Parish Elections - 2 May 2019 Information for Candidates

March 12, 2019  /  Parish Clerk

Parish Council elections 2 May 2019

Parish Council elections take place on 2 May 2019. The information below is for anyone who is interested in becoming or remaining a parish councillor.

Candidates’ guide

The guidance is divided into six sections, and candidates are strongly recommended to make use of it as necessary and, in particular, Parts 1 and 2 relating to qualifications and disqualifications for being a candidate and the submission of nominations.

Notice of election, submission of nomination papers and date of poll

The “notice of election” will be displayed in the parish no later than Tuesday 26 March 2019. Nominations may be submitted from that date (but not on Saturdays or Sundays). The final date and time for their receipt in the elections office will be 4 pm on Wednesday 3 April 2019. Nomination papers must be delivered to the council offices at Cannock Chase Council, Beecroft Road, Cannock, Staffordshire.  

A comprehensive nomination pack is available on the Electoral Commission’s website , which also contains helpful guidance.

Please note that candidates should use the new version of the electoral register (available after 5 March 2019) when completing nomination papers, as using any register published prior to March 2019 may make the nomination paper invalid.

Only complete and accurate forms will be accepted. The requirements are that nominations must be delivered by hand. They cannot be submitted by post, fax, email or other electronic means.

Following the election day, the count for parish/town council elections will take place on Friday 3 May 2019 from 12 noon 

Insufficient nominations

The law provides that if, following the last day for the withdrawal of candidature, the number of candidates remaining validly nominated is less than the quorum of the council (i.e. one third of the membership, subject to a minimum of three) a further election shall be held within a period of 35 days of the date of the original election (not including Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays). If, however, the number remaining validly nominated is at least equal to the quorum, the newly elected members may co-opt to fill the vacancies. 

Withdrawal of candidature

Please note that the deadline by which the Returning Officer must receive any withdrawal of candidature is no later than 4pm on Wednesday 3 April 2019, which is the same deadline as that for delivering a nomination.

A “statement of persons nominated” will be displayed in the parish from 4/5 April and “notice of poll” (for district and/or parish elections, as the case may be) in the week commencing 22 April.

Declaration of acceptance of office  

All elected parish councillors must complete a “declaration of acceptance of office”. Successful candidates must make this declaration before or at the first meeting of the parish council after their election. It must be made in the presence of either a member of the parish council or the parish clerk. Failure to make the declaration will result in a vacancy, unless the parish council agrees at its first meeting following the election to permit the making of the declaration at a later date.

The current parish council shall retire on the “fourth day after the ordinary day of election” and the “newly elected councillors shall come into office on the day that their predecessors retire” – Tuesday 7 May 2019.