Councillors come from all walks of life. It is important for the district that its councillors represent the population as a whole, and are drawn from as wide a group of people as possible. Therefore, different backgrounds and experiences are encouraged.

In order to stand as a candidate at a District Council Election you must:

• be at least 18 years old on the day of your nomination

• be a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen

• or a citizen of any other member state of the European Union

• meet at least one of the following four qualifications:

• You are, and will continue to be, registered as a local government elector for the local authority area in which you wish to stand from the day of your nomination onwards;

• You have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the local authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election;

• Your main or only place of work during the 12 months prior to the day of your nomination and the day of election has been in the local authority area; or

• You have lived in the local authority area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election.

You are not allowed to become a councillor if at the time of your nomination and on the day of the election:

• You are employed by the local authority or hold a paid office under the authority (including joint boards or committees). Note that you may be ‘employed by the local authority’, for example, if you work at certain schools, fire services, police or health services. This list is not exhaustive.

• You hold a politically restricted post.

• You are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order.

• You have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three months or more (including a suspended sentence), without the option of a fine, during the five years before polling day; or

• You have been disqualified under the Representation of the People Act 1983 (which covers corrupt or illegal electoral practices and offences relating to donations) or under the Audit Commission Act 1998.

• A person may also be disqualified from election if they have been disqualified from standing for election to a local authority following a decision of the First-tier Tribunal (formerly the Adjudication Panel for England or Wales).

Becoming a District Councillor means that you can help people to get the services they deserve, and influence the running of the district for the benefit of everyone who lives and works here.

In addition to attending meetings of the full Council you may be asked to serve on one or more of the various committees/panels eg: Policy Development Panel, Performance Monitoring Panel; Planning Committee and Standards; the Governance and Audit function; and the Cabinet function.

You will need to spend time reading reports and becoming familiar with issues the Council regularly deals with so that you can make informed decisions. You may be able to take on additional responsibilities further details of which can be found within the individual councillor role profiles, available from the Democratic Services Team.

You are responsible for representing the electors of your ward. The extent to which a councillor is proactive in performing this function is entirely a matter for you as an individual, but you have a duty to represent the interests of all electors, regardless of whether or not they voted for you.

District Councillors are elected to serve for a four year term of office. Of course, councillors will cease to hold their position in the instance of resignation, disqualification or death, and in such circumstances a by-election may be held.

All District Councillors receive a basic allowance, and those who hold a position of responsibility, such as being the Chairman of a committee or a Portfolio Holder, receive a special responsibility allowance. In addition, councillors can claim for travel and subsistence and carers’ allowances. Full details of Newark and Sherwood District Council Allowances Scheme can be found on their website.

Parish and Town councillors act as ambassadors for their community, keeping everyone aware of local needs and concerns and reporting back on district, council and regional matters. Councillors represent the voice of their community as a whole, whilst being aware of, and considerate to, specific minority needs.