Make-up of the Borough

The Borough of Swindon extends beyond the town of Swindon and includes surrounding villages and the town of Highworth.

Swindon Borough Council consists of 22 wards represented by 59 borough councillors - each serving a four-year term of office.

Approximately a third of the Council stands for election in rotation each year for three consecutive years; there is then a year without any elections.

Next Elections

The next borough elections will be held on Thursday 6 May 2010.

Qualification

To become a borough councillor you must be:

• A British subject or a citizen of the Irish Republic or the European Union and resident in the United Kingdom
• Aged 18 or over on the day of nomination
• Either on the electoral register for the Borough of Swindon or have lived or worked or have owned property in the borough for at least the last 12 months

Barriers to Becoming a Councillor

You will not be able to stand for election if:

• You hold a paid office of employment made or confirmed by the council you wish to stand for
• You are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order
• You have been convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to not less than three months' imprisonment (including a suspended sentence) in the last five years

You can also be disqualified from holding office, by order of the court, if you have incurred illegal expenditure (when acting as a councillor) of over £2,000 and if you have been found guilty of corrupt or illegal practices under the Representation of the People Act (1983) or the Audit Commission Act (1998).

What it Means to Become a Councillor

• You will be representing residents of a particular area at a borough-wide level. You are the bridge between the community and the Council.
• You will be asked by residents within your ward to help with problems relating to services or issues within the ward. This may involve answering letters, e-mails and telephone calls.
• You will need to obtain a working knowledge of the Council’s services and any issues affecting those services and you will liaise as necessary with Council officers responsible for the delivery of Council services.
• You will be involved in either decision-making or in scrutinising any decisions, or you may be involved in the committees that have statutory regulation duties such as Licensing or Planning for which compulsory training is provided.
• The Council is currently promoting a working partnership within the community in its Connecting People Connecting Places project. You will learn more about this when elected.
• You may be appointed to represent the Council on one or more organisations and bodies either within or outside the borough.

What Help You Will Get

• You will receive a basic annual allowance (currently £7,633). This amount is set out in the Members' Allowance Scheme, which is reviewed annually by an independent panel which makes recommendations on any changes to the scheme. There are also special responsibility allowances for such roles as the Leader of the Council or the Chair of Licensing.
• You will receive help with an induction programme and training opportunities and mentoring subject to budget availability. You can also attend external training, seminars and conferences.
• If you belong to a political group, then colleagues on the group will support you. The two largest groups on the Council (Conservative, and Labour) each have a political assistant who will undertake research, etc, and help you and your group in policy and political matters. You will find that your political group will meet regularly, and particularly just before main meetings such as the full Council meeting.
• There is a Members' Room at the Civic Offices where you can meet up with colleagues or simply sit and read to undertake research or to rest between meetings. You will find many useful publications as well as a computer, printer, desk, telephone and television for your use.

Applying to Become a Councillor

A nomination for a borough councillor must be signed by 10 people who are on the electoral register for the ward you wish to contest.

A nomination for a parish or town councillor must be signed by two people who are on the electoral register.

If you are interested in becoming a councillor then please contact us.

Further Information/Contact

For more details about being a councillor and about the decision-making process, or to apply, please contact us:

The Committee and Member Services Section
Tel: 01793 463601 or 01793 463608

If you support a particular political group, you may wish to contact them for assistance.