Natland Parish Council Elections 2012

The four-year term of the present Council ends in May when all councillors retire so that fresh elections can be held.  There are seven seats, one of which is currently vacant, and not all councillors will be standing for re-election.  So there are opportunities for those with the time and inclination to get involved in serving 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; Natland News carries comprehensive coverage of Natland Parish Council’s activities.  And you can talk to me, the Clerk or any parish councillor.

May seems 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 2012 (as I understand it) comprises:

• Tuesday 27 March - publication of notice of election
• Noon Wednesday 4 April – deadline for delivery of nomination papers (to the Returning Officer at SLDC
• Noon Tuesday 10 April – publication of list of candidates
• Noon Wednesday 11 April – deadline for withdrawal of candidature
• Wednesday 25 April – publication of notice of poll
• 7am to 10pm Thursday 3 May – polling

A poll will only be held if there are more valid nominations than there are vacancies (7 No.).

Normally parish council elections take place in the same year as that of the District Councillor whose ward includes the parish.  This is because the polls can then be combined and the costs shared between the participating councils.  SLDC is elected in thirds over three consecutive years, with the fourth year reserved for County Council ‘all-in’ elections.  A few years ago SLDC revised its ward boundaries and Natland moved into a ward shared with parts of Kendal instead of with Natland’s adjoining rural parishes.  No-one considered the effect of this on Natland’s electoral cycle, which is that synchronisation has been lost, the ward councillor election is in 2014, and the estimated £800 cost of a 2012 poll in Natland would be charged entirely to the Parish Council.  Such is the cost of democracy and may be a reason for the 24-hour withdrawal window on 10/11 April.

David Peters
Chair of Natland Parish Council
28/2/12