Interested in becoming a councillor?

Most people can stand for election as a local councillor. You could stand for the Lewes District Council, East Sussex County Council or even both.

The majority of local councillors belong to a political party. However, you can also stand as an independent councillor.

To qualify as a candidate for election to a local authority a person must satisfy the following criteria on the day they are nominated and on polling day they:

• have attained the age of at least 18 years and
• be a British citizen, a citizen of another Commonwealth country, a citizen of the Irish Republic, or a citizen of another member state of the European Union.

The candidate must also meet at least one of the following four qualifications on the day they are nominated and on polling day:

• they are registered as a local government elector for the local authority area in which they wish to stand; or
• they have been an owner or tenant of any land or premises in the local authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day they are nominated; or
• their main or only place of work during the last 12 months has been in the local authority area; or
• they have lived in the local authority area during the whole of the last 12 months.

Disqualifications

Certain people are disqualified from being elected to a local authority. A person cannot be a candidate if:

• they are employed by the local authority or hold a paid office under the authority (including joint boards or committees); or
• they are the subject of a bankruptcy order or interim order; or
• they have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three months or more (including a suspended sentence) without the option of a fine, during the five years before election day
• they have been disqualified under Part II of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (this relates to donations and other offences as well) or under the Audit Commission Act 1998.

A person may also be disqualified from election if they have been convicted or reported guilty of a corrupt or illegal practice by an election court, or if they have been disqualified from standing for election to a local authority following a decision of the Adjudication Panel for England.

The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 also defines a number of politically restricted posts within a local authority (normally senior positions such as the head of paid service or statutory chief officer, or other senior managers or staff who regularly advise members, for example). If a person holds one of these posts they will be disqualified from election to any local authority.

Guide for potential candidates

A guide for potential candidates is available online (please see link under this paragraph) or by request.  The guide gives an insight into the role a councillor plays in serving the local community, together with an understanding of the work of the Council itself.

Nomination forms are available from Lewes District Council after the election date has been announced. There is no fee or deposit to pay.

Information pack for potential candidates >