There is much emphasis on the need for councillors to reflect the diversity of their community. Which is why Leadership and Gender in Local Government in England, a report from the Centre of Women & Democracy (CFWD), which found 30% of local councillors in England are women yet only 15.7% of leaders and 20.1% of deputies are women, has been seen as a cause for concern.
Routes into top council roles do differ - council leaders and deputies are elected to their posts, whereas chief executives are appointed for example – yet, figures show disproportionate numbers of women across the board.
While Unison calls for changes to pay legislation, blaming 'pay cut after pay cut' for the lack of women in these jobs and CFWD urges revised routes, for men and women into local government, the women occupying these posts have alternative ideas and perspectives.
Chief executive of South Northamptonshire council (an authority where all of its top spots, chief executive, council leader and deputy leader are filled by women) Jean Morgan said: "It was not a conscious thing here. It was pleasant to learn that but we were surprised. I can't imagine it being all men - this set up feels so normal."
South Northamptonshire is the only authority to have an all-women leadership team in England -129 councils have women chief executives or council leaders, 10 have women in both positions, leaving 248 authorities where there are no women in either of these two key leadership positions.
"I'm always surprised there aren't more women doing what I'm doing," said Jean. She does, however, realise how hard it can be.
"The crunch time in my career came when I had a family and decided to carry on working full-time. We went for a nanny share. Luckily we could afford childcare.
"There are always conflicts there," Jean said. "We have to rely on neighbours and friends. It's an issue of support."
Leader of Stafford Council, Judith Dalgarno is bucking the trend by heading up a council in the Midlands, an area where women tend not to preside.
"I'm afraid I am aware," she said of the lack of women. "Often, I'm the only lady in the room."
Her story echoes Jean's. She talks about family life threatening to be a barrier to her public service and admits when she was juggling children, a business and her council responsibilities she found it tough.
Still, both women are quick to promote how rewarding, challenging and varied her role and local government can be.
"Personally, I've never done it for the money. I have my allowance and I'm happy with that. The things I have done with the council, I never would have had the opportunities otherwise. Such as when I was mayor, from 1987 to 1988, the Queen visited Stafford and I had lunch with her."
Jean is equally as enthusiastic: "I can be dealing with flood prevention, budgeting, council tax and ensuring we keep the Grand Prix at Silverstone, sometimes all in one morning. The variety is pretty exciting.
"Local government presents really interesting career opportunities. There are huge opportunities to get to grips with a whole range of problems and make a difference to people's lives. A commitment to public service and local government can make for a wonderful career. That's something which is really underplayed."
Acting on the idea of local government roles being 'underplayed' and promoting the rewards of becoming a councillor has been a hot topic since the Representing the Future Councillors Commission 2007 report which made 61 recommendations for promoting roles to women and other underrepresented groups.
But CFWD director Nan Sloane is unconvinced under involvement is all there is to it. "Our point of view is if 30 per cent of councillors are women how come just 16 per cent are leaders?" she asked.
Deputy council leader for South Northamptonshire, Mary Clarke, says she was compelled to stand for election after attending a council meeting. The 'lack of mix' and domination by 'men of a certain age' shocked her into standing herself.
Mary thinks attention needs to be paid to nurturing and retaining talent.
"The decision-making process can feel exceptionally slow when you have moved from business into a council. Somebody needs to look at a way of getting private sector skills imbedded into the public sector."
Commenting on this year's new law in Norway, which demands that executive boards be 40 per cent female, she said: "The perception many have is that women are incapable of leadership. The UK needs to do something because, as the current environment proves, male-dominated board rooms aren't getting everything right.
She says non-executive posts which are currently largely 'appointed from the old boy's network' need to be targeted too. "It's taken a long time to get to the stage we are today but it's still not at a rate which is acceptable - women need more help networking – this could get it to the tipping point."
