You should consider becoming a Parish or Town Councillor if:
You Want To Do More for Your Community
You Want To Spend Your Time Productively
You Can Think, Listen And Act Locally
TIME - It is possible to spend a lot of time on council work - but most people have jobs, families and hobbies that also demand a lot of time. However, as with most things, the more you put in, the more you (and your community) will get out.
Generally speaking, the larger your Council's number of electors the larger your workload will be. The times of the meetings vary, as do the venues. Parish and Town Councils normally meet during the evening. It is IMPORTANT to establish the pattern of meetings and venues to make sure they can accommodate your domestic and/or business arrangements. Most Councils meet once a month and many have Committees also. In which case you would probably be invited to sit on a Committee. These usually meet in between the meetings of the full Parish Council.
COST - Being a Councillor should cost you little. There is usually cover for subsistence and travel allowances if your duties take you out of your local Council's area. These allowances will be determined by the Council, and will be within a maximum laid down by the Government.
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Initially, you will have little knowledge of Council work but this, together with experience and confidence, will follow.
As a new Councillor you will bring to the Council fresh enthusiasm and new ideas, a care for your community and a willingness to learn. You should want to take the Council and Parish forward into the new Millennium.
A candidate for a Parish or Town Council is qualified if, when nominated -
(a) he or she is a British subject or Irish citizen,
(b) is 18 years of age, and
(c) is either in the list of electors for that Parish or Town or has during the whole of the preceding twelve months
(i) occupied land as owner or tenant in it, or
(ii) had a principal place of work there, or
(iii) resided in or within three miles of it.
If you are considering becoming a candidate for election you are very strongly recommended to contact the Returning Officer at the District Council to obtain information on what you need to do to be nominated. All of the District Councils produce leaflets on Election Procedures. It is imperative that these are followed or you may find your have disqualified yourself from candidacy.
The County Secretary
Warwickshire and West Midlands Association
of Parish and Town Councils
25 Stoneleigh Deer Park
Stareton
Kenilworth
Warwickshire CV8 2LY
Telephone: 02476 217349
Fax: 02476 419959
E Mail: walc@walc.org.uk
Web site: www.walc.org.uk |
Ordinary elections usually coincide with the election year of the District Council and must be held on the same day. The interval between elections is 4 years and therefore your term of office would
normally be 4 years.
Timetable for Elections*
| Publication of Notice of Election | Not later than 25th day before day
of election, (DE) |
| Last date for nominations | Not later than noon on the 19th day before DE |
| Publication of list of candidates | Not later than noon on the 17th day before DE |
| Last date for withdrawal | Not later than noon on the 16th day before DE |
| Polling | Between the hours of 8am and 9pm on DE |
* When calculating these days the District Council must disregard Saturdays, Sundays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday & all other Bank Holidays. | |
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