Your Role

As a councillor, you will have many different roles and competing priorities. You will represent your ward, engage with local residents, businesses and groups and act as a leader for your community.

Within the Council, you will contribute to the development of policies and strategies, including budget setting. You may also have the opportunity to make decisions on Cabinet, scrutinise the decisions of the Council and partner organisations and make decisions on a range of committees.

As you will be representing the Council and in the public eye, you are encouraged to consider issues of punctuality and appropriate dress for public meetings where the press and public may be present. If a Member attends only part of a Council meeting, the time they arrive and leave is recorded.

You can use Member Role Profiles like job descriptions to help you decide which position/s you would like to stand for. These profiles can help you assess your skills and where you may want to develop.

First Aid and Fire Safety at Council Buildings

First Aid Facilities at Council Buildings

Reception desks in Council buildings hold a first aid box and a list of qualified first aiders for that building. This list is also posted at strategic points on notice boards around the buildings.

There are defibrillators mounted in the receptions at the Town Hall and Roycraft House for use in the event of heart failure. It is not essential to be trained in the use of this equipment in emergencies, instructions are supplied within the packs. There is a list of staff that have been trained in its use adjacent to the sets supplied.

If you have an accident or you are a victim of an incident or assault or witness one, you must report it to the reception desk regardless of severity. The reception/ facilities staff will complete an incident report with you to ensure accurate records are kept.

If you have any queries, issues or complaints with the facilities in the Town Hall, Stour Road or Roycraft House please contact Robby Misir, Facilities Manager by email: robby.misir@lbbd.gov.uk or phone: 07875 397 844

Fire Safety

Fire instruction notices are displayed in all corporate buildings and there are booklets available in the Members’ Room. These provide instructions on the action to be taken when a fire breaks out, the fire drill routine and assembly point. Please read the fire notices / booklets and take immediate and appropriate action whenever the alarm sounds. You must comply with the fire evacuation plan for the premises and follow the Fire Warden’s instructions at all times. The fire wardens are responsible for area clearance during evacuations and one will attend in the event of an alarm evacuation to check that the rooms have been cleared.

If you have mobility issues that may affect your ability to quickly leave a building unaided, you may need a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP). For more information please contact Bradley Paris (Health & Safety Advisor) by email: Bradley.paris@lbbd.gov.uk or phone: 020 8227 3222.

For assistance in the event of evacuations please contact Facilities Helpdesk by phone: 020 8227 2392 or email: FacilitiesHelpDesk@lbbd.gov.uk

Personal Safety

Councillors' Surgeries

Face to face surgeries are still suspended whiles the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Councillors should use alternative methods of contacting residents such as Microsoft Teams meetings, email and telephone calls.

Our security is your security

Please wear your ID badge at all times when in Council buildings. To ensure high standards of security for all, staff or councillors who don't have ID on display may be challenged.

Please be aware of people following closely behind you as they pass through restricted access doors – also known as 'tailgating'. Please report any suspicious incidents to Security (0208 227 3178)

If you lose your ID card, please contact – 0208 227 3178 or email: securityaccessandid@lbbd.gov.uk

The Council’s Physical Infrastructure Security Policy can be viewed here.

Staying safe in an attack

While there is no specific threat identified to council buildings or the borough of Barking and Dagenham, you should always remain on alert. Official advice from the police if you are caught up in a firearm or weapon attack is:

Run to a place of safety;
Hide rather than confront; and
Tell the police by calling 999.

Further information, including a video, can be seen at www.npcc.police.uk/staysafe

Freedom of Information (FOI)

The Council and its elected members are all subject to Freedom of Information requests. Elected members may be asked for copies of their correspondence (be it email or otherwise) at any time.

The Council may also receive Freedom of Information requests about the activities of elected members.

More details about Freedom of Information

Register of Interests

In accordance with the Councillors' Code of Conduct Members are required to register any disclosable pecuniary interests of themselves or their spouse or civil partner or person who they live with as if they were a spouse or civil partner, within 28 days of taking up office. Elected Members are also required to notify the Monitoring Officer if there are any changes in those recorded interests as they occur.

It is a criminal offence if a councillor fails, without reasonable excuse, to declare or register interests. You can find below the Register of Interests form, and the Guidance for completing the form:

Guidance for completing Register of Interests form

If you require assistance, please contact: Alison Stuart,, Head of Law and Monitoring Officer by email: alison.stuart@lbbd.gov.uk or phone Padma Mistry (Alison's PA) on 0208 227 2951

Gifts and Hospitality

In accordance with the Councillors' Code of Conduct Members must, within 28 days of receipt, notify the Monitoring Officer in writing of any gift, benefit or hospitality with an actual or estimated value of £50 or more which they have accepted in their capacity as an elected Member of the Council from any person or body other than the Council. See attached form:

Gifts and Hospitality Form

DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) Checks

There is a requirement for all Barking and Dagenham Council Members to be subject to a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check. This is outlined in: paragraph 5.3 of Part 5, Chapter 1 of the Council's constitution

DBS check

If you do not have a current DBS Certificate, lois.taylor@lbbd.gov.uk can assist you to apply for one. The Council will pay for the check to be completed.

In order to do so, you will need to provide:

Your National Insurance Number
Details of your addresses over the last 5 years
Any 3 of the following: Passport, Driving Licence, Bank Statement, Utility Bill

When a current DBS check has been carried out, this will be recorded in Members' Personal Information on the Council's website.

Virtual Meetings

LBBD Guidance

LBBD Virtual Meeting Guidance

Virtual Meeting Guide - with iPad

Virtual Meeting Guide - with laptop

Remote meetings hub on the LGA website

Support and Guidance from LGA

Good Practice Tips

Peer to Peer Support

Holding Council Meetings online e-learning module accessed via LGA e-learning

You will find the module on ‘Holding council meetings online’ at the bottom of the list. This e-module covers chairing and managing remote meetings following the change in legislation earlier this month.

Councillors' Code of Conduct

Ten general principles govern the conduct of local councillors. These define the standards that all members need to uphold.

The principles are:

selflessness
honesty and integrity
objectivity
accountability
openness
personal judgement
respect for others
duty to uphold the law
stewardship and leadership

All Councils must have a code of conduct for Members. This is the one for Barking and Dagenham:

Councillors' Code of Conduct