How to Become a Councillor

Become a Borough Councillor You can be a candidate if you are over 18, on the Electoral Register, and have lived, worked or owned or tenanted property in the area for at least the past 12 months.…

Become a Borough Councillor

You can be a candidate if you are over 18, on the Electoral Register, and have lived, worked or owned or tenanted property in the area for at least the past 12 months.

You may be disqualified as a candidate if you work for the Borough 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.

The majority of Borough Council candidates are nominated through a political party, but a few may stand as independent candidates. Both individuals and party candidates are welcome to stand as candidates.

However, before you can be accepted as a candidate you must ensure you meet the required qualifications, are not disqualified to become a candidate, and complete the relevant forms, asking one person to agree to propose your nomination and asking another person to agree to second the proposal, and asking eight other people to support your nomination (called assentors). All of these 10 people must be on the Electoral Register for the Borough Ward for which you would like to stand as a candidate and they must all sign your nomination paper.

For further information on how to become a Councillor, please click on the link below:-

Guide to becoming a Councillor (pdf 650kb)

Borough Casual Vacancies

Casual vacancies can occur at any time during a Councillor's four year Term of Office, e.g. if they resign. If this happens, the Council will publish a Notice of Casual Vacancy. In respect of Borough Council casual vacancies, only two registered Electors for the Borough Ward are required to call an Election within 14 days and By-Elections are always requested to fill a vacancy on the Borough Council.

Become a Parish Councillor

The criteria is the same as for Borough Councillors, i.e. you can be a candidate if you are over 18, on the Electoral Register, and have lived, worked or owned or tenanted property in the area for at least the past 12 months.

Although some candidates may be nominated through a political party, the majority of candidates at Parish Council elections stand in their own right. Both individuals and party candidates are welcome to stand as candidates.

However, before you can be accepted as a candidate you must ensure you meet the required qualifications, are not disqualified to become a candidate, and complete the relevant forms, asking one person to agree to propose your nomination and asking another person to agree to second the proposal. Both of these people must be on the electoral register for the Parish, or Parish Ward, for which you would like to stand as a candidate and they must all sign your nomination paper.

Parish Casual Vacancies

Casual vacancies can occur at any time during a Councillor's four year Term of Office, e.g. if they resign. If this happens, the Parish Clerk will publish a Notice of Casual Vacancy providing a copy to the Returning Officer. If 10 registered Electors for the Parish, or specific Parish Ward, write to the Returning Officer within 14 days to request an Election, a Poll will be held. If no By-Election is requested, the Parish/Town Council can co-opt a new Councillor.

Stand as a Candidate

If you are interested in becoming a Borough or Parish Councillor, nomination packs are available from the Returning Officer once the relevant Notice of Election has been published.

For the 2019 Borough and Parish Council Elections this notice will be published on Friday 22nd March and nominations can be received from Monday 25th March 2019.

A briefing for Election Agents and Independent Candidates will be held at the Town Hall, Barrow-in-Furness on 26th February 2019 at 10am in Committee Room No 4.

The Electoral Commission has information on elections and candidates including Guidance for Candidates and Agents at various types of elections.