Cookie preferences
Toggle menu

Filling a casual vacancy in the office of parish councillor

If a vacancy arises on a Parish Council, due to an existing Councillor's resignation, disqualification or death, there is a process to fill the vacancy. Find out more about this process and see current vacancies.

Filling a parish council vacancy

If a vacancy opens on a parish council:

  1. the parish council will notify the proper officer of the vacancy
  2. the proper officer will send the parish council a notice to tell residents about the vacancy
  3. the parish council have a duty to display the notice for 14 working days

To call an election either:

  • ten residents must write to the returning officer to ask for an election
    • these residents must be registered to vote in the area with the vacancy
  • if the parish is a ward, ten electors from the ward must request the election

What happens if an election is not called?

If an election is not called then:

  1. the parish council will post a notice advertising the vacancy on its notice boards
  2. notices will include the closing date for expressions of interest
  3. the parish clerk will consider received applications

If there is only one applicant and they are not disqualified they may be co-opted on to the parish council. If there is more than one applicant, the parish council will vote.

Am I eligible for office?

To qualify for election and to be a councillor, an applicant must be:

  • a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen
  • a citizen of any other member state of the European Union
  • 18 years of age by the day of nomination or election (the 'relevant day')

They must also be one of the following:

  • on the relevant day and afterwards, are on the electoral register for the parish
  • for 12 months before that day, they have owned or tenanted land or premises in the parish
  • for 12 months before that day, their main or only place of work has been in the parish
  • for 12 months before that day, they have lived in the parish or within 4.8km (3 miles) of the parish boundary

Notice of vacancies

You can find our current vacancies at the bottom of this page.

What will disqualify me?

An applicant can be disqualified from standing for election or co-option if they:

  • are a paid officer or employee of that parish
  • have had bankruptcy restriction orders made against them
  • have a previous criminal conviction with a prison sentence of three months or more

If you would like more information, contact Electoral Services via: