What does good governance have to do with the wellbeing of a councillor?
Locale Learning
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A lot, according to Monica Kelly an experienced legal advisor to councils. In our recent conversation in the lead up to the Political Wellbeing Summit, Monica shared real-world insights into how governance—done well or poorly—directly impacts councillors' stress levels, effectiveness, and resilience.
With years of experience supporting councils and councillors, Monica has seen the consequences of governance failures firsthand. She’s witnessed how difficult situations can take a serious toll on individual councillors and why purposeful leadership, clear governance structures, and the right support systems are essential for both effective decision-making and personal wellbeing.
In this behind-the-scenes discussion, Monica offers practical advice on:
? Where councillors can turn for support when facing challenges
? How governance policies can be both a safeguard and a stumbling block
? The importance of modelling contemplative and humble leadership
While our conversation covered a lot of ground, two key takeaways stood out:
1. Build quality relationships
When relationships within the elected Council are strong, decision-making is more thoughtful and robust. But when tensions rise, not only does the quality of decisions decline, the stress levels of individuals rise and can take a personal toll. The antitode is building professional and respectful relationships.
And one of the most critical relationships in any council (regardless of size or location) is between the General Manager and the Mayor. Monica emphasised that when this partnership is built on professionalism, trust and open communication, it creates a stable foundation for effective governance. But when it’s fractured, divisions often spread into the govering body and throughout the Chamber, leading to dysfunction, poor decision-making, and declining councillor wellbeing.
Simply put, strong relationships lead to better governance—and better governance supports councillor wellbeing. A
2. Be proactive in learning
Monica shared that many people underestimate the complexity of stepping into a councillor role - even people who are highly experienced in the private sector or other leadership roles. In her experience, it takes new councillors at least 12 to 18 months to find their feet. Many councillors we’ve spoken to say it can take an entire term—that is four years—to fully grasp the role. This is far from ideal and it is a gap that needs to be bridged as quickly as possible.
Her advice? Education is key. Councillors who proactively seek knowledge and understand their role within the regulatory framework are better equipped to lead with confidence and importantly, to make quality decisions about how to spend the public purse.
As well as formal induction and professional development, the willingness to ask questions and to lead with humility is key. This means admitting to when you don’t have the answer, even when that might be uncomfortable and in the environment of intense public scrunity.
Want to hear more?
Join us at the Political Wellbeing Summit, live and wholly online from 26-28 February 2025, to gain access to full interview with Monica. And come together with other like-minded people to explore how we can better support councillors to lead with resilience, clarity, and impact.
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