Elections May 2011

General Information

Elections to Weymouth and Portland Borough Council will be held 5 May 2011.

Elections to Portland Town Council will be held on 5 May 2011.

In Portland, the Polls will be combined.

There are 15 Borough Wards in Weymouth and Portland, all of which will have elections this year, with the exception of the Littlemoor, Portland Underhill and Westham East Wards.

The Councillors whose seats become vacant in 2011 are as follows:

Name	Political Party	Ward
Joy Stanley	Liberal Democrat	Melcombe Regis
Peter Chapman	Conservative	Preston
Bill White	Liberal Democrat	Radipole
David Hawkins	Independent	Tophill East
John Nash	Conservative	Tophill West
Mike Goodman	Conservative	Upwey & Broadwey
Brendan Webster	Liberal Democrat	Westham North
Jean Woodward	Conservative	Westham West
Pamela Nixon	Conservative	Wey Valley
John Allen	Conservative	Weymouth East
Richard Kosior	Conservative	Weymouth West
Anne Kenwood	Labour	Wyke Regis

The Returning Officer (the person with overall responsibility of their conduct) is Mr Tom Grainger.

Further information and advice regarding any aspect of the election process can be obtained from the Elections Office - e-mail elections@weymouth.gov.uk or telephone 01305 838299.

If you are thinking about becoming a Councillor, you may find the information below useful. You may also contact our Elections Team 01305 838299 who can offer you guidance and advice.

Information for Candidates

How do I become a Borough Councillor?

You can stand as a candidate at a Borough Council election if you are:-

A British citizen, or a citizen of the Irish Republic, the Commonwealth or another member state of the European Union; and You are at least 18 years old on the day you hand in your nomination papers.

You also have to meet at least ONE of the following four criteria:

You are a registered local government elector in the local authority area, both on the day you are nominated and election day (6 May 2010). You can check whether you are registered by contacting the Electoral Registration Office on 01305 838299.
You have lived in the local authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day you are nominated and election day
Your main or only place of work during the 12 months before the day you are nominated and election day has been in the local authority area
You have occupied, either as an owner or tenant, any land or premises in the local authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day you are nominated and election day.

You are elected for four years - unless you choose to resign within that time.

Is there any reason why I cannot stand for election?

A person is disqualified from standing for election to the Borough Council if he/she:

Is employed by, or holds a paid office, under the local authority
Is subject to a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order
Has been convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to not less than three months imprisonment (including any suspended sentence) within the past five years
Has been disqualified from holding office by order of an election court

The full range of disqualifications for candidates at local elections is complex and candidates are strongly advised to consult the relevant legislation to ensure that none of the disqualifications apply, and if in doubt, to seek legal advice.

How do I get nominated?

You can nominate yourself as a Candidate once the election is advertised. Full details and a timetable will be provided here later in the year.

If you have answered the questions above and you are eligible and not disqualified, you will need to complete a nomination form, which needs to be supported by ten registered electors from within the electoral area where you are standing as a candidate. The form must then be submitted to the Returning Officer.

If you require assistance on completing the nomination form please contact the Election Services Team on 01305 838299.

Before you officially submit your nomination, the election services team will if required, by appointment, carry out an informal check of your paperwork to make sure it is correct before you submit it.

You will also need to sign a candidate consent form for nomination which comprises part of the nomination pack.

If you are standing as a Political Candidate you and your Political Party have to complete the Political Party Authorisation Form.

It is recommended that you appoint an Election agent and there is a statutory form to complete.

Interested?

Important Note

A Candidate can stand using the description "Independent", but IF a person wishes to use a description or stand as a member of a political party you will need to complete an authorisation form or use a similar form obtained from the relevant political party to gain permission to use the relevant party description.

It is important to note that this form must be signed by the designated nominating officer for the relevant political party.

Should you wish to use a political party emblem it is also necessary for a candidate to also sign the form to authorise the use of the political party emblem to appear next to their name on the ballot paper.

How much can I spend during my election campaign?

The amount you are allowed to spend during your campaign is determined by the number of electors in your area. You will be allowed to spend £600, plus an additional 5p for every elector on the register for your particular electoral division. For example, if there are 3,000 electors in the Ward, the candidate's maximum spending limit would be £750.

Any money you spend on goods or services which you use once you have become a candidate will count against this limit, and must be declared.

You will have to account for all your expenditure at the end of the election and submit a return of your expenses within a legal deadline.

(There are separate spending limits where more than one candidate from the same political party appears on the same ballot paper.)

What happens when?

There are several dates and deadlines that you will need to remember during the election process.

Key Dates in the Election Timetable for the Local Government Elections will be published here early in 2011.

Event	Date
Publication of Notices of Election
Deadline for Candidate Nominations
Polling Day	5 May 2011
Deadline for election expenses returns