About Our Parish Councillors
Parish Councillors work together as a team for the good of the Parish and the people in the parish. They undertake regular training to improve their competencies and develop their skills. You can read the Parish Council’s training policy on our Documents page.
Copies of the Parish Councillors’ Register of Interests are lodged with Cornwall Council. Visit this page and scroll down to 'Menheniot'
Becoming a Parish Councillor
Full Parish Council elections are
held every four years. The last were held on 6 May 2021, but from time to
time, vacancies may be available as councillors retire or resign. We
always advertise these 'casual vacancies' on our website and parish
notice boards, and anyone is free to apply as long as they satisfy the
criteria.
Qualifications for standing for election
To be able to stand as a candidate at a parish council election in England or a community council election in Wales you must:
• be at least 18 years old
• be a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of any member state of the European Union, and
• meet at least one of the following four qualifications:
a. You are, and will continue to be, registered as a local government elector for the parish/community in which you wish to stand from the day of your nomination onwards.
b. You have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the parish/community area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election.
c. Your main or only place of work during the 12 months prior to the day of your nomination and the day of election has been in the parish/community area.
d. You have lived in the parish/community area or within three miles of it during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election.
Disqualifications
Apart from meeting the qualifications for standing for election, you must also not be disqualified. There are certain people who are disqualified from being elected to a parish or community council in England and Wales. You cannot be a candidate if at the time of your nomination and on polling day:
a. You are employed by the parish/community council or hold a paid office under the parish/community council (including joint boards or committees).
b. You are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order.
c. You have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three months or more (including a suspended sentence), without the option of a fine, during the five years before polling day.
d. You have been disqualified under the Representation of the People Act 1983 (which covers corrupt or illegal electoral practices and offences relating to donations). The disqualification for an illegal practice begins from the date the person has been reported guilty by an election court or convicted and lasts for three years. The disqualification for a corrupt practice begins from the date a person has been reported guilty by an election court or convicted and lasts for five years.
Read more about this in the Local Government Associations Guide.You can find out about the work of a Parish Council in this guide produced by the National Association of Local Councils All About Local Council 2018.
We also produce a profile for people considering making application. This is not the same as the one you would see for a job application, but it sets out the broad areas of experience that would be useful to have. Download a copy of the profile here.
Being a Parish Councillor
As part of their preparation for taking an active role in the Parish Council, all Councillors need to undergo a period of induction. This will give them the opportunity to learn more about the way in which the Parish Council works, what its obligations and legal responsibilities are and how they can make the best use of their time as a councillor.
Listed on our Documents page are a series of Quick Guides on the essential things a new Councillor will need to know before taking part in their first meeting. We ask all new Parish Councillors to take the time out to read through these guides before their induction. They are not expected to remember all of it – that will come with experience and practice, but it will be helpful for them to know this much about the background of their decision making.