This is a councillor perspective on the workings of modern local government which includes our thoughts and experience of: getting elected, the significance of party politics, working with officers, working with electors, changes to council and committees, the introduction of cabinet and scrutiny and the importance of partnership. The book moves from the anecdotal to analyses of the legacy and proposed future of what we believe to be one of the lynchpins of contemporary democracy i.e. a thriving system of local government which should be comprehensible respected and accountable to its electorate.