2017 Elections

Councillor Vacancy – Co-option Notice

Elections in Shropshire next take place on 4th May 2017. Councillors, apart from the chairman and vice-chairman retire together on the 4th day after the ordinary elections, this being on 8th May, when the newly elected councillors take up office. The Chairman or Town Mayor is elected annually at the annual meeting where election of chairman is the first item of business and he or she holds office until the new chairman is elected

Nomination Packs
Nomination period opens on Monday 13th March. Nomination forms will be received from 14th March. Candidates will need to complete the Nomination Form and return to the Returning Officer no later than the deadline of 4pm on Tuesday 4th April.

Nomination packs may be returned by the candidate, or a person whom they trust to Shirehall – they can no longer be posted to the Returning Officer.

Where to submit your Nomination Papers
The following is an extract from our Candidates Guidance Document, and may be useful to you so that you know where and when there are local places to deposit nomination papers (as an alternative to delivering them direct to Shirehall by hand). It is advisable to wait for them to be checked by the Elections Team before leaving. This is because if an error is discovered, candidates will be able to take their paper away with them for correction and re-submission before the closing date and time.

OSWESTRY – Council Chamber, Castle View
Tuesday 14th March 8.45am – 6.00pm
Thursday 23rd March 8.45am – 6.00pm
Wednesday 29th March 8.45am – 6.00pm

Close of Nominations – 4pm on 4th April 2017

Close of Withdrawals – 4pm on 4th April 2017

Notice of Poll – 25th April 2017

Polling Day – 4th May 2017

Being a Local Councillor

Good Councillors Guide

A Councillor’s normal term of office is 4 years
Is the holder of a public office and not a volunteer
Can receive expenses for their role
The main job of a councillor is to participate in the collective decision making processes of the council
He/she has no authority to make decisions about council business on his/her own
A local council may arrange insurance cover to indemnity its councillors against liability resulting from them being representatives of the council
A councillor’s financial and certain other interests in council business must be transparent
He/she is subject to obligations set out in the Code of Conduct adopted by the council
Information about councillors is available in the council’s publication scheme
The first business of the council’s annual meeting is the election of its chairman
Most councils appoint a Vice Chairman but this is optional
The normal term of office for the Chairman is one year.

Who is eligible?

The law specifies that any person over the age of 18 who is a citizen of the United Kingdom, The European Community or the Commonwealth can be a councillor if they are an elector in, work in, live in or live within three miles of the area of the local council is eligible. Certain circumstances will mean that an individual may be “disqualified” from standing; check with your council if unsure.

What will I do if I’m elected?

Attend council meetings
Raise matters that the council can consider and formally decide to take action about at meetings
Make informed contributions which influence the debate on the business that needs to be decided at those meetings
Participate in the Council’s decision making process, which in itself is subject to strict rules and guidelines
Represent the Council externally

Election Materials and Guides

SALC Webpage

http://www.alcshropshire.co.uk/elections

NALC Elections Webpage

http://www.nalc.gov.uk/our-work/elections

NALC ‘It Takes All Sorts” (information for prospective candidates)

http://www.nalc.gov.uk/publications

NALC ‘Whatever – Yeah! Local Councils and Youth Provision’

http://www.nalc.gov.uk/publications

NALC ‘Power to the People’

http://www.nalc.gov.uk/publications

“Be a Councillor” website