Elections

The most recent Town Council elections took place on 6 May 2021. The next normal local elections are due to take place in May 2025. Vacancies do arise between elections, however, when new Town Councillors can be co-opted to the Town Council if an election for the vacancy is not called. Details of casual vacancies are advertised locally as they arise and can also be found on the Latest News section of the website.

Being a Town Councillor is an enjoyable way of contributing to your community and helping to make it a better place to live, work and visit. If you are over 18 and a UK, Commonwealth or European Union citizen, read the detailed eligibility criteria, from the Local Government Act 1972 (Sections 79 and 80), to find out if you qualify to stand.

What do Councillors do?

The role of a Councillors (also known as a member/elected member) is to respond to the needs and aspirations of the local community and provide leadership. Councillors have three main elements to their work.

1) Decision making – Through meetings and attending committees with other elected members, Councillors decide which activities to support, where money should be spent, what services should be delivered and what policies should be implemented.

2) Monitoring – Councillors make sure that their decisions lead to efficient and effective services by keeping an eye on how well things are working.

3) Getting involved locally – As local representatives, Councillors have responsibilities towards their constituents and local organisations. These responsibilities and duties often depend on what the Councillor wants to achieve and how much time they have available.

How much time does it take up?

Some Councillors spend two or three hours per week on Town Council business, but others spend more, depending on their interests, role and committee memberships.

The Full Council meetings, held on the second Monday of each month, and Council (Planning), every three weeks on a Wednesday, are for all Councillors. There are also three main Committees (Community Services, Finance and Administration and Property and Amenities), each having nine members, and they meet on a Wednesday every other month. As a result of the pandemic, Full Council is held in person at the Town Hall, but all other meetings are held online, via MS Teams. All meetings start at 7.30pm.

Knowledge, Skills and experience

The most important attributes of a Councillor are that they are active in their community; they care about their community and they make their council accessible to their community. The Town Council is also committed to Councillor development and offers a wide range of training topics, including a mentor scheme pairing new Councillors with the more experienced.

What next?

To find out more about what your Town Council does please visit the Town Hall, attend one or two meetings, or contact one of our Councillors or staff. You can also find out more by visiting the National Association of Local Council’s website 

To find out more about the election process, which is managed by Wiltshire Council, visit the Elections section of Wiltshire Council’s website