Spelsbury Parish Council will be holding its four-yearly councillor election this May.
All six councillor positions will become vacant. Anyone who would like to be considered for a position, including existing councillors, needs to be nominated and take part in the election process.
Key dates:
- Tuesday 31 March – nomination period begins
- Wednesday 08 April, 4pm – nomination period ends
- Tuesday 21 April – voter registration ends
- Thursday 07 May – Parish Council election
What does being a councillor for Spelsbury Parish involve?
Councillors are the elected officials of the council, responsible for making the decisions on behalf of the council.
The council meets six times a year, with occasional additional planning meetings.
Details about the role and the council are available here: Councillor job description Rev A or from the Clerk.
Am I eligible?
Full details for eligibility are included in the nomination pack. Briefly, you need to be a British, Irish, Commonwealth or EU citizen and be at least 18, then meet ONE of the follow qualifications:
- Be on the register of electors for the parish.
- Occupy land as an owner or a tenant.
- Have your principal or only place of work in the parish.
- Live in the parish or within 3 miles of it.
How do I get nominated?
Forms are available from the Parish Council Clerk clerk@spelsbury.org or from the Election Office at West Oxfordshire District Council.
Complete the nomination forms, and be proposed and seconded by people on the current electoral role.
The forms must be returned BY HAND to the West Oxfordshire District Council offices in Witney by 4pm on Wednesday 08 April.
What happens if six or less people are nominated?
These people automatically become the new councillors in May and there is no election. If there are any vacancies in the new council, we start the co-option process and invite people to become councillors.
What happens if more than six people are nominated?
If there are more nominations than council positions at the end of the nomination period there will be an election on 07 May.
What happens at a contested election?
The council election follows the same process as other elections. Voting cards will be issued, and Spelsbury Memorial Hall is the polling station. The election result will be published by Monday 11 May, and on the Monday the newly elected councillors come into office.
What happens next?
The Clerk will contact all new councillors and send out an induction pack. At or before the Annual Council Meeting councillors sign their Acceptance of Office forms. At the Meeting they decide who will be the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, and start the yearly business of the council.