council of the Year award winner has one. It doesn't need to be complicated - even a simple list of 10 projects with SMART objectives can provide the direction and purpose councillors and officers and work around.
Training Programmes: Build training into your annual calendar. Set dates at the beginning of the year and stick to them. Create a learning culture that embraces both officer and councillor development.
Celebrate Success: Too often, councils fail to recognise and celebrate their achievements. When you complete projects or reach milestones, make sure everyone knows about it - your councillors, your community, and your stakeholders.
Managing Different Types of Councillors
For Community-Good Councillors
These are your champions - cherish them! Provide them with support, encourage their initiatives (within proper boundaries), and give them opportunities to shine. The one-to-one meetings are particularly valuable for this group.
For One-Trick Pony Councillors
Positive Projects: Help them understand how their specific interest fits into the broader council strategy, and how to get it included in the strategic plan if necessary. Provide professional support and try to broaden their engagement with other council activities.
Negative Campaigns: Training and education about the full picture can sometimes change minds. If they remain obstructive despite being in the minority, don't let them hold back the rest of the council's progress.
For Status-Motivated Councillors
These councillors often become "background" members who may not engage deeply. However, with encouragement, training, and inclusion in council achievements, they can often be converted into more intrinsically motivated contributors. One to one meetings with these councillors are often very enlightening and can result in them becoming community minded Councillors, equally they may never become engaged and may well resign before the end of their term of office.
For Obligation to third parties Councillors
Similar to status Councillors they often become “background” members, but useful allies to their group when it comes to a vote. Similarly, they can be converted to community minded Councillors if time and training is invested in them. Some will never get engaged, however.
Key Takeaways for Building a Positive Council Culture
- Implement annual one-to-one meetings with each Councillor - This single change can transform your working relationships
- Develop a strategic plan - Give your council clear direction and measurable objectives
- Create a structured training programme - Build learning into your annual calendar
- Celebrate successes - Make sure achievements are recognised and shared
- Don't let negative voices dominate - Focus on those who want to contribute positively
- Give credit where it's due - Let councillors take public credit for achievements while officers stay in the background
- Build positive relationships - Remember, we're all working toward the same goal of serving our communities
Conclusion
Understanding what motivates your councillors isn't just academic - it's practical knowledge that can transform your working relationships and your council's effectiveness. When officers understand these motivations and implement strategies to nurture positive engagement, everyone benefits: the councillors feel valued and effective, the officers enjoy better working relationships, and most importantly, the community receives better service.
Remember, residents don't walk down the high street praising councils for having excellent meetings - they praise councils for delivering excellent services, facilities, and community support. That's what we're all here to achieve.
Watch the Full Webinar and Slides
This blog post covers the key points from my presentation, but there's much more detail and additional insights in the full webinar recording. You can watch the complete session on the Scribe Academy YouTube channel to hear the full discussion, including the interactive polling results and extended Q&A session.
Download the Slides: "Councillor Motivation Training Presentation"
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How can I motivate councillors who seem disengaged and don't read their papers before meetings?
A: Start with one-to-one meetings with each councillor to understand their motivations and explain the importance of preparation. Don't make this the sole purpose of the meeting but include it as part of a broader discussion about their role and objectives. This approach is much more effective than addressing the issue in group settings, which can come across as preaching.
Q: We've lost several good councillors recently due to conflict with a political faction. How can we manage councillors who seem motivated by external political agendas rather than community good?
A: This is challenging but not uncommon. Again, start with individual one-to-one meetings to understand their motivations. Consider organising training on roles and responsibilities for all councillors - this addresses problematic behaviour without singling out individuals. For serious issues like Chairs overstepping their authority, seek HR support and specific Chair training.
Q: Should councillor training be mandatory?
A: While there's been discussion about mandatory training for 35 years, it still hasn't happened. However, you can create a strong training culture by building sessions into your annual calendar, making them relevant and engaging, and emphasising how training improves councillors' effectiveness and confidence. School governors must complete training - perhaps we should follow that model.
Q: How do we deal with councillors who come with unrealistic expectations about what the council can achieve?
A: This often happens with "one-trick pony" councillors who have specific projects in mind. Through training and one-to-one discussions, help them understand the council's powers, limitations, and proper processes. Try to incorporate realistic elements of their vision into your strategic plan where possible and guide them toward achievable alternatives.
Q: What's the most important single change we can make to improve councillor motivation?
A: Implement annual one-to-one meetings between the clerk and each councillor. This simple practice builds relationships, identifies issues early, provides personalised support, and shows councillors they're valued. In my experience, this single change has the most dramatic positive impact on council dynamics.
Q: How can we prevent good councillors from becoming disillusioned?
A: Focus on the four intrinsic rewards: meaningfulness (through strategic planning and clear objectives), choice (appropriate delegation of tasks), competence (through training and support), and progress (regular reporting and celebration of achievements). Most importantly, don't let negative or disruptive councillors dominate the council culture.
Need Professional Support for Your Council?
If you're facing challenges with councillor motivation, relationship management, or any of the issues discussed in this blog, Council HR and Governance Support can help. Our team of 15+ expert associates provides comprehensive support to parish and town councils across the country.
Our Services Include:
HR and Governance Support:
- Unique subscription HR and Governance unlimited support service
- Organisational Reviews and Job Evaluations
- Investigations and Settlement Agreements
- Project support for complex HR matters
Training and Development:
- Bespoke expert training sessions (online and on-site)
- Roles and responsibilities training for councillors and officers
- Chairmanship training
- Strategic planning workshops
Strategic Planning:
- Gold, Silver and Bronze strategic planning packages
- On-site facilitation and support
- Implementation guidance and monitoring
Recruitment Support:
- Gold, Silver and Bronze recruitment packages
- Specialist recruitment for clerk and officer positions
Get in Touch: For further details of our services, please email support@chrgs.co.uk or call 07805 472 859.
James Corrigan is the Managing Director of Council HR and Governance Support, with over 35 years of experience in local government. CHRGS Ltd is registered at Exchange Buildings, 66 Church Square, Hartlepool, TS24 7DN (Company Registration: 14045216, VAT: 467 7937 26).
