Parish Council Election Process

Overview

Parish Council elections are held every four years, typically on the first Thursday in May. The process is governed by the Local Government Act 1972 and additional guidance from Buckinghamshire Council: Buckinghamshire Council unitary and parish elections Thursday 1 May 2025

Eligibility

To stand for election as a Parish Councillor, candidates must:

· Be at least 18 years old.

· Be a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen, or a citizen of any member state of the European Union.

Meet at least one of the following criteria:

· Be registered as a local government elector for the parish.

· Have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the parish during the whole of the 12 months preceding the day of nomination.

· Have their principal or only place of work in the parish during the 12 months preceding the day of nomination.

· Have lived in the parish or within three miles of it during the whole of the 12 months preceding the day of nomination.

Nomination Process

Candidates must complete a nomination paper and submit it to the Returning Officer by the specified deadline. The nomination paper must be signed by a proposer and a seconder who are registered electors in the parish.

Election Timetable

The election timetable is published by the local authority and includes key dates such as the deadline for nominations, the date of the poll, and the deadline for postal vote applications. These key dates can be found by clicking the link to Buckinghamshire Council’s website near the top of the page.

Contested and Uncontested Seats

If the number of candidates is equal to or less than the number of available seats, the candidates are elected unopposed, and no election poll is held. This situation is referred to as an "uncontested" election. If the number of candidates exceeds the number of available seats, an election poll is held, and the seats are considered "contested."

Election of the Parish Council Chairman

The election of the Parish Council Chairman is governed by the Local Government Act 1972. According to Section 15 of the Act, the Parish Council must elect a Chairman from among its members at the annual meeting of the council.

The election of the Chairman takes place at the annual meeting of the Parish Council, which must be held in May.

Councillors can nominate themselves or be nominated by other councillors.

If there is more than one candidate, a vote is taken. The candidate with the majority of votes is elected as Chairman.

The Chairman holds office until the next annual meeting of the council or until a successor is elected.