How to become a councillor

Most candidates are nominated through a political party. However, individuals are welcome to stand in their own right.

Before you can be accepted as a candidate you must get two supporters to propose your nomination and you must sign a declaration and consent to Nomination. All the supporters must be on the electoral register for the area you are standing in.

To be able to stand as a candidate you must:

• be at least 18 years old.
• be a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, a qualifying EU citizen or an EU citizen with retained rights.

and meet at least one hf the following four qualifications:

• You are, and will continue to be, registered as a local government elector for the local authority area in which you wish to stand from the day of your nomination onwards.
• You have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the local authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election.
• Your main or only place of work during the 12 months prior to the day of your nomination and the day of election has been in the local authority area.
• You have lived in the local authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election.

You may be disqualified as a candidate if you work for the council or hold a politically restricted post with another local authority. Bankruptcy or a previous criminal conviction with a three-month or more prison sentence would also disqualify you as a candidate.

Further information on standing as a candidate is given in the Electoral Commission Guidance which can be found here for Borough Council candidates and here for Parish Council candidates.

No experience of any sort is needed to stand for election as a Councillor.

Further information is posted here as we get nearer to the elections.  We hold a list of people we contact when a Borough Councillor vacancy occurs and if you want to add your name to that list then please email: elections@rbwm.gov.uk giving your name, telephone number and email address.