A new body aimed at making local councils more representative is to be set up, Ruth Kelly has announced.

The communities secretary said the Councillors Commission will look at ways to better support councillors and encourage people from a wider range of backgrounds to play a role in their communities.

The commission will look at what barriers are preventing people from standing for local government, and what steps can be taken to get more people involved.

It will report its findings by November this year.

The announcement followed an IDeA survey which showed local councils are unrepresentative of the general population.

It found 96 per cent of councillors are white, with only to 2.7 per cent Asian and 0.5 per cent black.

The average age of a councillor was shown to be 58, with more than 50 per cent over 60 and just 0.3 per cent under 25.

And fewer than three in 10 councillors are women.

Speaking to the Local Government Association in London, Kelly said the commission would look into ways of encouraging local business to promote more part-time and flexible working to give people time off to carry out councillor duties.

It may also review the time commitments needed to be a councillor, and encourage councils to look at better childcare support.

There needed to be better information provided on how to become a councillor and what the job entails, Kelly said.

And there should be more support for councillors to develop the skills for the role and ensure they are retained, she added.

"There are some 20,000 councillors in the UK, who dedicate their evenings and weekends to council business, listening to constituents, and taking practical action to resolve their issues," said Kelly.

"They are a vital part of our grassroots democracy but clearly this democracy will benefit if they are more representative of the communities they serve."