Everything you need to get going as a councillor — from signing into Microsoft 365 to keeping council information safe. Take it at your own pace.
Most councillors are set up with a Microsoft 365 Business Basic licence. That gives you the web versions of the apps you'll use most — there's nothing to install.
Your council email and calendar.
Meetings, chat and hybrid council meetings.
Documents, spreadsheets and slides in your browser.
Your own council files.
Shared council files and documents.
Go to office.com
Select Sign in
Use your council email address and password
Bookmark the page so it's one click next time
Nothing to install. Business Basic runs in your browser — you won't find these apps installed on your device, and that's exactly as it should be.
If you use your own device for council work, a few simple habits keep council information protected.
Set up a council profile in your browser — keep council work in its own profile in Microsoft Edge or Chrome, separate from personal browsing. On a device you rarely use, a private window does the same job.
Sign out on shared devices — on your own laptop or phone you can stay signed in. On a shared, family or borrowed computer, always sign out when you've finished.
Don't let the browser save your council password, and don't stay signed in, on a device that other people also use.
Keep council work inside Microsoft 365 — avoid downloading council files onto a shared or personal computer where they could be left behind.
A short, scannable checklist for keeping council information secure — wherever you're working from.
Report it straight away if your device is lost or stolen, if someone may have accessed it, if council information may have been exposed, or if you suspect malware. Prompt reporting lets us act quickly. Contact CloudyIT support — details in the footer below.
Some councillors are issued an iPad by CloudyIT, supplied with a Logitech clamshell case and keyboard.
This is a council device — please keep personal apps and accounts off it.
Parish and town councils can't hold hybrid or remote meetings yet, but Government has committed to restoring the power. If your council runs on SmartChamber by CloudyIT, the chamber, the devices and the meeting tools are already in place — so you'll be ready the day the legislation lands.
One package, four components — quality-grade AV, devices, and the meeting tools — installed and supported by a single team who understand council life.
Explore SmartChamber →The meeting management platform built for UK councils. Agendas, papers, attendance, motions and minutes in one place — so as a councillor it's where you'll find your meeting pack and follow decisions and actions.
See GovMeetings →Council-trained AI that joins the meeting — live transcription, draft minutes, and decisions and actions captured as they happen. Ask it about prior items, debate history or council governance, with answers grounded in local government.
See GovAssist →CloudyIT runs live online training designed around how councils actually work — the Council Mastery Series. Sessions are practical, sector-specific and beginner-friendly. If your council is a CloudyIT customer, it most likely has training credits you can use — one session uses one credit.
Browse and book training →A plain-English first session for councillors: what your licence gives you, where your files live, and how Outlook, Teams and the web apps fit together. The ideal place to begin.
We run facilitated AI days for councils — an open, practical conversation about where artificial intelligence genuinely helps members, clerks and residents. No jargon and no sales pitch: the agenda is shaped by the questions in the room.
Most councils on a CloudyIT support plan buy prepaid support hours — and councillors can use them. If your council does, you can call our support desk and speak to an engineer directly.
Check with your clerk first. The support hours belong to the council, so confirm they're available before you call. Steven and the wider support team are then happy to help.
Our free digital readiness audit is built for clerks, but it's a useful self-check if you like to be hands-on.
Start the free audit →Cyber Essentials is a recognised certification that shows your council takes security seriously. As a councillor you can encourage your council to get certified.
Explore Cyber Essentials →