8 April 2010 Update

There have been 14 persons nominated to the 18 seats on Euxton Parish Council and none of the three wards will have contested elections.

South 6 nominations, North West 7 nominations, North East 1 nomination.

This leaves vacancies on the Council of 2 seats in the South, 1 seat in the North West and 1 seat in the North East ward.

May Parish Election

If the General Election is the 6 May the Borough Council Elections will be on the same day and the Parish Election will have to move to three weeks after, which would be the 27 May.

When the date is set it will be published on all of the Councils noticeboards, and on this website. The election packs, for nominations to be an Euxton Parish Councillor will be available from the Town Hall.

This is an unusual situation and means that until nearer the time, we do not know exactly what date the Parish Council election will be, apart from knowing it will be between 6 May and 24 June 2010.

18 to 21!

Unlike in previous Euxton Parish Council Elections, this time residents between 18 and 21 are now eligible following new legislation which came in on 1 January 2007.

The rules changed to attract younger electors on to Councils. This means Council's could benefit from having younger members of their area who can have their chance to shape and influence matters in their own area.

More information about Parish Elections is on the website under Council Documents and Elections, or, on attached here in the right hand column.

Elections & Co-option

General Information on being an Euxton Councillor

Characteristics of Euxton Council

Procedure for Casual Vacancy (Co-option)

Being an Euxton Parish Councillor

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT A PARISH COUNCIL

A Parish Council is a body of eligible volunteer Councillors with a Chairman and Vice Chairman. The number of Councillors is reviewed by The Boundary Committee for England which is a committee of The Electoral Commission for England - Euxton has 18 Councillors.

The whole Council is subject to an election every 4 years approx (last being May 2006 the next will be 2010).

The Parish Council obtains its funding from the local element of residents council tax which is listed separately (approx £33.20 for a band D property 2010/11).

The Council is a body and is distinct from its members (either as individuals or collectively) and its acts, assets and liabilities are its own and not those of its members.

Councillors are volunteers and as such receive no payment. They give their time freely to attend meetings. There are 10 programmed full council meetings which are held one each month, on the third Thursday beginning at 7.15 pm (except July and December).

The Parish Council depends on its members being able to make time to attend the meetings and there is a clause within the Standing Orders* which sets a limit to the number of consecutive meetings you may miss before being replaced.

*(Standing Orders are the rules a Parish Council adhere to besides The National Code of Local Government Conduct)

Besides the full Council meetings there may be other meetings such as Extra Ordinary or Committee meetings. Also, there is one annual meeting called the Annual Assembly meeting, when the residents of the village are invited to hear reports of Parish Council’s of achievements in the last Council year.

The business of the Council is managed by the Clerk (an employee of the Council). The Clerk is not a Councillor and does not make decisions for the Council but does advise of developments, law, requirements etc. The Clerk manages the Council business such as the financial matters, employee supervision, minutes, meeting arrangements, paperwork, agendas, noticeboards, continuous projects, council assets, emergency repairs, equipment, supplies, land etc.

The Parish Council is responsible for the amenities it provides such as its own seats, noticeboards, open space etc. Responsibility for other items such as public footpaths, street lighting, litter bins etc lie with the Borough or County Councils.

The Parish Council has input into matters which effect the village such as planning applications, which are controlled by the planning authority, which is Chorley Borough Council. The Parish is informed of planning applications and decisions and asked for its comments or recommendation.

The Parish Council is non-political. It is solely involved in issues, items and developments for the village's benefit and assistance.

All decisions are decided by vote. Each Councillor has one vote with the Chairman of the Council having one vote, but also one casting vote, if needed.

PROCEDURE FOR A CASUAL VACANCY FOR PARISH COUNCILLOR

Stage 1

When a vacancy arises on a Parish Council due to a Parish Councillor’s death, disqualification or resignation, the process to fill the vacancy is as follows:

The Parish Council notifies the Returning Officer at Chorley Borough Council of the vacancy who posts a notice to the electorate. This notice runs for 14 days from the date the notice is displayed and gives the electorate the opportunity to call for a bye-election. This is displayed on the Parish Council’s noticeboard.

If ten or more electors call for a bye-election then an election is organised by the Borough Council and further notices are posted informing interested persons of how to apply to enter as a candidate in the election. The cost of a bye-election is borne by the Parish Council.

The calling of a bye-election for a casual vacancy on a Parish Council is very rare.

Stage 2

If an election is not called the Parish Council is notified by the Borough Council to fill the position by co-option as soon as is practicable. Or, if vacancies remain following a recent election the following procedure applies.

The Parish Council posts a notice on the notice boards and/or in the newsletter to advertise a casual vacancy for a Parish Councillor. This would normally have a closing date for applications to be received by the Clerk.

When applications have been received the Parish Council will consider the application letter(s). If the applicant is eligible and not disqualified they will be co-opted on to the Council. If there is more than one applicant, the decision will be decided by vote.

Eligibility For Office

To qualify for election as a local councillor, and to hold such office, an applicant must be a British subject or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland and on the relevant day (defined below) has reached 18 years of age AND

on that day he/she is, and thereafter continues to be, a local government elector for the area or the authority; or

• he/she has during the whole of the 12 months preceding that day occupied, as owner or tenant, any land or other premises in that area; or
• c) his/her principal or only place of work during that 12 months has been in the area; or
• he/she has during the whole of those 12 months resided in the area; or
• he/she has during the whole of the 12 months preceding the relevant date resided within three miles of the parish or community.

The relevant day will be the day on which the person is nominated as a candidate and, if there is a poll, the day of election.

A person is disqualified for being elected as a local councillor or being a member of a local council if he/she:

holds any paid office or employment of the local council (other than the office of Chairman) or of a joint committee on which the council is represented; or

• is a person who has been adjudged bankrupt or has made a composition or arrangement with his/her creditors
• has within 5 years before the day of election, or since his/her election, been convicted in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man of any offence and has been sentenced to imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for not less than 3 months without the option of a fine; or
• is otherwise disqualified under Part III of the Representation of the People Act 1983 for corrupt or illegal practices, or under the Audit Commission Act 1998 consequent upon audit proceedings.

Applying for a Casual Vacancy

If you are interested in applying to the Parish Council to fill the casual vacancy by co-option you need not wait until the notice appears (described in Stage 2) on the noticeboard.

You can write to the Parish Council directly expressing your interest in the casual vacancy and requesting it considers your application when it has authority to co-opt for the vacancy. Details of how the Council require applications is copied below.