Elections

Becoming a Local Councillor

Could you be a parish councillor?

Have you ever considered standing for election or nominating someone else to stand? The role of parish councillor can be varied, rewarding and a great way to get involved in the community.

Parish councillors are not normally paid and act voluntarily; a nationwide survey by the National Association of Local Councils found that most councillors set aside 3 hours a week for their council work and that the majority would recommend the role.

Parish councillors act together as the Parish Council to make decisions that will benefit the community. The responsibilities of individual councillors can differ; while all councillors attend monthly meetings, some also work with other organisations. Councillors might sit on committees like the Den Brook Community Committee which makes grants to community groups or attend Community Resilience Forums to learn how to prepare the community for an emergency. There are plenty of opportunities to pursue topics or projects that might interest you.

It may seem intimidating but there is training available and a lot of resources to guide you in understanding the role and making decisions.

We would recommend that everyone consider whether they (or someone they know) might make a good councillor; if you elect councillors who represent your interests then your council is likely to achieve things that you want to see in the parish.

Candidates have to meet certain criteria, which can be found easily online but very loosely are:

a. over 18

b. British/Commonwealth/EU citizen and

c. lived or worked in the parish (or within 3 miles) for the last 12 months.

The clerk (details below) is happy to discuss eligibility and take you through the requirements.

If you don’t feel able to stand for election then there’s still lots of opportunity to get involved! So much of what the council does is dependent on others; we need volunteers for specific roles (such as helping with the Emergency Plan), and often need help running parish events. Even taking the time to tell us about something that may need attention is really useful; we don’t always know what’s happening!

Getting Elected

To stand for election to a local council you must:

• Be a UK or Commonwealth citizen; or be a citizen of the Republic of Ireland; or be a citizen of another Member State of the European Union
• Be at least 18 years old
• Be an elector of the local council; or in the past 12 months occupied land or other premises in the area the local council serves (as owner or tenant); or work in the area local council serves (as your principal or only place of work); or live within three miles of the local council boundary.