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Home:
Q&A
Becoming a councillor
Electoral Registration Office - November 2009
electoral.registration@kirklees.gov.uk
How to contact us...
| Telephone: |
(01484) 222400 |
| Fax: |
(01484) 222450 |
| Email: |
electoral.registration@kirklees.gov.uk
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| Writing: |
Electoral Services
Council Offices
49-51 Huddersfield Road
Holmfirth
West Yorkshire
HD9 3ER
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Who can become a councillor?
You can become a councillor if you:
- are 18 or over on the day of nomination
- have property in or work connections within Kirklees
- are a UK, Commonwealth EU or Irish Republic citizen
- have not been declared bankrupt
- you are on the electoral roll in the council area
Are there any other restrictions to becoming a councillor?
A person will be disqualified from holding office as a district councillor if they:
- hold a paid office or employment made or confirmed by the council.
- Have been declared bankrupt in the past five years and have not repaid their debts.
- Have been convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to not less than three months imprisonment (including any suspended sentence) within the past five years.
Persons can also be disqualified from holding office by order of the court, if they have incurred illegal
expenditure (when acting as a councillor) of over £2,000 and been found guilty of corrupt or illegal practices under
the Representation of the Peoples Act 1983.
How do I become a councillor?
A nomination pack is available approximately 8 weeks before an election. This will include a nomination paper which you will need to complete. In addition, a candidates pack is supplied.
 Candidates Pack (PDF 254kb)- (If you are a candidate in a local election, you may request a paper copy of this booklet by contacting the Policy and Governance Service on 01484 222400)
If you are thinking of standing as a candidate for a particular political party, then you should first get in touch with
that party's local organisation.
These are listed in the business & services section of the BT Phone Book under "Conservative Associations",
"Labour Party", "Liberal Democrats", "Liberal Party", "Green Party", etc.
Many parties also have a national website, through which you can get information about their organisations in your area.
The parties currently represented on the Kirklees Council are (in alphabetical order):
Links to many other political parties are available from the Electoral Commission at
http://www.electoralcommission.gov.uk/regulatory-issues/regpoliticalparties.cfm.
What should I do if I want to stand for election as an independent candidate?
If you plan to stand for the council as an independent, contact Electoral Services
(Tel. (01484) 222400 or email: electoral.registration@kirklees.gov.uk)
and they will be pleased to give you more information. This is all explained in the Candidates Pack.
What does a councillor do?
You will need to attend meetings. Some of these are held during the working day and so, if you are working, you will need
an understanding employer.
Many councillors represent the council on one or more outside bodies. For most of the meetings you attend there will
be papers which you will need to read beforehand.
The people you represent will look to you for help in dealing with their problems, even if these do not involve the work of
the council. You are likely to receive a lot of post and many telephone calls. Not every caller will telephone
at what you might think is a reasonable hour!
More details about what councillors do can be found in the
Role of councillors (PDF 153kb) document.
Is there training for councillors?
There will be a programme of induction and training sessions for new councillors after the elections. Meanwhile, if
you'd like to know what committee and council meetings are like, you would be welcome to come and see. The calendar
of meetings is published in May.
View the calendar of meetings.
Will I have a secretary?
No, not unless you become Leader of the Council or leader of one of the political groups on the council.
Will I have my own office?
No, although each political group has its own office and group room which you will be able to share. The Group
facilities are in Crown Court Building which is behind Huddersfield Town Hall. The Town Halls in Cleckheaton,
Batley and Dewsbury also have rooms for councillors to use.
How much of my time will it all take up?
According to the commitments you take on, this can vary from a few hours each week to several hours each day.
What expenses can I claim?
Information about expenses can be found on the page about
Members' allowances.
These is to cover your ward duties such as:
- sending letters and telephone calls,
- attending council meetings, committees and other authorised meetings
- attendance at seminars and conferences, outside bodies and Parish Council meetings.
Certain "approved duties" are eligible for travel and/or subsistence allowances, but only for travel outside
the council area, when necessary.
Some members also receive a Special Responsibility Allowance for particular duties they undertake (for example, chairing
particular meetings). This is something that each council considers and decides on after a local election.
As a councillor, what other support will I get?
To help you carry out your duties, you will be able to use the support staff located in Members Services who provide
secretarial and administrative support. You can also call on information and advice from the professional officers of
the Decision Support Unit Office. These may well be the officers you see most often. They service the meetings
of the council and its committees by convening meetings, writing the minutes and by keeping the democratic system running.
You will be offered a comprehensive induction to your role as a councillor and ongoing support
and guidance about your personal development.
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