Running for Office

Wirral Council administers elections for Local Government, Parliament and the European Parliament.

Most candidates are nominated through a political party. However, individuals are welcome to stand in their own right as an Independent candidate.

There are certain qualifications and disqualifications to enable you to stand as a candidate in any of these elections:

  • Local Government elections to become a Councillor
  • Parliamentary elections to become an MP
  • European elections to become an MEP

More information about each one is set out below. 

Becoming a Councillor

Qualifications:
If you wish to stand for election, you must be:

  • 18 Years of Age or over; and
  • a British citizen, a qualifying commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Irish Republic or a citizen of another Member State of the European Union; and
  • on the electoral register or have lived, worked or owned property in the area for at least the previous 12 months.

Disqualifications:
You cannot stand as a Candidate if:

  • you work for Wirral Council or hold a politically restricted post with another local authority
  • you are the subject of a bankruptcy restriction order or interim order
  • you have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three months or more (including a suspended sentence), without the option of a fine, during the five years before election day

The full range of disqualifications for candidates at local elections is complex and some exceptions may also apply.  Visit the Electoral Commission website for more information.

Nomination:
Every Candidate must submit a Nomination Paper.

You will require ten signatories: – a proposer, a seconder and eight assentors – who must all be local government electors within the ward you wish to represent.

What does being a Councillor involve?
All councillors act:

  • as representatives of individuals and groups within their ward
  • as a source of information or point of access to other agencies, often through regular surgeries which they hold in public places such as schools or libraries
  • as community leaders, building relationships with key individuals or groups, for example through the work of Wirral’s eleven area forums or chairing council meetings on issues such as housing, social services, schools, planning and the environment. These meetings involve debating and approving proposals, as well as decision-making

What skills are required?
No formal qualifications are required to be a councillor.  Training and skills development will often be available through the party you are standing for (if relevant).  The kind of skills you may need to develop will probably relate to:

  • presentation and communication (for example speech-making and debating)
  • participating in and chairing meetings
  • information and communication technology (ICT) 
  • media awareness (for example making statements or doing interviews for the media) 
  • interpreting and evaluating information
  • collaboration and networking
  • managing your time
  • inter-personal skills

What support do Councillors get?
A wide variety of support is available, including: 

  • comprehensive induction pack
  • written guidelines
  • research support
  • administrative support
  • a training and development programme
  • home-based computer package with email and internet access

Useful Links
The Electoral Commissions Guidance for Candidates and Agents provides full guidance on being a candidate at local elections.

 

Becoming an MP
If your interested in standing as a candidate in the next Parliamentary Election please see the Electoral Commission Fact Sheet and the Electoral Commission website, which has resources such as handbook for candidates and agents (the handbook has been produced for by-elections and will be updated when an election is called, but the information is still useful).

 

Becoming an MEP
Guidance on being a Candidate in a European election is only available near to the time of an election.

The next scheduled European Parliamentary election is June 2014.

 

For more information please contact:

Electoral Services
Wirral Council
FREEPOST (LV 6465)
Town Hall, Brighton Street
Wallasey, Wirral
CH44 8ED.

Tel:  0151 691 8046
Fax: 0151 691 8468
Email: electoral@wirral.gov.uk