Policies & Procedures

Co-Option Policy

The PDF version may be downloaded from HERE

Co-opting a New Councillor

The Co-option Policy was adopted by Full Council at its Meeting held on 21th April 2021.

Parish Councils are permitted to exercise the power to co-opt a person on to the Council to fill a casual vacancy when the requirements to hold an election have not been met (i.e. the vacancy has been the subject of a public notice and less than 10 registered electors have requested an election by a deadline date specified by the Borough Returning Officer).

Although seeking “expressions of interest” is not a legal requirement, the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) recommends that Councils always give public notice of vacancies because this makes the process of co-option open and transparent and should attract more potential candidates.

Whenever the need for co-option arises, Swineshead Parish Council will consider advertising the vacancy to seek and encourage “expressions of interest” by a specified date (no shorter than 21 days) from anyone living or working in the parish of Swineshead who is eligible to stand as a Parish Councillor (see Notice of Casual Vacancy, Appendix A). All potential candidates will be requested to consider their appropriateness for the position (see Person Specification, Appendix B) and if appropriate, put forward their request for consideration by completing an application form (see Application Form, Appendix C). Applicants should attend at least three Council meetings as members of the public before applying to become a Councillor, this however is at the discretion of the existing Councillors and may be overlooked.

Please note it is a condition of a Councillor that a means of contact by telephone and e-mail will be public information (a Parish Council email address will be provided for this purpose). A Declaration of Interests Form must be completed and will be published.

At the next Full Council meeting following the closing date for applications:

i.  Clerk to confirm that each applicant is qualified to become a Councillor and is not disqualified from being a Councillor as set out in the Local Government Act 1972 s79 and s80;

ii.  Chairman to offer opportunity for debate on the order of priority to offer co-option;

iii.  Vote on the acceptability of each candidate for co-option, utilising the Person Specification criteria set out in Appendix B and any personal statements requested from, and provided by, candidates. The applicant with the least number of votes casted will be deleted and the vote taken again and again until the number of candidates equals the number of vacancies. Voting can take place anonymously if deemed necessary;

iv.  Vote to select the order in which acceptable candidates (decided by the vote at iii above) should be approached to offer co-option on this occasion;

v.  The Clerk to approach and offer co-option to candidate(s) after the meeting in the order of priority determined by the vote at iii above, if the first choice does not accept the post then the second is to be approached and so on until the ranking list is exhausted.

The Clerk to notify Electoral Services of the new Councillor appointment, initiate Acceptance of Office paperwork and other relevant paperwork, including Declarations of Interest.

Assuming that the co-option position is filled and all paperwork completed, formally ratify the appointment at the next Full Council meeting.

If no one accepts the vacant post(s), the whole process is to be repeated when new individuals expressing interest are identified.
 

APPENDIX A

NOTICE OF INTENT TO CO-OPT COUNCILLOR 

Notice is hereby given pursuant to section 87(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 that a by-election has not been requested in respect of TWO casual vacancies on Swineshead Parish Council caused by recent resignations. The Parish Council will now fill the vacancies by co- option.


Any persons interested in filling these vacancies are invited to give notification in the format of an application form which can be sought from the Parish Clerk. The application will include relevant background information that will assist the Parish Council in forming an opinion as to a candidate’s suitability for co-option.

 

Notification must be received by no later than NOON on MONDAY 17th MAY 2021.

 

The co-option will be considered at next Full Parish Council meeting after this deadline. Candidates will have the opportunity to speak at the meeting prior to the selection process.

 

Signed:  Natalie Grant, Parish Clerk, Swineshead Parish Council

Dated:   17th April 2021


To qualify, applicants must be over 18 and their name should appear on the current electoral register for Swineshead or should during the whole of the twelve months preceding the relevant date have resided in or within three miles of the parish, or the applicant’s only place of work during the whole of the twelve months preceding the relevant date should be in the parish. The applicant must not be disqualified from standing as a Councillor. Please refer to Local Government Act 1972 sections 79-81.

Applicants must NOT canvass members of the Council.

If you would like further information, an informal chat or to request an application form, please contact the Parish Clerk:

 

PARISH OFFICE
Swineshead Pre-School Centre North End
Swineshead    EMAIL: swinesheadpc@gmail.com
PE20 3LZ    WEBSITE:     www.swineshead.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk

07899 740375

 

APPENDIX B

 

CO-OPTED COUNCILLOR PERSON SPECIFICATION

 

Personal Attributes:

  • Sound knowledge and understanding of local affairs and the local community
  • Forward thinking
  • Can bring a new skill, expertise or key local knowledge to the Council

 

Experience, Skills, Knowledge and Ability:

  • Ability to listen constructively
  • A good team player
  • Ability to pick up and run with a variety of projects
  • Solid interest in local matters
  • Ability and willingness to represent the Council and their community
  • Good interpersonal skills and able to contribute opinions at meetings whilst willing to see others views and accept majority decisions
  • Ability to communicate succinctly and clearly
  • Ability and willingness to work closely with other members and to maintain good working relationships with all members and staff
  • Ability and willingness to work with the Council’s partners (e.g. voluntary groups, other Community Councils, principal authority, charities)
  • Ability and willingness to undertake induction training and other relevant training
  • Experience of working or being a member in a local authority or other public body
  • Experience of working with voluntary and or local community / interest groups
  • Basic knowledge of legal issues relating to town and Community Councils or local authorities
  • Experience of delivering presentations

 

Circumstances:

  • Ability and willingness to attend meetings of the Council (or meetings of other local authorities and local bodies) at any time
  • Ability and willingness to attend other events in the evening and at weekends as required

 

 

APPLICATION FORM FOR THE ROLE OF PARISH COUNCILLOR SWINESHEAD PARISH COUNCIL

PERSONAL DETAILS
Full Name                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Home Address

(including Postcode)

  
 
 
Telephone Number  
Mobile Number  
Email Address  

It is a condition of being a Parish Councillor for Swineshead that your phone number and email address (official email address will be supplied) be made public via notice boards and website.

 

LEGAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR BEING A COMMUNITY COUNCILLOR

QUALIFICATIONS

(To qualify you must be able to answer ‘Yes’ to both of the questions below)

Are you a British citizen, a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of a European Union country?

Yes / No

Are you 18 or over?

Yes / No

(To qualify you must be able to answer ‘Yes’ to at least one of the questions below)

Are you on the electoral register for the Parish of Swineshead?

Yes / No

Have you lived either in the Parish of Swineshead, or within three miles of its boundary, for at least a year?

Yes / No

Have you been the owner or tenant of land in the Parish of Swineshead for at least a year?

Yes / No

Have you had your only or main place of work in Parish of Swineshead for at least a year?

Yes / No
DISQUALIFICATIONS

(You must be able to answer No to all of the questions below to be eligible to serve as a councillor)

Are you the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order?

Yes / No

Have you within the last five years been convicted of an offence in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man which resulted in a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for a period of three months or more without the option of a fine?

 

Yes / No

Are you disqualified by order of a court from being a member of a local authority?

Yes / No

Please briefly outline of why you are interested in being a parish councillor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please tell us something about the life experience you will bring to the Council, for example, previous local government experience, work in the voluntary or charitable sector, business or trade union experience, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please tell us something about the skills you feel you will bring to the Council, for example, professional qualifications, financial or project management expertise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are there any questions you would like to ask the council?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Signed:

 

(print name)

 

Date: