Vacancies - Plaistow and Ifold Parish Council

Could you make a difference in the community?

Did you know that Plaistow and Ifold Parish Council is a Local Authority? In fact, it is the first tier of local governance, sitting beneath Chichester District and West Sussex County Councils.

However, being at the bottom of the governance pecking-order has its advantages in serving the community - the Parish Council is closest to you and truly embodies the spirit of Localism.

Your Parish Council is a democratically elected corporate body and can make a real difference in relation to matters of local importance.

You will have seen that a percentage of your Council Tax, which is collected annually by Chichester District Council, goes to Plaistow and Ifold Parish Council. This is called the Precept.

Councillors are community leaders elected to represent residents and provide services to meet local needs. Councillors work together to make decisions on behalf of the people they serve.

Would you like to see the community change for the better, because of decisions you have helped make?

Parish Councils have wide ranging powers, such as crime prevention, managing open spaces, campaigning for and delivering better services and facilities, street lighting, bus shelters, car parks and planning matters, to name a few!

Your eleven (11) Councillors meet on the second Wednesday of the month. All Parish Council meetings are open to the public and press. Meetings alternate between the Winterton Hall, Plaistow and Kelsey Hall, Ifold and usually last for two hours, depending on the agenda. Committees and Working Groups deal with specific matters such as Finance, Planning, Winter & Emergency Planning, or specific projects such as the recent Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations and Coronation.

If you think you would like to become a Councillor, or if you would like more information about the role and the work of the Parish Council, please attend some of our meetings and contact the Clerk for an informal chat.

Casual vacancies and by-elections

If a councillor leaves their seat during the course of their term, a casual vacancy occurs. This could be due to the resignation of a councillor, the passing away of a councillor, the disqualification (or ceasing to be qualified) of a councillor, or a failure to take up office.

When a councillor's seat becomes vacant the Parish Clerk will notify Chichester District Council's Elections Team. The Clerk will display a Notice of Vacancy in the parish area. The notice explains that an election can be called by a request made in writing to the District Council's Proper Officer by 10 electors from the parish area, within 14 working days of the date of the notice.

If an election is called it must be held within 60 days of the notice. If no request is received to call an election then the Parish Council may then co-opt someone into the vacant seat. This means that the Parish Council can choose who they wish to appoint to fill the seat rather than holding an election.

The Notice of Vacancy must run its course before the Parish Council has the opportunity to co-opt a new councillor and this gives the electors of the parish a chance to call an election if they wish to. If the vacancy occurs within 6 months of the date of the next scheduled elections for the Parish Council then no election is held, and the seat may remain vacant until it is filled at the next elections, or the council may choose to co-opt into the vacant seat.

If an election is called following a Notice of Vacancy being displayed, this is known as a by-election. This just means an election that is held outside of the normal scheduled timetable of elections for the Parish Council. The date for the election will be set within the timescales set out above. The election is then advertised by the publication of a Notice of Election which marks the start of the election process.

The next election for Plaistow and Ifold Parish Council is May 2027.