Councillor Vacancy

NOTICE UNDER LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1972 (Section 87(2))

VACANCY FOR A COUNCILLOR

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN

that a casual vacancy has occurred in the office of Councillor

for WOORE PARISH COUNCIL following the resignation on

15th October 2020 of Councillor Althea Allison.

Rule 5(2) of The Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) Rules, 2006 now applies.

The rule allows TEN ELECTORS for the parish in which the casual vacancy has arisen to request the Returning Officer to hold an election to fill the vacancy.* That request must be made within FOURTEEN DAYS, calculated in accordance with the rules,** of the date of this notice. The fourteen-day period ends on 5th November 2020.

Where ten valid requests for a by-election are received by the Returning Officer then under the provisions of The Local Government and Police and Crime Commissioner (Coronavirus) (Postponement of Elections and Referendums) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 the vacancy in the office of Councillor would, subject to further legislation, be filled at the poll at the next ordinary election of Councillors which is due to be held on Thursday 6 May 2021.

What if a request to hold an election is not received during the permitted time?

Rule 5(5) of the above Rules will apply. The Parish Council must, as soon as practicable after the expiry of the fourteen-day period, co-opt a person to fill the vacancy.

The Returning Officer’s address is:

Electoral Services, Shropshire Council,

The Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY2 6ND

The telephone number for further guidance is 0345 678 9015.

This notice is dated 16th October 2020.

Helen Jackson, Clerk to Woore Parish Council

5 Bettys Lane, Off London Road, Woore, CW3 9SQ

clerk@wooreparishcouncil.org (m)07592 166406

* There is no form of words for this request, which might simply be a letter headed with such words as “We the undersigned being electors for the [Ward of] … Parish, call for an election to fill the vacancy arising from the [death][resignation] of …”. A template entitled “Request for an Election” is available to download from Shropshire Council’s website – www.shropshire.gov.uk - under “Current Council Vacancies”. It is helpful if the ten signatures are accompanied by printed names and addresses.

** In calculating the notice period, day one is the day following the date of this notice; a Saturday, Sunday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Good Friday or a Bank Holiday or day appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning shall be disregarded, and the period closes at midnight on the fourteenth day after the date of this notice. Rule 5(2) of The Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) Rules, 2006 now applies.