by Wickhambrook Parish Clerk
Wickhambrook has two vacancies on its parish council which can now be filled by co-option. If you would like to become a councillor, have a look at some of the sources of information we’ve put together here, and chat with our Councillors to find out more about what it involves! Our next meeting is at 7pm on Thursday 30th September in the Dulcie Smith Room at Wickhambrook Memorial Social Centre, and we’ll be looking to co-opt at this meeting.
If you care about the area that you live or work in and the issues facing local people, you could be a councillor. Local (town and parish) councils are led by democratically elected councillors from the local community. Local councillors decide on what services and projects the council will deliver. As representatives of the first tier of local government and the closest to their communities, local councillors are best placed to engage with their residents and find out what the real local issues are and how to overcome them. To find out more about local councils, take a look at All about Local Councils. For some examples of what local Councils do, take a look at Points of Light 2019
What else do you need to know?
Most people are qualified to stand for their local council but there are a few rules. You have to be:
- A British citizen, or a citizen of the Commonwealth, or the European Union
- 18 years of age or older
- Live in an area that is served by a local council
You cannot stand for election if you:
- Are the subject of a bankruptcy restriction order or interim order
- Have within five years before the day of the election, been convicted in the United Kingdom of any offence and have had a prison sentence (whether suspended or not) for a period of over three months without the option of a fine
- Work for the council you want to become a councillor for.
If you would like to be considered for co-option, take a look at our Candidate Specification and submit your Candidate Eligibility Form, together with a covering letter setting out what you could bring to the role and the parish of Wickhambrook to the parish clerk, Hilary Workman at 123 York Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 3EG, or e-mail it to .
The deadline to submit your application is 5pm on Wednesday 22nd September 2021.