Town and Parish Councillors are elected representatives who give their time freely and are not entitled to claim expenses except for occasional travel costs on Council business.
Councillors are required to attend one Full Council meeting a month as a minimum, but many do far more. A typical Councillor will often sit on several internal and external committees, relay residents concerns to the appropriate agency, and attend meetings and training which benefits the development of the Council and the town.
No specific skills or qualifications are required to become a Councillor, all that is required is a willingness to attend meetings and involve yourself in the community. There are certain residency requirements for Councillors, details of which can be obtained from the Clerk on request.
Councillors often have specific interests reflected by the committees and external bodies which they are members of.
May 2023 Elections information
Kirton in Lindsey Town Council - Result of Uncontested Election
What Does A Town Councillor Do?
In short, councillors work together to set the policy direction of the Town Council. Councillors attend regular meetings of the Council and its Committees to make decisions on a range of matters deciding what services should be delivered, where money should be spent and what policies should be implemented.
Councillors represent the local community, both residents and the town as a whole. Councillors are contacted by residents who have problems they need assistance with and some Councillors are appointed to serve on outside bodies, such as the Neighbourhood Action Team, Town Hall Trustees, ERNLLCA District Committee and North Lincolnshire Council Town and Parish Liaison meetings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Councillors Paid?
No, our Councillors do not receive an allowance. The exception to this is the Town Mayor who receives an allowance to meet the expenses of that office.
We do reimburse some expenses such as mileage for attending meetings, training and events on behalf of the Council, but we are unable (by law) to reimburse expenses such as childcare costs.
Who Decides If There Will Be A By-Election?
A casual vacancy arises when a Councillor leaves office between ordinary elections. This could be through resignation, death, disqualification or by failing to attend meetings.
When a casual vacancy arises, the Town Clerk will publish a notice giving the electors living in the town 14 working days for the opportunity to demand an election. If 10 electors write to the Returning Officer at North Lincolnshire Council to request an election a by-election is triggered.
If fewer than 10 request an election, the Town Council must instead co-opt a councillor to fill the vacancy.
If the vacancy occurs within the 6 months before an ordinary election no by-election will be held even if demanded. The Council can choose if to leave the vacancy unfilled until the election.
What Support is Provided?
The Town Clerk and fellow Councillors provide support for all new councillors and part of the Clerk’s role is provide advice and support to all Councillors. Experienced councillors are very happy to support new councillors as they ‘find their feet’.
We encourage Councillors to undertake training relevant to their roles and the needs of the council and the Council has access to advice from the East Riding and Northern Lincolnshire Local Councils Association (ERNLLCA).
Can I Be A Member of A Policital Party / Do I Have To Be?
Councillors can stand for election (or co-option) as candidates for a political party, to do so they must have permission from the party, usually through the local branch.
Councillors can also be independent of political parties.
Standing For Election
Elections to Kirton in Lindsey Town Council are run by North Lincolnshire Council (the elections authority). Standing for election is the same for ordinary elections and by-elections and the Electoral Commission website has full resources that explain the rules in more detail. The detailed timeline for an election will be set out in the formal notices. If you are intending to stand as a candidate for a political party you should contact the party in advance.
Just over a month before an election, a formal notice of the election will be given by North Lincolnshire Council. This will be published on the town council’s noticeboard and website and we’ll promote it around the town and online. The notice will give a date from which nomination papers can be submitted.
Nomination papers can be downloaded from the Electoral Commission website and will be available from the Town Council Office and North Lincolnshire Council. Candidates have from the day after the notice until around one month before an election to submit their nomination papers to North Lincolnshire Council – there is often a window of around a week between the notice and the deadline for nominations. Nomination papers must be hand delivered and completed fully. You must have a proposer and seconder who live in the town. You will also need a witness to confirm you have consented to the nomination and provided your correct information. If you are standing as a part representative, they must sign to consent to your nomination.
We will publish a ‘statement of persons nominated’ which lists who has stood for election and who has proposed them. This will be followed by the ‘notice of poll’ which confirms the detail of the election.
There are detailed rules on campaigning and election spending, candidates should read the guidance from the Electoral Commission.
When the votes are counted depends on what other elections are running on the same day. For ordinary elections, the count for the Town and Parish Council elections is usually taken after the North Lincolnshire Council counts. For by-elections, the count is usually night of the elections. North Lincolnshire Council will let candidates know when the votes will be counted and candidates can attend the count.
Applying For Co-Option
If the Town Council has a vacancy to fill by co-option, we will advertise it on our noticeboard and online. We will give at least two weeks notice and invite those wishing to be co-opted to complete an application form which sets out the your eligibility and the reasons you want to be a Councillor.
The applications will then be put to a meeting of the Full Council where the Councillors will vote to determine which candidate is co-opted and becomes a Councillor. If there is only one applicant, the Town Council will still make a decision whether to co-opt or not fill the vacancy at that time.
Information
The Electoral Commission website contains the detailed and official advice for candidates in elections.
We recommend that if you are interested in putting yourself forward to become a Town Councillor you read their guidance too.
Electoral Commission : Guidance for Parish Council Candidates
Attendance of Councillors at the Full Council Meetings held 2017-18 is detailed here.
Attendance of Councillors at Meetings of Kirton in Lindsey Town Council held 2018-19 is detailed here.
In June 2019 Kirton in Lindsey Town Council resolved that attendance registers should no longer be published (Minute 1906/01 refers)
Contact details for Councillors and their registers of interest can be found by clicking the links below, however please direct enquiries to the Clerk.
Current Councillors