Council Elections 2011

Helmdon Parish Council Elections 2011

| meet the candidates |

You should consider becoming a parish or town councillor if:

• You Want To Do Something Positive for Your Community
• You Want To Spend Your Time Productively
• You Can Think, Listen and Act Locally

The Role

Parish councillors are elected by the public at an ordinary election, normally held on the first Thursday in May every four years. Being a parish councillor is an unpaid position although allowances to cover costs are sometimes available.

Effort Required

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 community the larger your workload will be. The times of the meetings vary, as do the venues. Parish councils normally meet in 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 also have committees, 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.

Nomination process

A prospective candidate must deliver or send by post to the Returning Officer for the election a valid nomination paper. This form is obtained from the Officer. The candidate’s surname, forenames, residence and description (if required) must be entered and his or her number and prefix letter from the current register of electors. The Returning Officer has a copy of this register, and the clerk of the local council normally has one. The nomination paper must also contain similar particulars of a proposer and a seconder. They must be electors for the area for which the candidate seeks election (i.e. the parish, community or town or the ward if it is divided into wards): they must sign it.

Election Timetable

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. The full timetable for the 2011 local elections is below. If you decide to stand for election you must submit your nomination by noon on Monday 4 April 2011.

Eligibility and Requirements

Initially, you may have little knowledge of Council work but this will come, along with experience and confidence.

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.

A candidate for a Parish or Town Council is qualified if, when nominated –

• he or she is a British subject or Irish citizen,
• is 18 years of age, and
• is either in the list of electors for that Parish or Town or has during the whole of the preceding twelve months
• occupied land as owner or tenant in it, or
• had a principal place of work there, or
• resided in or within three miles of it.

What Next?

If you are considering becoming a candidate for election you are very strongly recommended to contact the Returning Officer at the District or Borough Council to obtain information on what you need to do to be nominated. All of the District and Borough Councils produce guidance on Election Procedures and it is imperative that these are followed or you may find your have disqualified yourself from candidacy. Further details and contact information is available from the Clerk to the Council.

Please Contact

Mrs Liz Hart
Clerk to Helmdon [address removed]

T: [phone number removed]
E: parishcouncil@helmdon.com

The Returning Officer
South Northamptonshire Council
Electoral Services
Springfields
Towcester
NN12 6AE

T: [phone number removed] or [phone number removed]
E: electoral.services@southnorthants.gov.uk

For further details about becoming a parish councillor please visit:

www.stand-and-deliver.com