Editing Councillor (section)

==United Kingdom==
All [[local government in the United Kingdom|local authorities in the United Kingdom]] are overseen by elected councillors. These include:

#[[unitary authority|unitary authorities]]
#[[county council]]s and [[districts of England|district]] councils
#[[civil parish|parish]], [[town council|town]] and [[community council|community]] councils
#The [[Common Council of the City of London]] (in which councillors are known as aldermen and councilmen)

According to ''Debrett's Correct Form'' the English title "Councillor" (often shortened to 'Cllr') applies only to elected members of city, borough or district councils.<ref name=debretts>''Debrett's Correct Form'', pg 193, Headline Book Publishing 2002.</ref> However, there is no legal basis for this restriction and in practice the title is applied to all councillors at all levels of local government. Where necessary, parish and county councillors are differentiated by the use of a fuller title such as "town councillor" or "county councillor". The title precedes the holder's rank or other title, as in Cllr Dr Jenny Smith or Cllr Sir Ricky Taing, and for women it precedes their title of marital status, as in Cllr Mrs Joan Smith.<ref name=debretts/>

Councillors are typically elected as members of [[political parties]] or alternatively as independents. Councils may also co-opt unelected councillors to fill vacancies on a council where insufficient candidates have stood for election, although in practice this is rare outside parish councils. They are bound by a code of conduct enforced by standards boards.

In 2007 the [[Electoral Administration Act 2006]] reduced the age limit for councillors to 18, leading to younger people standing.<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 July 2006 |title=Electoral Administration Act 2006 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/22/section/17 |url-status=live |access-date=18 July 2022 |website=legislation.gov.uk |archive-date=18 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220718153322/https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/22/section/17 }}</ref>
===Youth Councillors===
[[Youth Councillor]]s are also elected in local areas by organisations that are members of the British Youth Council, such as Salford Youth Council.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wuu2.info/salford-youth-council/|title=Salford Youth Council website|website=Salford Youth Council|access-date=29 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517042631/http://dartfordyouthcouncil.org/|archive-date=17 May 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Remuneration===
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2014}}
Most councillors are not full-time professionals.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland most larger borough, unitary authority or county councils do pay them basic allowances and [[out-of-pocket expenses]]. In addition, special responsibility allowances are paid to councillors who carry out more senior duties. The basic allowances and special responsibility allowances are theoretically paid to compensate councillors for time spent on council duties and are classed as salaries for tax purposes. Parish, town or community councillors may, since the [[Local Government Act 2000]], be paid for their services.

In Scotland, since 2007, councillors have received a salary of £15,000, as opposed to a series of allowances. This rises annually and as of 1 April 2023 councillor pay in Scotland stands at £20,099 per annum.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gov.scot/policies/local-government/councillors-roles-conduct-pay/#:~:text=The%20basic%20annual%20pay%20for,(Remuneration)%20Amendment%20Regulations%202022. | title=Councillors' roles, conduct and pay }}</ref> These are often topped up by special responsibility allowances.

===Regional government===

The [[London Assembly]] is regarded not as a local authority but as a regional [[devolved government|devolved]] [[Deliberative assembly|assembly]] and its members are referred to as Assembly Members, not councillors.