CASUAL VACANCIES
ALTON TOWN COUNCIL
Co-option
Procedure for Co-option of a Councillor and Application Form – Policy Co-option
Elections
You may find the following link to the Electoral Commission helpful https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or-agent/parish-and-community-council-elections-in-england-and-wales
And a link to the EHDC elections webpage https://www.easthants.gov.uk/elections
The only legal requirement to be a councillor are as follows. You must be:
- British, from the Commonwealth or the EU
- At least 18 years old
- Registered to vote in the area or have lived/worked/owned property there for a year
You are ineligible to stand as a councillor if you currently work for Alton Town Council, hold a politically restricted post, have been previously convicted of a corrupt or illegal practice or have been sentenced to prison for three months or more during the five years before election.
Many councillors are members of political parties, but there is no obligation to do so – independent candidates are just as welcome.
You do not need any formal qualifications to be a good councillor, just skills and experiences that best represent your local community. Examples of these could include, skills gained through volunteering or working with community groups.
You need to be well organised and someone who can apply themselves to problems. You will also need to be able to communicate well with a wide range of public and professional bodies.
Please click here for a copy of the Good Councillors Guide, produced by the National Association of Local Councils.
How to become a councillor
Local councils can only be as helpful, connected and energetic as the people elected to run them, so we need councillors capable, enthusiastic and engaged to reflect their communities. You can find out more about becoming a councillor on The Electoral Commission and Local Government Association website. There are three ways that you can become a councillor; standing for election, filling a vacant seat after an election (co-opted) or filling a casual vacancy.
Free training course for prospective town councillors on the elections process.
Standing for Election
There are six simple steps to becoming a councillor:
- Check for elections in your area by emailing your elections officer
- Submit your nomination to the returning officer — find out more about the process.
- Wait for your nomination to be accepted
- Your nomination is made public by the principal authority
- Start your elections campaign
- Polling day — find your polling station