How do I become a local Councillor ?

Everything you need to know is set out in the Nomination Packs which have now been published by the Isle of Wight Council. You can find them by using these links:

Nomination Paper Pack (Local Gov) 2007 (iow.gov.uk)

Nomination pack (incl election agent notification form) - PandC (iow.gov.uk)

These packs contain all the forms you need to complete to stand for election.

The only way to become a Councillor on the Isle of Wight Council is to be elected. You may have heard of Councillors being co-opted onto Councils but this only applies to Parish and Town Councils. The only way you could become an Isle of Wight Councillor without a vote would be if you stood for election and no other candidates stood against you!

Do I Qualify?

You must satisfy a few basic requirements to stand for election. Currently you must be British or a citizen of the Commonwealth or European Union, at least 18 years old and registered to vote on the Isle of Wight or have lived, worked or owned property on the Island for at least 12 months before an election.

In the 2021 Council Elections the Island will be divided in to 39 areas, known as wards, each of which will elect one Councillor. It is not a requirement that you must live in the ward you wish to stand for but it is likely to increase your chances if you do or if you have some other existing strong connection with the ward, such as working there. The rules are slightly different for Town and Parish Councils. You should refer to the notes in the Nomination Pack information for full details.

You can’t be an Isle of Wight councillor if you work for the Isle of Wight Council, if you are bankrupt or have been sentenced to prison for three months or more during the 5 years before election day (including suspended sentences), or if you have ever been convicted of a corrupt or illegal practice by an election court. Again the rules differ slightly for Town and Parish Councils.

What is the process?

You need to submit

• a nomination form

• a home address form

• your consent to nomination

The nomination form requires you to obtain the signatures of 2 registered voters in the ward you are wishing to stand for. The deadline for submission of nominations will be 4pm on 8th April 2021.

If standing as an Our Island candidate you must also submit forms showing you are authorised to use the Our Island name and to allow you to have our party emblem on the ballot paper.

Once nominations have been received the details of candidates standing in each ward will be published on 9th April 2021.

Expenditure.

A candidate can spend £806, plus 7p per elector. For example If there are 2,500 electors in a ward, the spending limit is: £806 + (2,500 x 0.07) = £981

Essentially it is for you to fund your Campaign. If you receive support or donations from other sources this must be declared. If funds allow, Our Island will always attempt to assist candidates to pay for their campaign to ensure that anyone who wishes to stand for election has the chance to do so.

Detailed guidance can be found here:

Locals England Part 3 C&A 2021 FINAL.pdf (electoralcommission.org.uk)

How is Local Government stuctured on the Isle of Wight ?

Government in Great Britain is provided in a number of ways at different levels.

Nationally the country is divided into 650 Parliamentary Constituencies each of which elects a Member of Parliament (MP) to sit in the House of Commons in Westminster. The Isle of Wight is currently represented by one MP.

At a local level there are different types of local government bodies depending on the area.  

Apart from London and some of the larger metropolitan areas there are two types of structure

In some areas, for example Hampshire, there is a county council responsible for services such as education, waste management and strategic planning within the county, with smaller District or Borough councils responsible for services in particular geographical areas such as housing, waste collection and local planning. Separate elections take place for each of these different types of Council.

However some areas, such as the Isle of Wight, have only one level of local government known as a Unitary Authority. These bodies combine the functions that are elsewhere split between County Councils and District and Borough Councils. The Isle of Wight has been governed at a local level in this way since 1994.

Following changes to the boundaries between the different areas on the Island, from the elections taking place in May 2021, the Island will be divided into 39 ‘wards’ each of which will elect one Councillor to the Isle of Wight Unitary Authority. People can stand for election as individuals, as members of a group or as members of a political party. On election they are generally known as Councillors or Members. Together they will elect one of their number to be the Leader of the Council. The Leader then has the power to appoint up to ten members to form a Cabinet. The Cabinet members will be allocated particular responsibilities to lead strategic direction for elements of what the Council does (such as Planning, Adult Social Care etc.)

Members are given an allowance of £8,010.96 each year. Further allowances are available for Members who take on additional responsibilities, such as chairing particular Committees.

You can find a full list of what is currently paid to Councillors here: https://www.iow.gov.uk/azservices/documents/1425-Members-Allowances.pdf

The Isle of Wight is further divided into 33 Parish and Town Councils which elect Councillors to act in the interests of their Town of Village. Not every part of England has Parish and Town Councils and the Isle of Wight is unique in being the only County in which every area is covered by its own Parish Council. While Parishes have traditionally been responsible for functions such as maintenance of locally owned recreational areas, on the Isle of Wight in recent years many have taken on more functions and activities which the Unitary Authority has no longer been able to perform due to financial cutbacks. The Parish and Town Councils are of different sizes and each is made up of a different number of Parish Councillors as a result. For example Ryde Town Council has 16 seats whereas Shorwell Parish Council has just 6. Each Parish Council holds elections, usually at the same time as the Unitary Authority elections, although where insufficient potential members come forward an election does not take place and members take up their seats ‘uncontested’. The leader of a Parish Council is referred to as the Chairman or Chairwoman. The leader of a Town Council is referred to as the Mayor.

Councillors, at whatever level, are your elected local representatives and it is their job to make sure that the services that the Council provides meet your needs. The Councillors do this by setting the overall policies and strategies for the Council and by monitoring the way in which these are implemented. The day to day work of the Isle of Wight Council is undertaken by the employees of the Council, who are known as Officers who are paid to deliver the services agreed by Councillors. Senior officers help Councillors to develop policies and objectives.