How and why to stand for election as a Parish Councillor

 

Getting elected to most parish Councils is relatively easy.  The actual process of standing for election is very simple.  If in doubt contact your the monitoring officer at your principal authority (District or County Council) as it is the principal authority that manages the election process and time scale.

 

Why stand for election?

 

Your parish council may be doing good things with your community and you wish to have more involvement in the decision making process.  You may feel that you have the time and ideas to work with your community and council to make further improvements in local services and facilities.

 

Equally you may be dissatisfied with your parish council.  It is very easy to just sit on the sidelines and complain.  It is far more productive to get elected and try to make changes from within.  The 4 yearly elections are a good time for the committed group of residents to all stand for election and effect real change especially in those councils where there has not been a contested election for many years.

 

How, what you need to do.....

 

1. Ordinary v by-elections.  Ordinary elections are held every 4 years.  All existing councillor stand for re-election.  By-elections arise arise when a council seat becomes vacant between ordinary elections.  This is known as a casual vacancy.  Elections must be advertise by the parish council for casual vacancies.

2. Are you qualified to stand? To read the requirements CLICK HERE ....

3. Ensure you are a registered elector and on the elecrol roll.

4. You do not need to be a member of any political party (the majority of parish councils are non political).

5. If you do not plan on spending any money getting elected you do not need an election agent.  There are strict legal conditions on what can be spend by whom and on what.

6. The organisation of elections varies from principal authority to to principal authority.  Principle authorities organise parish council elections to coincide with their ward elections.

7. In some instances all principal authority councillor elections are held at the same time for all wards every 4 years.  In others an election cycle is used with 1/3 of councillors retiring and elections being held 3 years out of 4.  If the principle authority has 42 councillors then 14 will be standing for re-election three years out of four.  If in doubt ask the monitoring officer.

8. In parish council elections all councillors retire and may offer themselves for re-election.

9. Get the forms from you principal authority monitor officer.  Their details are often found under "Democratic services" although some authorities may use a different name.

10. As a prospective candidate you must deliver or send to the principle authorities Returning Officer a valid nomination Form.  This form is obtained from the officer.  Your surname, forenames, residence and description (if required) must be entered together with your number and prefix letter from the current register of electors.  The Returning Officer has a copy of this register.

11. Your nomination form must also contain similar particulars of your proposer and seconder.  They must be registered electors in the parish.  The proposer and seconder must sign the nomination form.

12. Ensure you understand the times when you MUST return the completed forms.

13. Do not rely upon other person to get the forms for you.  If possible collect them.

14. Complete the forms and get them signed by your proposer and seconder.  The monitoring officer will provide these for you.

15. You will need the electrol roll numbers for your proposer and seconder.  The monitoring officer will provide these for you.

16. Double check the forms and ensure that they are signed and dated.

17. Take the completed nomination forms back to your principle authority monitoring officer and hand deliver them.  Get them to check that the forms have been correctly completed.

18. Do not leave returning forms to the last minute.  If there is a missing signature or nistake youmay need to return home!

19. Ensure that you get a receipt for the forms which is signed and dated.  Errors have been known to happen.

20. Don't forget to vote yourself and get your friends to vote.

21. In the majority of cases particularly in rural areas you may be elected unopposed as many councils have vacancies which they have been unable to fill.  This is known as an uncontested election as the number of candidates is less than or equal to the number of council seats to be filled.

22. If the election is contested (more candidates than seats available) those candidates with the most votes are elected until all the council seats have been filled.

 

To be a Parish Councillor you must be...

 

1. A British citizen, or a citizen of the Commonwealth or the European Union, and

2. 18 years or older on the day you become nominated for election

3. for the whole of the 12 months prior to nomination you must:

            have been an elector of the parish and wither occupied or owned/rented premises in the parish, or

            resided within 3 miles of the boundary of the parish, or

            had your principal or only place of work in that area

 

You cannot stand for election if you....

 

1. are the subject of a bankruptcy restriction order r interim order.

2. have, within five years before the day of election, been convicted in the United Kingdom of any offence and have had a prison sentence (whether suspended or not) for a period of over three months without the option of a fine.

3. Work for the council you want to become a councillor for.