Councillors are elected representatives, who each represent one of the borough’s 63 wards.
They differ from council offers, who are employed by the Council and are not political. Local elections are held every four years; therefore councillors are elected for a four-year term.
It is easiest to think of councillors as those that make decisions, whereas officers are those that carry out actions.
The role of officers is to give advice to councillors, to deliver services and to carry out the decisions that councillors make.
What does Southwark’s Mayor do?
Southwark’s Mayor acts as the Chair for the Council Assembly meetings, but other than this, his role is largely ceremonial.