Local government makes a difference to everybody's lives, delivering essential services and making our communities better places to live. Leeds City Council is democratically accountable to the people of Leeds, which gives you the power to influence public spending and the public services delivered in the area where you live.
If you care about your neighbourhood and community, there are a number of ways you can get involved in shaping the future of our city and the services we deliver.
Electing councillors
Leeds City Council has 99 elected councillors, three for each of 33 designated areas of Leeds called electoral wards. The people living in each ward vote in local elections to decide who they would like to represent their interests within the council.
Any British, Commonwealth or EU citizen living in Leeds and aged eighteen or over can vote in local elections, provided they are on the register of electors. Leeds City Council votes by 'thirds', which means that a third of councillors are elected every year over a three year cycle.
Contacting your local councillor
Councillors are elected to represent the views of the people in their ward. Your local councillor is involved in making decisions on what the council's priorities are, how money is spent and how council services are delivered. If you have concerns about issues in your local community, you can discuss these with your local councillor to make sure they are aware of what matters to the people living in their ward.
Representation at council meetings
Members of the public are allowed a 5-minute slot, known as a 'deputation', at the start of every full council meeting to speak about community issues. The subject raised will then be referred to the appropriate committee for consideration.
Anyone living in Leeds can also make representations to a council scrutiny board. Scrutiny boards examine the decisions, policies and performance of the council and make recommendations for improvement where necessary.
To make a deputation, you will need to give seven days notice in writing to the council’s chief democratic services officer at the following postal address: Constitution and Corporate Governance Unit, 4th floor west, Civic Hall, Leeds, LS1 1UR.
Consultations
When the council is considering major developments or changes in the way we deliver our services, we will consult with the residents who are likely be affected to find out what they think we should do.
You can find out if the council is consulting on any issues that affect you, and find out how to have your say from the consultation pages on our website.