Becoming a Councillor

February 2023

THE PARISH COUNCIL ARE SEEKING CANDIDATES TO FILL THE VACANT POSITIONS ON THE COUNCIL.

For more information please contact the Clerk-

Mr Bob Pannell

21 Baldwin Road. King's Lynn

PE30 4AL

Telephone:-

01553 775724

e-mail:- bob.pannell1@btopenworld.com

(Dates of planned meetings of the Parish Council may be seen here


Forthcoming Local Council Elections - MAY 2023

Borough Council Press release - 13 February 2023

Becoming a councillor

With elections taking place across the borough on 4 May 2023, there are lots of opportunities to stand as a borough or parish councillor.  The Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk is urging anyone interested in standing as a candidate to read the information on its website and to book a place on one of the forthcoming pre-election briefing sessions.

Councillors play a key role in the borough, representing the people that elected them and providing a voice for the community. They help shape services for the benefit of local people.

People become councillors for different reasons, including:

• they are concerned about the local area in which they live and want to ensure that their local community is provided with the services needed and its interest are taken into account,

• they want to pursue their political beliefs,

• they are concerned about one particular issue, for example care for older people, the need for facilities in an area or traffic congestion.

• they may already be in a political party, trade union or school governing body and they see the next step is to become a councillor.

Anyone interested in becoming a councillor can find out more by visiting www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/beacouncillor or www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/beaparishcouncillor.  There are links to nomination papers and further information from the Electoral Commission as well as guidance on who can stand, how to complete nomination papers, spending and donations and campaigning.

There is a pre-election candidates and agents briefing session for the borough council elections on 28 February at 3pm. 

There are two pre-election candidates and parish clerk briefing sessions for the parish and town council elections on Wednesday 1 March at 7pm and Thursday 2 March at 3pm

These briefing sessions will take place online on Microsoft Teams.  To attend any of these sessions you will need to register your interest by emailing elections@west-norfolk.gov.uk or calling 01553 616773.

Nomination papers need to be submitted to the Electoral Registration team at the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk offices, in person, from 21 March 2023 and by 4pm on 4 April 2023.  It is best to telephone to make an appointment and to submit papers well ahead of the deadline so that there is time to make any changes that might be required.

Issued by: Sharon Clifton, Communications Manager, on 01553 616711

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Make a Difference in your Community

Become a Parish Councillor

Parish Council elections are due to be held in May 2023

There are 10,000 community, parish and town councils in England and Wales, controlled by

Acts of Parliament and they are responsible for the most local of matters. Importantly, they

can "precept" - raising a sum collected with the council tax each year to improve facilities

and services for local people,

Parish,town and community councils in England and Wales have a number of basic

responsibilities in making the lives of local communities more comfortable, many of which are

often taken for granted. Essentially these powers fall within three main categories:-

Representing the whole electorate within the parish:

Delivering services to meet local needs; and

Striving to improve quality of life in the parish.

Individual powers include traffic calmirg measures, local youth projects, tourism activities, leisure facilities. car parks, village greens, public lavatories, litter bins, street lighting, street cleaning, burial grounds, allotments, bus shelters, commons, opens spaces, footpaths, bridle ways, and crime reduction measures.

Community, parish and town councils can also comment on planning applications - they are statutory consultees and can be represented at public inquiries.

The Role of a Councillor

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 reponsibilities 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, and organisations affecting the wider community; taking up issues on behalf of members of the public, running surgeries for residents to bring up issues, and meetng with individual residents in their own homes.

How much times does it take up?

Quite often councillors say that their duties occupy them for about three hours a week. Obviously there are some councillors who spend more tine 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.

Am I qualified ?

Yes - most people are. However there are a few rules. You must be:-

A British subject, or a citizen of the Commonwealth or the European Union;

On the 'relevant date' (ie the day on which you are nominated, or, if there is a poll, on the day of the election) be 18 years of  age or over.  Also:

Be a local government elector, for the Council area for which you want to stand, on the 'relevant date';

or have occupied as owne€r or tenant any land or other premises in the council area during thc whole of the 12 months preceding that day;

or had your principal or only place of work in the council area during that same period;

or have resided in the council area during that 12 month period;

You con also satisfy the criteria to be elected if you have lived in the council area or within 4.8km of it for the whole of the l2  months preceding the 'relevant date.'

You cannot stand for election if :

You are the subject of of bankruptcy restriction order or interim order.

You have, within five years b€efore the day of the election, been convicted in the United Kingdom of any offence and have had a sentence of imprisonment (whether susp€ended 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 that represent the same area).

But I'm too young ....

Some parish councils also run youth councils, comprising a number of young people representing their local schools and colleges.

They are granted their own political forum by having a space and a time to meet and discuss matters that affect them. These youth

councils are in direct communication with their parish councils so they can also be involved in decision-making . lf there is not a scheme, or a parish youth forum in your community, get together with friends and put a proposal to your local community, parish or town council.

Further information

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 will take place. The Councillor nomination period closes on 9 April at 4pm - your parish council may be able to supply nomination forms and / or district / borough contact information.

Our Parish Clerk is

Mr Bob Pannell

21 Baldwin Road

King's Lynn

PE30 4AL

Telephone 01553 775724

or

call the Norfolk Association of Local Councils on 01603 638496 or go to www.norfolkalc.gov.uk