By Elect Her

At Elect Her, we’re all about breaking down barriers so that women feel able to step into politics and thrive once they’re there.

The Government’s new ***English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill*** is moving through Parliament right now. It’s a big piece of legislation about how power, money, and decision-making are shared between central and local governments in England.

But here’s the thing: if we really want English devolution to make a difference to people’s lives, it has to work for everyone — including women who want to serve as councillors, parents balancing caring responsibilities, and those who don’t have financial safety nets.

That’s why we’ve been thinking about a few small but powerful changes that could “fix the system” and make local politics more inclusive.

**1. Fair and Clear Pay for Councillors**

Right now, in England, councillors are given allowances that vary wildly from place to place. Some are decent, others barely cover expenses. This patchwork approach means that unless you’re financially secure, becoming a councillor can be really tough.

We’d love to see a simple, fixed allowance for all councillors across England. It would be transparent, fair, and adjusted each year so it keeps up with the cost of living. That way, anyone who wants to stand for election can do so without worrying if they can afford it.

Did you know that councillors don’t actually have a legal right to maternity, paternity, or adoption leave? That means many people who’d love to put themselves forward are put off, worrying they’d have to choose between serving their community and looking after or starting a family.

We think that’s a good fix: give councillors the same kind of parental leave protections that most jobs already have. That means:

looking at 26 weeks’ maternity or adoption leave,
and 2 weeks’ paternity leave, whilst also
keeping allowances in place during that time.

It’s about recognising councillors as real people with real lives, and making politics work alongside those lives.

Carers are more likely to have gaps in their working lives — whether it’s raising children, caring for relatives, or working part-time. That often translates into smaller pensions. Or no pensions as in the case with councillors in England, since 2014.

Just as our partners at the Local Government Association have identified we’d like to see the reinstatement of councillors and mayors into the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).

Why This Matters

These aren’t flashy reforms — but they’re practical changes that could make a real difference to women’s lives.

A fair allowance means more people from all backgrounds can afford to be councillors.
Parental leave means councillors can start or grow families without stepping away from public service.
Pension access helps everyone!

If the goal of devolution is to give power back to communities, then we need to make sure that power is accessible to everyone — not just those who can afford to fit into an outdated system.

At Elect Her, we believe politics should be for everyone. That means fixing the small, practical things that make a big difference to women’s lives - and the asks will help everyone.