The value of excellent PR at Rushcliffe Borough Council a deputy

Town and Parish Forum

Wednesday 11th February 2015 Welcome – Dave Mitchell

Parish and Town Council Elections – 7 May 2015

Candidates and Parish Clerks Briefing By Dan Swaine – Deputy Returning Officer

Objectives • Key Dates

• Nominations Process • Parish Clerks Role

Polls on 7 May • 41 Parish Elections

• All 25 New Borough Wards • Parliamentary Election

Boundaries

Parishes Area Aslockton Barton-In-Fabis Bingham - East Ward Bingham - West Ward Bradmore Bunny Colston Bassett Costock Cotgrave - Ash Lea Ward Cotgrave - Manor Ward Cropwell Bishop Cropwell Butler East Bridgford East Leake - Castle Ward East Leake - Stonebridge Ward East Leake - Woodgate Ward Flintham Gamston Gotham Granby Cum Sutton Hickling Holme Pierrepont - Adbolton Ward Holme Pierrepont - Holme Pierrepont Ward Keyworth - North Ward Keyworth - South Ward Kingston-Upon-Soar

Seats 7 5 7 7 7 9 7 7 12 4 9 7 11 4 6 5 7 7 13 7 7 1 2 4 13 7

Area Kinoulton Langar-Cum-Barnstone - Barnstone Ward Langar-Cum-Barnstone - Langar Ward Newton Normanton-on-Soar Normanton-on-the-Wolds Orston Plumtree Radcliffe-on-Trent - Manvers Ward Radcliffe-on-Trent - Trent Ward Rempstone Ruddington - Camelot Ward Ruddington - Easthorpe Ward Ruddington - Flawford Ward Ruddington - Manor Ward Shelford Stanford-Upon-Soar Stanton-on-the-Wolds Sutton Bonington Thorpe-In-the-Glebe Tollerton Upper Broughton Whatton-In-the-Vale Widmerpool Willoughby-on-the-Wolds Wysall

Seats 7 4 5 9 7 7 7 7 9 9 7 4 4 4 4 5 7 7 11 2 9 7 7 7 7 6

Key Dates • Monday 30 March – Last Day to publish Notice of Election

• Thursday 9 April (4PM) – Close of Nominations – Close of Withdrawals • Friday 10 April (4PM) – Publication of Statement as to persons nominated • Monday 20 April -

Registration deadline

Key Dates (cont) • Tuesday 28 April -Publication of Notice of Poll • Thursday 7 May – Polling day • Thursday 7 May – 10pm Verification • Friday 8 May – 1pm Count

Nomination Process • Between 1 April and 4pm on 9 April must submit to Returning Officer: – Nomination Paper – Consent to Nomination – Certificate of Authorisation?

Submitting Nomination Papers • Make sure the nomination papers are filled in correctly, as mistakes may invalidate your nomination. • Nomination papers must be delivered in person • To arrange an informal check, contact the elections office

Nomination Process • Qualifications on day nominated and on polling day: – 18 years of age – British, qualifying Commonwealth citizen (with indefinite leave to remain), national of an EU member state And either ….

Nomination Process • Registered local government elector for the parish from day of nomination onwards • Occupied, as owner or tenant any land or premises in the parish during the whole 12 months prior to nomination and on day of election • Principal or only place of work has been in the parish during the whole 12 months prior to nomination and on day of election

• Lived in parish or within 3 miles of it during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election

Nomination Form • Full Name – surname first – e.g BLOGGS, JOSEPH PAUL • Optional: use commonly used name box(es) if commonly known by a name other than full name and wish to use it instead. • Description – no more than 6 words • Home Address in full

Nomination Form (Cont) • Subscribers: 2 subscribers are required. Must sign & print their names. Check details of subscribers against electoral register. Only ask subscribers to sign after completing the name, address and description fields on the form

• Errors – Alterations to top section not accepted – Tippex not accepted – Strike through and initial by candidate

Consent to Nomination Form • Must include:

– name and address of candidate – which area standing in – confirmation of qualification(s) that apply (at least 1, but select all that apply) – date of birth & signature – witness’ name, address and signature

Certificate of Authorisation • Party candidates must have written permission to use the party name/description from the Nominating Officer (or a person appointed to act on their behalf) • The certificate may: – allow the use of the party name or a particular description – allow candidate to choose whether to use the party name or any of the descriptions registered with the Electoral Commission

Request for party emblem • Subject to receiving certificate of authorisation the candidate can request party emblem on ballot paper • Request must state both name of party and description of emblem to be used • Request must be in writing by candidate

After Close of Withdrawals • If no election then elected without challenge • If an election then parish will vote on 7 May • Expense forms must be completed in all cases by Friday 5 June

Parish Clerks Role • Display various notices for all elections on parish notice board(s) • Supply nomination packs to prospective candidates • Provide correct Elector Numbers if requested • Help with co-ordinating hand delivery of nominations • Display results • Arrange for signing of acceptance of office and declarations of interest following election

The Verification & Count • Verification Commence at 10pm • Location: Rushcliffe Arena, Rugby Road • 1st Stage – Verification of all polls • 2nd Stage – Parliamentary election count • 3rd Stage – Local Election Count – 1pm Friday

Any Questions