Borough of Telford & Wrekin

Parish and Town Councils - Standing as a Candidate

There a number of qualifications that you have to meet before you can stand for election to a Parish and Town Council and these are outlined below.
Please note that the following is intended as an introductory guide only. You should also consult the latest guidance for local government candidates issued by the Electoral Commission and you should read carefully the contents of the nomination pack issued by the Returning Officer for greater detail.

To qualify to be a candidate for a local election, on the day of nomination and on the day of the election you must be:

  • aged 18 years or over;
  • and either a UK or Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Irish Republic or a citizen of a member state of the EU.

In addition, you must meet at least one of the following qualifications:

  • on the day of nomination and on the day of the election you are and thereafter you continue to be registered as a voter in the Parish; or,
  • for the whole of twelve months before the day of nomination and the day of the election you have occupied any land or other premises as owner or tenant in the Parish; or,
  • for the whole of twelve months before the day of nomination and the day of the election your principal or only place of work has been in the Parish; or,
  • for the whole of twelve months before the day of nomination and the day of the election you have resided in the Parish or within three miles of it.

There are disqualifications, and these are briefly summarised here. You will be unable to be elected and to serve as a councillor if:

  • you are a paid employee of the Parish;
  • or you are subject to a bankruptcy restrictions order;
  • or you have within five yearsbefore the day of the election been sentenced to a term of imprisonement (whether suspended or not) of not less than 3 months without the option of a fine.

On this page you will find links to enable you to access a selection of forms and documents that a candidate would need to complete to enable you to stand for a Parish Council election here. The forms are primarily intended as guidance or as a reserve in the event of error. Persons intending to be candidates are stronlgy advised to contact the Elections Office for a full nomination pack, which will include the statutory election timetable and a copy of the relevant part of the electoral register that will be supplied for electoral purposes.



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Please note - Some documents published before 1st December 2006 may contain incorrect contact numbers.
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For up to date contact numbers please refer to the Guide to Council Services.