The West Midlands Regional Office will issue an email to all members when applications are open to apply for the Panel

You must: 

• Have 12 months of continuous Labour Party membership

• Be eligible to vote in the local authority area

• Live, work (in their main occupation) or own property in the area for at least 12 months before an election  (note, you need to live in Coventry, but don't have to live in the Ward)

Application Categories

1. New Applicants - not a current councillor and have not stood previously

2. Recent Candidates - were successfully selected as a candidate but did not win their seat

3. Sitting Councillors - current councillors who are seeking re-selection

Application Process

• Complete a form (usually online) with personal details, information on party involvement and/or community work, and reasons for standing

• Your Branch Secretary will also be asked to send in information on how many meetings you have attended

• Note: if you are not successful in your application, you are rarely notified

Interview Process

• New applicants and Returning Candidates will be required to attend an interview (online or in-person). Questions are standardised and you will usually be interviewed by 3 people (one is a Chair) who are members in the wider area. In Coventry's case, you will be interviewed by people who are members in the West Midlands

  • • Once you have passed the interview, you will be put onto the Panel. Note: you are not always notified of this decision. The LGC or WM Regional Office should be able to let you know this information

• Sitting Councillors will be required to complete a form which will include an evaluation of their attendance, campaigning record, their conduct and possibly reviews from Branch Secretaries and or Chief Whip.

  • • In an "All-Out" selection, all sitting councillors are interviewed. For regular local elections (i.e. one seat is up for election), this might not be the case. 

Panel/Approved Candidates List

• Once you have passed the application and interview stage, you will be placed on a panel of approved candidates

• The LGC and/or Regional Office will manage who is on this panel and may ask for a statement to send 

• For Sitting Councillors, once they have submitted updated forms on their performance and there are no concerns, they could be re-approved onto the Panel without an interview

  • • However, if there are concerns, then there is a requirement to have an interview

    • If a Sitting Councillor has had the Labour Group whip withdrawn, they are not eligible to apply to be on the Panel

    • For the Coventry 2026 Local Elections, all Sitting Councillors were required to have an interview, regardless

Shortlisting

For each ward that has a vacancy, the Ward Party prepares a list of those candidates who are eligible and interested (the LGC should notify those on the Panel and ask what ward they are interested in standing in - or New & Returning Applicants and Sitting Councillors)

This can be based on candidate statements, interviews or hustings. Members of the ward vote on how many candidates should be on the shortlist and who they would be. 

Selection

• A meeting takes place to allow those candidates on the shortlist to present themselves (a speech and Q&A) to members of the ward

• This meeting must be separate from the shortlisting meeting (it can be on the same day, but the selection vote cannot be made in the same meeting as the shortlist vote)

• Members vote on the candidate they would like to stand for election in that ward vacancy. For sitting councillors, past performance must be respected and recognised, but can still be "deselected" if not enough members vote for them. 

Appeals

Every potential candiate has the right to appeal a decision. This can be an appeal after the interview stage (i.e. the candidate was not put on the Panel). Interviews will be conducted and timelines are set by the Party rules. 

• To arrange shortlisting and selection meetings and inform members no later than 7 calendar days

• To work with the LGC to make sure that Panel members are invited to shortlisting and selection meetings

• To distribute candidate statements to the Branch members

• At the shortlisting and selection meeting, ensure that the quroum is met

Oversight & Coordination

• Ensure the candidate shortlisting and selections follow Labour rules and procedures, per the Rule Book

• Coordinates activity and meetings across CLPs within a Council are (i.e. Cov East, Cov North West and Cov South CLPs coordinated for Coventry)

Management of Approved Candidates/those on the Panel

• Determines who gets onto the Panel

• Potential to co-opt additional members to the Panel to ensure representation

  • • For the Coventry 2026 Local Elections, both of these fell under the West Midlands Regional Office instead

Timetables and Branch Support

• Sets up the timetable from application open dates to shortlisting and selection meetings

• Support Branch Secretaries to set up the shortlisting and selection process, once interviews have been conducted and Panel members are confirmed

• Support and ensure Branch Secretaries send out information on shortlisting and selection meetings to Panel members

• To collate candidate statements to distribute to the Branch Secretaries

• Oversee every shortlisting and selection meeting to ensure all Party rules are being followed and support the Branch Chair and Secretary during the meeting, if and when required