Parish Elections & Co-options

Parish Council Elections

Are you passionate about making a difference to your local communities of Ashurst, Langton Green, Old Groombridge and Speldhurst? If the answer is yes, why not think about standing as a Parish Councillor?

Parish Council elections are held every four years and the next one is due in May 2023. There are thirteen Councillor seats available in total, and an election will be held if more candidates come forward than there are seats.

To find out more about how rewarding it can be to serve as a Parish Councillor, take a look at this Guide, produced by the Kent Association of Local Councils.

Co-opting a Parish Councillor

Co-option is a way of appointing a Parish Councillor when no election has been called. During a normal four-year term, a vacancy comes up when a Councillor resigns, fails to attend Parish Council Meetings for six consecutive months, or passes away. The Parish Council must then ask the electorate if they wish for an election to be held. A minimum of ten electors need to respond for an election to go ahead. After fourteen working days with no response from the electorate, we can advertise the post. Anyone who is eligible and interested in being co-opted can apply. They can expect to attend an informal interview with up to three of our Parish Councillors and the successful candidate will be co-opted as a Parish Councillor for the rest of the term.

Remember, you don't have to be a Councillor to get involved with your Parish Council - visit our Join in page to find out more.