The inspired system of Church councils also applies to public affairs. The public affairs council functions under the direction of a local priesthood leader who serves as priesthood adviser to the council. His guidance is vital to the council's success.

In addition to the priesthood adviser, a public affairs council typically consists of a director of public affairs and two assistant directors assigned to media and community/opinion leader relations, respectively. Priesthood leaders may call other specialists to the council as needed.

Public affairs councils may be organized at the stake, multistake, and area levels. In some areas, national and key city councils are organized as well. There are no ward directors or ward councils of public affairs. Ward public affairs representatives can be called to the stake public affairs council when it is deemed the best way to manage the program in large stakes with large geographical areas. In areas where a multistake public affairs council has been organized to coordinate the efforts of several stakes, stake directors of public affairs from the respective stakes should attend the coordinating meetings of the multistake council.

The public affairs council develops an annual plan and budget and meets regularly to counsel together and to seek inspiration. Council meetings should be used for planning, proposing and evaluating new ideas, preparing for activities, and evaluating past efforts. The majority of the time in council meetings should be devoted to developing, acting upon, and revisiting road maps—action plans or contact plans that help councils establish and nurture relationships with opinion leaders. These road maps are the substance of a public affairs council's annual project plan.

The public affairs council's effectiveness is measured by how well it implements the Three-Step Process of Building Opinion Leader Relations and achieves the Public Affairs Core Purpose. Work in these areas should be the focus and primary work of every public affairs council.