Upper Rissington Parish Council encourages residents to consider standing in the upcoming local parish council elections.
We’re urging enthusiastic and engaged members of the community who want to make a long-lasting change, have innovative ideas or have concerns about a specific issue to stand as councillors for the opportunity to make a real difference.
The work Upper Rissington Parish Council does is exciting and rewarding. An integral part of a councillor’s role is engaging with local people, groups, and businesses to determine their needs, making decisions on the services and projects the council should take forward, and getting involved to ensure services meet the community’s needs.
Here are some steps to becoming a councillor:
- Check for elections in your area by emailing the Cotswolds District Council elections officer
- Submit your nomination to the returning officer — find out more about the process
- Wait for your nomination to be accepted
- Your nomination is made public by the principal authority
- Polling day — find your polling station.
2023 Election timeline
- Publication of notice of election – 17 March 2023
- Delivery of nomination papers to the Returning Officer -During office hours from Monday 20 March up to the deadline at 4pm on Tuesday 4 April 2023
- Publication of Statement of Persons Nominated – No later than 4pm, Wednesday 5 April 2023
- Last date to register as an elector for the election – Monday 17 April 2023
- Deadline for submission of a postal vote application form – 5pm, Tuesday 18 April 2023
- Deadline for submission of a proxy vote application form – 5pm, Tuesday 25 April 2023
- Deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate, if required – 5pm, Tuesday 25 April 2023
- Polling day – 7am to 10pm, Thursday 4 May 2023
Full details available on the Cotswold District Council website.
What is the time commitment?
NALC’s Local Councillor Census Survey found that councillors put aside, on average, three hours a week for council work. Council work often includes attending meetings, engaging with residents and speaking to local groups and bodies on behalf of the council.
What training and support is there?
Upper Rissington Parish Councillors can receive training and support via the Gloucestershire Association of Parish and Town Councils.
What do councillors do?
Local councillors have three main areas of work:
- Decision-making: through attending meetings and committees with other elected members, councillors decide which activities to support, where money should be spent, what services should be delivered and what policies should be implemented.
- Monitoring: councillors ensure that their decisions lead to efficient and effective services by keeping an eye on how well things are working.
- Getting involved locally: as local representatives, councillors have responsibilities towards their constituents and local organisations. These responsibilities often depend on what a given councillor wants to achieve and how much time is available.
The day-to-day work of a councillor may include the following:
- Going to meetings of local organisations and community groups.
- Attending meetings of bodies that affect the wider community, such as the police, the Highways Authority, schools and colleges.
- Taking up issues on behalf of public members, such as making representations to the principal authority.
- Running surgery for residents to bring up issues.
- Meeting with individual residents in their own homes.
From time to time vacancies exist for Councillors outside of the election period. Please contact Clerk@upperrissington-pc.gov.uk if you’re interested in joining the Council.
