First steps to becoming a Parish Councillor

Your first chance to stand as a councillor is likely to be in you next local council elections which take place in 2012, and at four yearly intervals thereafter, although if a vacancy occurs before then you may have the opportunity to stand as a candidate in a by-election, or be co-opted onto the Council.

What do councillors do?

Councillors are people who are elected to the local council to represent their local community. They must either live or work in the area.

Becoming a councillor is both a rewarding and privileged form of public service. You will be in a position to make a difference to the quality of other people’s daily lives and prospects. However, being an effective councillor requires both commitment and hard work.

Every day, councillors have to balance the needs and interests of residents, their and the council. These will all make legitimate demands on a councillor’s time - on top of the demands and needs of a councillor’s personal and professional lives. Your role as a councillor often depends on your experience and commitment.

Before you consider becoming a councillor you may want to discuss it with your family and friends to ensure that they understand that you will need their support and understanding. You may be spending a lot of your spare time on council business.

Could I be a councillor?

The local council is the place where decisions affecting local people are made.

If you care about the area that you live in and the issues facing the people who live there you might want to find out more about how the council works and how decisions are reached.

Your interest might range from the level of council tax in your area, to local amenities and services or just the irritating speed hump outside your home.

Research tells us that the issues that concern most people are crime, schools, transport and the environment. But there are as many issues as there are councillors.

Your local council can make a difference on all these issues and so can you as a local councillor.

Or perhaps becoming a neighbourhood watch co-ordinator, a school governor or a magistrate might be more up your street.

How long would I be a councillor?

All councillors are elected for a four year term, unless they are elected at a by-election. If a vacancy for a councillor occurs in between full elections, a new councillor is elected through a by-election, and serves until the next full election.

Candidates can stand for election as many times as they want and there is currently no retirement age for councillors.