The full complement of King's Stanley Parish Councillors is 9.

If you want your Parish to be well represented at the grass roots please think about serving yourself.

If not, is there someone you could nominate who would like to help improve their community?

Parish Councillors are elected from amongst the community.  Neither the Parish Council as a body nor its Clerk can take part in selecting Councillors.

The only exception to this is if a Councillor resigns during his/her term of office.   When such a vacancy arises (Casual Vacancy) it must first be advertised to the community to allow people their right to elect a replacement democratically.  If this does not happen then the Parish Council must try to co-opt someone, if it can, to fill the vacancy and elected Members make this decision.

Parish Councils can also co-opt someone from the community even if there is no vacancy if he/she has expertise in a field that is of use & benefit to the council and local residents.  Such a person would probably work with a council committee or working party to help them with a particular issue.

WHAT DO PARISH COUNCILLORS DO?

They represent the views of parishioners, work in the public interest and lead the community.

They do so by attending meetings which deal with Parish Council business and matters of local concern.

Councillors make decisions as to how your money (funds raised from the local precept) is spent.  They also monitor Parish Council expenditure and finances.

Parish Councillors do as much or as little as they are able.  Often it’s not how much you do but your knowledge of your community that is so important.

Working together with the Clerk, the Councillors can achieve more than you think – and often at little financial cost to the community.   

If someone has been elected mid-term their period of office ends when the 4 year term ends.

Parish Councillors together form the Parish Council.  It employs a Clerk and any may also employ other Officers or workers to carry out tasks decided locally and to fulfil any duties imposed or required of it.

At King’s Stanley the only employee is the Clerk who works part time from home, although the bus shelter cleaners are technically employees.

Training is available within Gloucestershire which is meant to be enjoyable and beneficial and will only cost you your time and enthusiasm.

You will meet like-minded people at such sessions and should find them informative and useful, not just in terms of what you learn from tutors but also by networking with fellow councillors to share experiences, problems and possible solutions.

TO LEGALLY QUALIFY AS A CANDIDATE FOR ELECTION

On the day of nomination you must be 21 or over and either a UK, Commonwealth, Irish Republic or EU citizen.  You must also be registered as a local government elector of your parish or have lived either in the parish or within 4.8K (3 miles) of it during the whole of the previous 12 months

OR

Your principal or only place of work is in the area of the parish for twelve months

OR

You have occupied land or other premises in the parish, as an owner or tenant, during the whole 12 months preceding the day on which you are nominated.

YOU CANNOT BE A COUNCILLOR IF YOU WORK FOR AND ARE PAID BY THE PARISH COUNCIL or if you are bankrupt or if you have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment (suspended or not) of not less than three months without the option of a fine within five years prior to the election

OR

You have been disqualified by any act relating to corrupt or illegal practices.

Rewards:  There are no financial rewards save that of personal satisfaction! (Although you can be reimbursed for any costs incurred through attending events outside of the parish on its behalf)

Every candidate must be nominated on a separate nomination paper in the prescribed form. The nomination paper must give the candidate’s surname & forenames in full and also their home address.

The nomination paper may contain a description not exceeding 6 words.  If this description refers to a political party then it must be accompanied by a certificate signed by or on behalf of the party's registered nominating officer.

It can be left blank or you may wish to enter your job or profession. Whatever you put there will be published on notices!

Candidates are entitled to obtain a copy of the electoral register for their Parish from SDC.

The proposer and seconder must be local government electors of the parish, or if the parish is divided into wards, the parish ward.   The nomination paper must be delivered to the place indicated in the Notice of Election before the deadline.

Elections to Parish Councils, and Parish Meetings in Gloucestershire are held every fourth year.

At such an election all the Councillors on a given council have to stand down and may or may not seek re-election.

Newly elected Councillors must sign up to the

"Code of Conduct"* and  make a "Declaration of Acceptance of Office" for the Parish Council within 28 days of their election.

Until this is done you will not be able to sit in a full council meeting or take part in any other meetings.

Failure to sign the "Code of Conduct" before the deadline automatically cancels a Member’s election and he/she ceases to be a Councillor.   

The Code of Conduct is referred to separately on this website from the Democracy page.

Nomination papers must be obtained from Stroud District Council’s Electoral Registration Officer, although the Parish Clerk may have a few copies near election time.

They include instructions for completing it correctly and advise you on what else you might need to do.

Forms must then be handed in to the Electoral Registration Officer before the deadline date and time which you should check when collecting the form.    If you fail to meet the deadline your nomination will be invalid.  It is the candidate's own responsibility to ensure that his/her papers are delivered before the deadline.

Candidate’s Guides,  nomination papers & copies of the Electoral Register can be obtained from:

Electoral Services,

Stroud District Council

Ebley Mill

Westward Road

Ebley

Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 4UB

01453 766321

Check out their website: www.stroud.gov.uk