The role of the Councillor is, as a member of the governing body of the Council to:
- direct and control the affairs of the Council in accordance with the Local Government Act
- participate in the optimum allocation of the Council's resources for the benefit of the area
- play a key role in the creation and review of the Council's policies and objectives and criteria relating to the exercise of the Council's regulatory functions
- review the performance of the Council and its delivery of services, and the management plans and revenue policies of the Council.
The role of a Councillor is, as an elected person to:
- represent the interests of the residents and ratepayers
- provide leadership and guidance to the community
- facilitate communication between the community and the Council.
Elections:
Councillors are elected to Council at local government elections, which are held every four years. In the Manly local government area, there are no wards, and each councillor represents the entire Council area.
In Manly (since September 1995) the Mayor is directly elected by the Community for a term of 4 years. The situation can only be changed by constitutional referendum.