Parish Council Elections 2023

2023 Parish Council Elections

Will be held on Thursday 4th May.

Check your polling station details because Greatwood Hall is now being used as a polling station.

You will also be required to show ID when you vote at a polling station.

If you would like to know more information about:

  • Registering to vote
  • Proxy or postal votes
  • Voter ID

Then please click this link to SMDC Elections

 

Other Useful Information

Election Timetable

Notice of Election

 

Have you always wanted to be more involved in what happens in your local community?

  • How your play areas are run?
  • What events are happening?
  • Push bigger project forward with other local councils like: speeding, road conditions, dog foul etc?
  • How the cemetery is extended?
  • What flowers are in the High Street floral displays?
  • What Christmas lights are used?
  • and much more

Most people’s impression of what a councillor does is that they just attend council meetings and nothing could be further from the truth. The duties and pleasure, of being a local councillor are many and varied, however it is the ordinary day to day contact with local people in their own community that is the most important part of being a councillor.

The Parish Council works as a single democratic entity, so no individual councillor is responsible for any single decision.

Councillors represent the voice of their community as a whole, whilst being aware of and considerate to, specific minority needs.

Checkley Parish Council hold twelve full council meetings a year and Councillors are required to attend.

A Checkley Parish Councillor receives no remuneration for their attendance or involvement on the Parish Council.

 

Eligibility criteria

Candidates must be qualified to stand for election. The Local Government Act 1972, Section 79, sets out the qualifications for standing as a candidate and the grounds for disqualification of a candidate.

For more information relating to these qualifications, please read the Electoral Commission’s Guidance.

Nomination process

To stand as a candidate at any election a nomination paper must be submitted. The nomination paper gives details of name, address and political description (if any). You can contact the Electoral Services team at SMDC for a nomination pack.

All nomination papers require a signature from two (one proposer, and one seconder) registered electors within the parish. The proposer and seconder must be on the Staffordshire Moorlands electoral register that is in force on the 25th working day before the poll.

For more comprehensive information regarding parish elections, please visit the Electoral Commission’s website.

Guidance notes

Full name and home address must be included on the nominations. If desired, a description can be included. The description, if any, must consist of either:

  • the word “Independent”. This word must be used on its own and cannot accompany any other word
  • a description (of not more than six words in length) which is the registered political party description.

You can leave the description blank if you would prefer.

Candidates cannot submit a nomination paper using a political party description unless they have their permission to do so and a certificate from them saying that they are authorised to use their description.

If you are standing as an independent candidate, please take a look at the Guidance for Candidates and Agents – standing as an independent candidate for further information.

If you are standing as a party candidate, please take a look at the Guidance for Candidates and Agents – standing as a party candidate for further information.

We would advise prospective candidates to attend the Parish Candidates briefing run by the Electoral Services Team.

A successful candidate would be expected to follow the Councillors Code of Conduct.

Application process

The nomination form to stand as a candidate is available from the Electoral Services Team. To request a nomination pack, please contact the Electoral Services team.

There is no charge to stand as a candidate for election. However, any costs incurred by a candidate in standing for election will have to be paid by the candidate. Details of expenses will be supplied with the nomination form.

If you would like to stand as a Parish Councillor in the 4 May 2023 election, there is a Parish Candidates and Clerks briefing at 6.00pm Tuesday 28th February 2023, accessible virtually or in person.

We would advise you to attend this briefing if possible. For more information or to book onto the briefing, please email electoral.services@staffsmoorlands.gov.uk

Please note the introduction of Voter ID will be covered in this briefing.

For more information on Voter ID please see the Electoral Commission website.