Natland Parish Council may be facing a bit of a crisis.

Natland Parish Council Elections 3 May 2018.
The four-year term of the present Council ends in May when all councillors retire so that fresh elections can be held for the next four-year term 2018-22.  There are seven seats, two of which are currently vacant, and some councillors will not be standing for re-election.  So there is a big opportunity for those with the time and inclination to serve their community in this way.

There is information about what it means to be a parish councillor on the www.calc.org.uk and www.nalc.gov.uk websites; this website carries comprehensive coverage of Natland Parish Council’s activities.  And you can talk to me, the Clerk or any parish councillor.

3 May can seem a long way off but when the starting whistle blows things will move quickly.  Publicity in the Council’s Annual Report would be far too late.  The timetable for 2018 comprises:
• Friday 23 March – publication of Notice of Election
• 4 pm Friday 6 April – deadline for delivery of nomination papers (to the Returning Officer at SLDC) and deadline for withdrawal of candidature
• 4 pm Monday 9 April – publication of Statement as to Persons Nominated
• Wednesday 25 April – publication of Notice of Poll
• 7am to 10pm Thursday 3 May – Polling day

A poll will only be held if there are more valid nominations than there are vacancies (7 No.).
Any poll would coincide (on 3 May) with the poll for the new three-member Kendal South and Natland Ward of South Lakeland District Council.

There are now two casual vacancies on Natland Parish Council following the resignations of Councillors Joan Lind and Ian Ellison. The Council is able to fill either or both of these casual vacancies by co-option.
The co-option would be until May 2018, when the next full election of the Council will be held.
Anyone who is interested in taking on this valuable public service should contact the Clerk or the Chair or any Councillor – contact details are on the notice board or here.  Or just come and observe the Council’s next meeting on 26 March 2018.
There’s plenty of information about what parish councils do on the websites of the National Association of Local Councils and the Cumbria Association of Local Councils – just google NALC or CALC Cumbria and explore.

David Peters - Chair of Natland Parish Council – 9 March 2018