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Becoming a Parish Councillor

Elections 

Parish Council elections are usually held in May, together with a County or a District election. All members of the Parish Council have to either be re-elected or stand down every four years.

If you would like to become a Parish Councillor you must be sure you are eligible to stand, and then submit a set of nomination papers. These are available from the District Council, either by post or by downloadable (pdf) file from the Cherwell District Council website.

Co-option

If a vacancy arises in the Council and an election is not called within a specified period, the Parish Council normally advertises and fills the place by co-option. If you would like to apply to become a Parish Councillor through co-option, please contact the Clerk, Rachel Faulkner, at clerk@kidlington-pc.gov.uk or by calling the Parish Council at Exeter Hall on 01865 372143. She can tell you more about it and let you know the process.

Why become a councillor?

See the thoughts of two recently elected councillors, Melanie Moorhouse and Lesley McLean.

Who can be a candidate?

To be qualified to be elected a member of the Parish Council you must be 21 years of age or over at the date of your nomination, and a British or Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or a citizen of another Member State of the European Community, and either: 
 

1) Be a registered local government elector for the Parish both on the day you're nominated and on election day. You can check this by contacting the Electoral Services Unit.

2) You must have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the Parish during twelve whole months before the day you are nominated or election day.

3) Your principal or only place of work in the twelve months before you are nominated or election day has been in the Parish.

4) You must have lived in the Parish within 4.8 kilometres (3 miles), during the whole of the twelve months before the day you are nominated or election day.