Council InformationParish Councillor Vacancies

Parish Councillor Vacancies: 

If a vacancy arises on a Parish Council due to an existing councillor’s resignation, disqualification or death, a notice will be posted on the parish council website and the following process to fill the vacancy will be followed:

  • The Parish Council will notify the Returning Officer of the vacancy
  • The Returning Officer will send the Parish Council a notice which they have a duty to display for 14 days, informing residents of the vacancy.
  • An election will be called if ten residents, who are registered to vote in the area where the vacancy has arisen, write to the Returning Officer requesting that an election be held.

If an election is called: 
The Returning Officer at West Berkshire Council will set a date for polling day, and the election process will begin with the publication of a notice of election, copies of which will be supplied to the clerk. That notice informs the electors where they may obtain nomination papers and the date by when they should be delivered. It gives the dates by which applications to vote by post or proxy must be made. It also gives the date of the poll in the event of a contest. Further details of the election process and the notice of an election if called can be viewed via the West Berkshire Council website https://info.westberks.gov.uk/WestBerkshireElections 

The Parish Council will also be notified by West Berkshire Council if  an election has not been called and the following procedure for co-option will apply:

The council may co-opt whoever it pleases to fill a casual vacancy. However, that person must be qualified to serve as a councillor.

Eligibility for Office

To qualify for election as a Parish Councillor, and to hold such an office, an applicant must be:

  • A British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen, or a citizen of any other member State of the European Union and on the relevant day (the day of nomination or election) have reached 18 years of age or over. In addition, they must meet at least one of these four qualifications:
  • On the relevant day and thereafter they continue to be on the electoral register for the Parish, or
  • During the whole of the twelve months before that day they have owned or tenanted land or premises in the Parish, or
  • During the whole of the twelve months before that day their principal or only place of work has been in the Parish, or
  • During the whole of the twelve months before that day they have resided in the parish or within 4.8km (3 miles) of the Parish boundary.

The person co-opted must receive an absolute majority vote of the councillors present and voting. Where there are more than two candidates for the vacancy, it may be necessary to run a series of votes, each time removing the candidate who has the least number of votes until one candidate secures an absolute majority.

Further details can be obtained from the Parish Clerk regarding co-option and whether any vacancies are currently available upon the council: enquiries@burghfieldparishcouncil.gov.uk

Burghfield
Parish Council

P.O Box 7381,
Reading
RG1 9XP

0118 983 1748
enquiries@burghfieldparishcouncil.gov.uk