Local government is a full-time job for some councillors with new research showing that 13.5% work more than 35 hours a week representing their communities. The 2006 Councillor Census undertaken by the Improvement and Development Agency shows that on average councillors work 21.9 hours a week – up on the 2004 average of 21.4. Councillors holding senior positions spent an average of 25.1 hours a week on council work, compared to an average of 18.1 for other elected members. The biennial census of England's 19,689 councillors also shows that just over half (50.2%) did unpaid voluntary or charity work in their communities as school governors (43.4%) or on public boards (29.3%). Lucy de Groot, executive director of IDeA, has acknowledged that the workload is likely to put off many people thinking of standing for local election.
