Are You Interested in Becoming a Town Councillor?

Are you interested in becoming a Town Councillor?

Horley Town Council is closest to the local community and represents the first of the three tiers of Local Government, which comprise Parish and Town Councils; Borough and District Councils and County Councils.  Local Government Elections will take place on 4 May 2023.   If you are interested, this is how to stand for election as a Town Councillor for your local Horley ward.

Standing for election as a Town Councillor

Town and parish councillors are elected for a term of four years and must seek re-election at the next election if they wish to remain in office.   

To stand for election to a parish or town council you must be:

• A British citizen, or a citizen of the Commonwealth or the European Union, and
• 18 years or older on the day you become nominated for election.

and that:

• You are registered as a local government elector for the parish for which you want to stand; or
• You have, for the whole 12 month period up to the date of the election, occupied (as owner or tenant) land or other premises in the parish; or
• Your principal or only place of work during that same 12 months period has been in the parish; or
• You have during the whole of that same 12 month period resided in the parish or within 4.8 kilometres (3 miles) of it.

Information on Local Councils

Horley Town Council has 18 elected councillors for 6 different wards. Its functions and responsibilities are listed and available to view on the HTC website.

To find out more about the role of a town councillor please refer to the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) website.

Other useful information

More general information on local government and elections can also be found at the following websites:

• Local Government Association (LGA) website - works with Councils to support, promote and improve Local Government.
• Be a councillor website.

 Electoral Commission

The Electoral Commission  provides useful information and guidance for candidates on its website.  

Further details of the electoral process

For further details on the local government elections and for guidance in applying as a candidate, please refer to the Reigate & Banstead Borough Council website who  acts as the electoral authority for this area.

The government has passed new legislation which requires voters to provide photo identification in polling stations in order to vote.

How will you vote?

• In person - going to the polling station to vote on polling day. Photo ID will be required in polling stations for the elections on 4 May 2023.
• By post - we will send you a postal voting pack so you can complete your ballot paper at home and return it by post. Apply by 5pm on Tuesday 18 April.
• By proxy - appointing a person to vote on your behalf at your polling station. The deadline to apply is 5pm on Tuesday 25 April.

How you vote in polling stations is also changing

The following forms of photo ID will be acceptable:

• a passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state, or a Commonwealth country
• a driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state
• a biometric immigration document
• an identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
• a Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
• a Blue Badge
• a national identity card issued by an EEA state
• an Older Person’s Bus Pass
• a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass
• an Oyster 60+ Card
• a Freedom Pass
• a Scottish National Entitlement Card issued in Scotland
• a 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card issued in Wales
• a Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card issued in Wales
• a Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• an Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland 

Expired photographic identification documents can still be used as accepted photographic ID, as long as the photograph is still a good likeness of the elector.

If you don't have one of the forms of photo ID listed above, you can apply online for a free Voter Authority Certificate - GOV.UK website, or, you can complete and return a paper application by post to:

Electoral Services Office
Town Hall, Castlefield Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0SH

Application forms are available to download from the government website:

• Apply for a voter authority certificate by post if youre living in the uk - GOV.UK

The deadline for applications for Voter Authority Certificates will be 5pm, 6 working days ahead of a poll. For the elections in May 2023 the Voter Authority Certificate application deadline is 5pm, Tuesday 25 April 2023. 

Electors who do not produce a Voter Authority Certificate or a suitable photographic ID will not be allowed to vote on the day.

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