Elections

Please see below for results of the following elections:

• Parish Council elections held on 4th May 2023

Details of previous elections are available on the Three Rivers District Council elections website.

Ordinary Elections are held every 4 years and are the responsibility of the Three Rivers District Council Returning Officer. All current members of the Council stand down and all seats become vacant at an Ordinary Election. Existing Councillors who wish to continue must stand for re-election. If there are enough candidates for the number of seats or fewer candidates than seats then those that stand are elected unopposed. If there are more nominations than seats, a poll must be held. These elections may coincide with District / County / National / Police Commissioner elections.

A Parish Council election is deemed to have been held regardless of whether it is contested (there are more candidates than seats) or uncontested (there is the right number of candidates or less for the number of seats to be filled). It is important to note that if an uncontested election has resulted in a quorum of elected Councillors, the Council may fill the remaining vacancies by co-option (see below).

To stand for election to a Parish Council, you must have certain qualifications. Individuals can also be disqualified from standing as a candidate. These are summarised in the table below.

Candidates are permitted to stand for election in more than one parish provided they are qualified to stand in all those Parish Councils.

Further guidance for candidates can be found at https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or-agent/parish-and-community-council-elections-in-england-and-wales including detailed guidance on the criteria above for qualifications and disqualifications. If you are in any doubt whether you would be able to stand for election or co-option, contact Electoral Services via 01483 505050 for more information.

Party & Independent Candidates

Candidates must first decide if they wish to stand as a Councillor on behalf of a political party or as an independent candidate. If you wish to stand via a political party, please contact the local Party Chairman and they will guide you through the nomination process and handle the completion of your nomination form and candidate consent form. They will also help with the production and distribution of your election literature.

Candidates choosing to standing as an independent should contact Three Rivers District Council for a nomination pack after for the Notice of Election has been issued. The pack will contain a nomination form and consent form. The forms must be submitted to the Three Rivers District Council no later than the date for the close of nominations. (see Nomination Forms below)

As an independent candidate you will need to produce your own election literature. It must contain:

• A recent photograph of yourself
• A brief description of your history with Abbots Langley Parish e.g. how long you have lived / work here and a short biography
• Details about why you are standing as a Parish Councillor, your objectives and what you can bring to the role
• It must bear the name of:
  • The printer (that can be your partner if you arrange your own printing)
  • And the promoter (this can be yourself for example)

Candidates must post election literature through every door in the ward in which they are standing. This can be done after the candidate’s nomination form has been accepted and up to the ordinary election date.

Please note that:

• All candidates must account for their expenditure
• Full costs are borne by the individual and are not refunded
• Costs are limited to £806 plus 7p for each elector in the parish/ward in which you choose to stand

Candidates may be able to reduce expenditure by sharing printing and distribution costs with other independent candidates. Further guidance for candidates on spending and donations can be found at Local elections in England | Electoral Commission .

Nomination Forms

Nomination forms are available from Three Rivers District Council and must be carefully completed with:

• Personal details of candidate
• Personal details of those people nominating them
• Addresses in full with no abbreviations
• Register of elector’s number
• Code of village/town
• Political party (if any)
• Signatures
• Date

Nomination forms must be hand delivered by candidates to Three Rivers District Council. Candidates should obtain a receipt that is signed and dated.

After an Election

Shortly after election day, candidates are advised by the Three Rivers District Council if they have been successful in being voted in as a Parish Councillor.

If you have been successful, the Parish Clerk will contact you to ask you to come to the Parish Council Offices to receive an information pack for new Councillors, and blank forms that need to be completed and signed in order for you to be able to take office. The Clerk will also share the yearly calendar of Council meetings and invite you to attend your first Council meeting. (Meetings calendar also available on this site)

Once elected, a Councillor must sign a ‘Declaration of Acceptance of Office‘ within a specified time. This must be done at or before the first meeting attended after the election, or if the Councillor is not present, the Council may at that meeting permit signature at or before a subsequent meeting. If the declaration is not signed at the proper time the Councillor automatically loses office and a casual vacancy occurs.

Councillors must also complete and sign a ‘Register of Members’ Interests‘ form within a specified time. This declaration is required under the Localism Act 2011 and the Abbots Langley Parish Council’s Code of Conduct (available on this website).

If a vacancy arises on a Parish Council, there is a process to fill the vacancy. Find out more about this process and see current vacancies / election notices below.

A casual vacancy can arise from one of size causes:

1. Failure to complete a declaration of acceptance of office within the proper time (before or at the first meeting of the Council after the candidate’s election)
2. When a notice of resignation has been received
3. Death of a Councillor
4. Ceasing to be qualified (eg moving out of the area)
5. Becoming disqualified
6. Failure to attend meetings throughout a period of 6 consecutive months from the date of their attendance at any meeting of the Council (unless approved by the Council prior to expiry of that period)

Vacancies / Notices of Election

There are currently no vacancies.

Process to fill a casual vacancy

• The Parish Council will notify the Three Rivers District Council Proper Officer of the vacancy.
• The Three Rivers District Council Proper Officer will send the Parish Council a notice, which they have a duty to display for 14 working days, telling residents about the vacancy.

A by-election will be called if ten residents, who are registered to vote in the area where the vacancy has arisen, write to the Returning Officer asking that an election be held. If the Parish Council is warded, the request must come from ten electors within the relevant Ward. If a casual vacancy arises within 6 months preceding an ordinary election, then a by-election is not held.

What happens if an election is not called?

The Parish Council may be notified by Three Rivers that an election has not been called and that the vacancy may be filled by co-option. If vacancies remain after a recent election, the following procedure will apply:

• The Parish Council will post a notice on its notice boards advertising the vacancies. The notice will also include the closing date for all expressions of interest to be received.
• When the applications have been received, the Clerk will consider the application letter(s).
• If the applicant is:
  • not disqualified they may be co-opted on to the Parish Council.
  • if there is more than one applicant, then the decision will be decided by a vote.