Stand as a Candidate

  1. Why become a councillor?

Being a councillor is an extremely rewarding experience, it gives you the opportunity to help your local community and be part of a dedicated team providing key services for your area.

It's a great way to gain political experience and useful skills in public speaking, conflict resolution and problem solving.

  1. Am I eligible to stand?

To be eligible to stand for Council you must be:

  • At least eighteen years old on the day you are nominated.
  • A British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, a qualifying EU citizen or an EU citizen with retained rights.

And either:

  • On the electoral register for the council area in which you are seeking election.
  • Have lived or worked in that council area for at least the last twelve months.

View full criteria for England and Wales from the Electoral Commission here. Please note that you cannot work for the council and stand for election to the same council.

  1. What do I need to know?

On day one, you won't be expected to take direct responsibility for the running of the council. The main qualifications required are an interest in your community and a willingness to learn. The knowledge, experience and confidence will soon follow.

You will receive support from your local Conservative Association, council colleagues, the Conservative Party, and the CCA - if you ever have any questions email us at [email protected].

Most local authorities provide induction training and IT support, Council officers are there to help you, and are professionally trained staff employed to carry out the lawful functions and duties of a council. Many council groups also employ political assistants or researcher who can assist in your duties.

  1. Do I have the time?

It’s possible to dedicate all of your time on just council work but the vast majority of our councillors also work full time, and have families and hobbies.

Unless you take on further responsibilities as a Cabinet Member or Chairing committees, your work directly within the Town Hall may not involve more than a few meetings a month (depending on the amount of committees and panels you sit on).

Most of your time as a Councillor will be field based and dedicated to supporting residents and maintaining your local presence, through house visits, surgeries and community events.

The Conservative Group will also hold private meetings, your local Conservative Association may have campaign support expectations and you may have further community group meetings within your ward or division you'll be required to attend.

  1. Can I afford to?

Councils pay a basic allowance that varies depending on the type and size of the council.

They may also pay some additional telephone and computer costs and provide you with other necessary stationery.

All councillors receive a basic allowance but some may receive additional Special Responsibility Allowance for taking on other specific roles such as cabinet members or committee chairs.

  1. Becoming a Conservative Party Council Candidate

We're always looking for new candidates. New candidates can bring fresh ideas and renewed enthusiasm, which can be beneficial for your area.

All Conservative candidates are required to be member’s of the Conservative Party. Your local Conservative Association will manage and arrange the short-listing and selection processes for council candidates in your area.

  1. How do I sign up?

If you're not already a member you'll need to join and have been a Conservative Party member for at least 3 months before you can stand.

Get in touch with your local Conservative association and request a Council Candidate Application Form, or email [email protected] and we can point you in the right direction.

You can also let the Party know you're interested by signing up at volunteer.conservatives.com.

Stand as a Candidate

  1. What support can the CCA provide?

The CCA can put you in contact with sitting Councillors if you have any questions to support you on your journey.

If you are already on the approved council candidate list for 2025 or if you have been selected for the 2025 local elections you can join us as a Candidate Member. This entitles you to:

  • Weekly email bulletins containing the latest campaigning information and news updates from the CCA and the Conservative Party
  • Discounted members’ rate at events
  • Access to CCA resources from our CCA Members Secure Area and online training programmes
  • CCA campaign support including our campaigning packs and guides
  • Opportunity to bid for CCA campaign grants
  • Free CCA.voice magazine, issued quarterly
  • CCA staff on hand to help with your research, policy queries, campaigning needs and much more!

We offer training to councillors and produce ‘A Guide to Becoming a Conservative Councillor’. To obtain a FREE pdf copy of the guide, please email us at [email protected].

Once elected, the CCA has a wide ranger of other useful tools and events, such as example motions and online training sessions, that are of great help.

Join the CCA with Candidate Membership

  1. More information

Be a Councillor Project by the LGA

The Be a Councillor project run by the Local Government Association, aims to celebrate the important work which councillors do and encourage new candidates from a wider talent pool to come forward.

This will ensure that councils not only reflect their electorate in terms of gender, age or ethnicity, but attracts people with different personal and professional experiences, raising the quality of candidates and therefore the quality of councillors.

For more information and to hear the experiences of some of our current Conservative councillors, please download the Be a Councillor guide.

www.beacouncillor.org.uk.

 

Community Champion Programme

The CCA has recently developed a new membership offering to support those considering becoming a Conservative councillor.

The Community Champion Programme aims to highlight the important role councillors play within their communities and inspire more people to apply to become local government candidates.

If you know anyone who you think would make a good councillor, please highlight the support offered by the CCA and encourage them to join the scheme. They can do so by becoming an Associate Plus member of the CCA.

To find out more about the Community Champion Programme, please email [email protected].

 

Help for Associations

If you are a Party activist, Agent or Organising Secretary the following items can be obtained by contacting the CCA:

  • Monthly CCA.News email, informing you of the support we are giving your councillors and candidates.
  • A Localiser campaigning pack to help Associations with Local Government Candidate Recruitment
  • Conservative Model Group Rules
  • Local Government Candidate Selection Procedure and Application Forms
  • 'Councillors and the Law' guide
  • 'A Guide for New Conservative Councillors'
  • CCA Monthly Association Newsletters to keep you up-to-date with new events and publications
  • Information on the services provided by the CCA for your local councillors