As a candidate, it’s really important that you understand there are rules governing elections that you MUST follow. If you don’t follow the rules, you could yourself being disqualified as a candidate before you even get started on your formal campaign. If elected, you could find yourself losing your seat. Worse still, you could even … Continue reading Election Expenses
Tag: how do I become a Councillor
Canvassing before or during an Election Campaign
Probably one of the things that anyone new to politics will fear most of all is canvassing – or going from door to door, speaking to residents and finding out what they think. Believe it or not, once you have started to gain some experience, canvassing can be a lot of fun. It gives you … Continue reading Canvassing before or during an Election Campaign
By Elections
A normal election or civic cycle for a local authority is a term of 4 years. At the end of each cycle or term, often all, but sometimes a proportion of a council’s total number of seats will be automatically vacated and put back up for election. Where authorities run more than one cycle, each respective … Continue reading By Elections
Multiple Seat Wards & Divisions
Surprising as it may sound, it is sometimes the case that more than one, and perhaps as many as 6 or even more councillors will represent the same electoral area for the same authority in a multiple seat Ward or Division. Having a multiple number of seats for the very same election can make life … Continue reading Multiple Seat Wards & Divisions
Get to know your local Democratic or Electoral Services Department
We all love to hate authorities (until we are part of them that is!). But whatever the Council you hope to be elected to represent your Ward or Division on, it is essential that you get to know the role of the Democratic Services or Electoral Services Department at your local District Level Authority, which … Continue reading Get to know your local Democratic or Electoral Services Department
Which Local Authority should I run for?
If you’ve decided that you want to be a Councillor, but are not sure of where you could achieve most, help others in the way you would like, or potentially achieve the biggest impact, it would be worth considering the roles and responsibilities of the different Tiers of Government, and what work Parish & Town … Continue reading Which Local Authority should I run for?
Unitary Authorities
In some areas, the roles and responsibilities of Parish & Town and/or Borough & District and County Councils have been amalgamated and made the responsibility of one local authority for that area. The areas they cover typically correspond with a Borough/District Boundary or a County Boundary, but could mirror the area covered by a multiple … Continue reading Unitary Authorities
County Councils
County Councils make up the highest tier of local government and provide a range of public services which are typically more strategically focused, as opposed to the more ‘day-to-day’ nature of the work of District Level Authorities. Their area of control usually corresponds with the geographical boundaries of Counties. Councillors are elected to County Council … Continue reading County Councils
Borough or District Councils (District Level Authorities)
Borough or District Councils provide the administrative hubs of local government. They oversee and manage a wide range of the public services that voters experience on a regular basis and hold key responsibilities for our local environment. Councillors are elected to Borough or District Council Seats as Representatives of ‘Wards’. Wards typically cover the same … Continue reading Borough or District Councils (District Level Authorities)
Parish & Town Councils
Arguably the most accessible form of Government in the UK today are local Parish & Town Councils. They are also the most diverse, in terms of their size, the regularity of when they meet, their budget, and the assets and activities which they have responsibility for. Typically Parish & Town Councils only exist within rural … Continue reading Parish & Town Councils
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