Elections for all Hayle Town Councillors (there are 15) will be held on Thursday, 3rd of May 2007. This includes all wards: South, North and East. There will also be an election for a single District Council seat in the North Ward (currently held by Councillor Owen Philp).
Requirements
You have to be:
a British subject, or a citizen of the Commonwealth or the European Union; and
on the “relevant date” (i.e. the day on which you are nominated or if there is a poll the day of the election) 18 years of age or over; (just reduced from 21 by the Electoral Administration Act 2006).
and additionally:
on the “relevant day” a local government elector for the council area for which you want to stand; or
have during the whole of the 12 months preceding that day occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the council area; or
have during that same period had your principal or only place of work in the council area; or
during that 12 month period resided in the council area.
In the case of a sitting member of a parish or community council you can also satisfy the criteria to be elected if you have lived in the council area or within 3 miles of it for the whole of the 12 months preceding the “relevant day”. (see Ward Maps)
You cannot stand for election if you
are subject of a bankruptcy restriction order or interim order
have, within five years before the day of the election, been convicted in the United Kingdom of any offence and have had a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for a period of over three months without the option of a fine
you work for the council you want to become a councillor for (but you can work for other local authorities, including the principal authorities that represent the same area).
What is a councillor?
Councillors are elected to represent an individual geographical unit on the council, known as a ward or - mainly in smaller parishes - the entire parish or town council area. They are generally elected by the public every four years.
What do councillors do?
Councillors have three main components to their work.
Decision making- Through meetings and attending committees with other elected members, councillors decide which activities to support, where money should be spent, what services should be delivered and what policies should be implemented.
Monitoring - Councillors make sure that their decisions lead to efficient and effective services by keeping an eye on how well things are working.
Getting involved locally - As local representatives, councillors have responsibilities towards their constituents and local organisations. These responsibilities and duties often depend on what the councillor wants to achieve and how much time is available, and may include:
Going to meetings of local organisations such as tenants' associations
Going to meetings of bodies affecting the wider community
Taking up issues on behalf of members of the public
Running a surgery for residents to bring up issues
Meeting with individual residents in their own homes
Visiting your council is the best way to find out what happens there. Give the council a call and find out when its next public meeting happens. By law, ordinary people are allowed to be present at most council business.
Quite often councillors say that their duties occupy them for about three hours a week. Obviously there are some councillors who spend more time than this - and some less, but in the main, being a community, parish and town councillor is an enjoyable way of contributing to your community, and helping to make it a better place to live and work.
When are the elections?
Councillors are normally elected for four years and the next election of the whole Town Council will be during the first week of May 2007.
Elections can also come up at any time following the resignation of a councillor and the person elected serves the remaining term of the resigning councillor.
Sources of information
A councillor's guide 2006/07
The 2006/07 edition of 'A Councillor’s Guide' has been revised and updated to reflect the latest legislation and thinking concerning local government in England. It is prepared by the Improvement and Development Agency
for local government (IDeA).
The guide has been designed as an introduction to their new roles for newly-elected councillors, and as a refresher for sitting and returning members.
It discusses councillors’ roles and responsibilities as ward representatives, explains how councils work and how they are funded, examines the various checks and balances that regulate councils and councillors and stresses the importance of the councillor’s role in community leadership.Many of the topics discussed in the guide can be explored in greater depth on this website.
The Countryside Agency's Good Councillor Guide.(Adobe Acrobat format). This is a good basic introduction to the work and limitations of councillors.
The Association of Council Secretaries and Solicitors Parish Toolkit. (Adobe Acrobat pdf format). This is a more detailed document listing procedures, practice and the law related to council operations.
The Hayle Town Council Standing Orders (Adobe Acrobat pdf format), current as of January 2006, listing the rules under which the town council has agreed to operate.
NALC Election Pack
Parish and Town Council elections 2007
.
Local elections are to be held on Thursday 3 May 2007 and this pack has
been designed to assist Parish and Town Councils coordinate successful
local campaigns in the run-up to the poll and to raise awareness of:
.
The importance for people to vote in local elections
How to navigate through the election process and
What to advise if someone is thinking of becoming a councillor
Surveys have shown that many people wish to become involved in local governance, but do not know how to begin. This pack contains a detailed programme together with all the information you will require in order to inform and encourage people to get involved at election time. The step by step programme of events will enable you to raise awareness
through the media, advertise your event and hold a meeting or presentation.
.
All of the content in this pack has been prepared for you to use with the
minimum amount of editing necessary to suit your council.
We hope that you will actively use this pack to encourage everyone in your
community of the importance of voting and in turn also encourage many to
stand as future councillors.
There are also 2 A4 posters included in this pack, as well as a CD copy of all
the printed material for you to download onto your computer and adapt to suit
the needs of your community.
Penwith District Council's web site contains general information on becoming a district councillor (electoral section) and the procedure for getting nominated.
The Council's Constitution also explains the operation of the council and the rules of procedure it follows. You can download it here (750kB)
Email me with your thoughts, suggestions, comments or questions
The 2006/07 edition of 