Elections

Town and Parish Council elections are held ever four years. The last election was held on Thursday 2nd May 2019 and the next election will be held on Thursday 4th May 2023.

If you are thinking about standing for election, you might find this guide on eligibility interesting.

Also have a look at the following guides:

Guidance for councillors can be found here

The Good Councillors Guide can be found here

Pointers to Good Practice can be found here

Parish Elections 2019

The Parish Election was uncontested and the following were duly elected on 2nd May 2019:

Andy Baker, Chris Bishop, Penny Harris, Paul Myers, Mitzi Quirk, Jonathan Roper, Richard Streatfeild, Ben Taylor and Howard Williams

District Elections 2019

The District Election for this area was also uncontested and the following were duly elected on 2nd May 2019:

Penshurst, Fordcombe & Chiddingstone ward: Sue Coleman
Leigh & Chiddingstone Causeway ward: James Osborne-Jackson

Standing as a Candidate

Being a Parish Councillor gives you the chance to make a difference to quality of life for people in your local area.

To become a candidate:

You must be at least 18 years of age and
You must be on the electoral register, or
Have lived in the parish or within 4.8km of the parish for the previous 12 months, or
Have worked or owned property in the parish for the previous 12 months.

Candidates may be disqualified if they are declared bankrupt or have a previous criminal conviction with a three-month or more prison sentence.

The Nomination Process

No experience is needed to stand for election as a Councillor. However, you must submit a nomination paper.

More information and the nomination pack can be found here:

https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or-agent/parish-and-community-council-elections-in-england-and-wales

Town and Parish Council nomination papers must be confirmed by a Proposer and Seconder who support your nomination to stand as a candidate. Everyone signing the nomination paper must be included on the Register of Electors for the Ward or electoral area in which the election is to be held.

At the close of nominations, you will be notified as to whether or not the nomination is valid. If a candidate wishes to withdraw their nomination they must do so by 4pm 3 April 2019.

Does it cost money to become a candidate?

There is no charge to stand as a candidate in Town and Parish Council elections. However, there are strict rules on the amount and manner in which expenses are incurred by the candidate and how they are paid. The amount depends on the type of election and there is a limit on how much a candidate can spend. Because of these rules a detailed return has to be submitted showing exactly how much and in what circumstances a candidate has incurred expenditure. Expenses are non-refundable.