Standing for election as a councillor

Councillors hold their office for a period of four years, after which an election is held. We held elections in 2011 for all 48 seats of the District Council and then all of the seats will be up for election every four years after that. This system is called 'whole Council elections' or 'all-out' elections. Sometimes by-elections take place between the scheduled district elections if a Councillor retires. If you are elected at a by-election you will serve until that seat would have normally become vacant.

Local elections are always held on the first Thursday in May each year. You can be a candidate if you are:

• At least 18 on the day of nomination
• A British subject or an Irish Republic or European Union citizen living in the United Kingdom.
• On the Waveney District's electoral register or have lived, worked or owned property in the district for at least the last 12 months.
• You will also need to have your nomination signed by ten people who are on the electoral register in the ward you wish to contest.

You can't stand for election if you:

• Already work for Waveney District Council.
• Are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order.
• Have a criminal conviction involving a prison sentence of three months or more (including a suspended sentence) in the last five years.
• Are otherwise specifically disqualified from holding office by order of the court

We welcome people from all backgrounds. The greater the mix of people, the more effectively the Council can reflect the views of its community.