Councillors and information: A study of information needs and information provision

Little attention has been given to the needs of local authority councillors for well over a decade; a period in which the changes imposed by national government have made it necessary for councillors to keep up to date in all areas of local government provision. This paper attempts to provide a brief assessment of the information seeking behaviour of local authority councillors and the importance of information to them. By interviewing a cross section of local councillors and sending a questionnaire to selected information providers the study has identified the sources of information available for and most used by councillors. The research has shown what information the councillors consider important and their methods when seeking information. The survey of questionnaire responses has exposed the similarities and differences in the ways that information is provided for and taken up by councillors. Pointers for further research are suggested.