Calling all community heroes! Do you want to make a positive difference to your community?
Have you considered becoming a Parish Councillor?
What does a local council do?
Your local council has overall responsibility for the wellbeing of your local community. Their work falls into three main categories:
- Delivery of services
- Improve quality of life for residents
- Give communities a democratic voice
Becoming a local councillor
As a local councillor you can become a voice for your community and make real change. Councillors are community leaders and represent the interests of the communities they serve. Local councillors have three main responsibilities:
- Decision-making
- Monitoring
- Getting involved locally
Being eligible as a Parish Councillor
To stand for election to a local council you must be:
- At least 18 years old
- A British citizen; an eligible Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of any Member State of the European Union
AND meet at least one of the following:
- The applicant is, and will continue to be, registered as a local government elector for the parish in which they wish to stand from the day of their co-option onwards.
- The applicant has occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the parish area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of their co-option.
- The applicant’s main or only place of work during the 12 months prior to the day of their co-option has been in the parish area.
- The applicant has lived in the parish area or within three miles of it during the whole of the 12 months before the day of their co-option.
AND
You are not disqualified from standing:
- employed by the Parish Council or holds a paid office for the Parish Council
- subject of a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order (or interim order) in England or Wales
- have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 3 months or more (incl. suspended sentence)
- have been disqualified under Audit Commission Act 1998
- are serving a disqualification due to being found guilty of a corrupt or illegal practice by an election court
- subject to the notification requirement of or under Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and the ordinary period allowed for making an appeal or application in respect of the order or notification has passed
- convicted of an intimidatory criminal offence motivated by hostility towards a candidate, future candidate or campaigner or holder of a relevant elective office
This list is not exhaustive. Please see electoralcommission.org.uk for full details.
May 2025
Following the resignation of Andrew Sowerby, and after due process, NKDC have notified us that we are now permitted to co-opt to this vacancy. If anyone is interested in becoming a councillor and meets the legal requirements, please complete the co-option application form below and return it either by email to parishoffice@heighington-pc.gov.uk or return to the Parish Office. Closing date for applications is Monday 2 June 2025. Applications will be considered at the Full Council meeting on Monday 9 June 2025.