About

Haworth with Stanbury Village Council is one of 19 Town, Parish and Community Councils in the Bradford Metropolitan District Council area. It was formed in 2023, when the former Parish Council of Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury, split to form two new councils.

The Council is made up of a team of Councillors who are committed to working for a better Haworth and Stanbury, with the assistance of our Clerk.

Like other local councils, Haworth with Stanbury Village Council aims to work towards improving community well-being and providing better services at a local level. Our activities involve: –

• representing the local community
• working to improve quality of life and community well-being

The Village Council is a formal body that has to conform to specific procedures.

Councillors attend council meetings to discuss and make decisions about the work of the Council. They also meet local organisations and individual residents to address specific issues, and represent the parish on external bodies.

Local (Town and Parish) Councils form the first tier of local government, the Village Council does not replace the statutory responsibilities of Bradford MDC. If you have a query regarding issues such as housing, bin collections, fly-tipping, blocked drains, Council tax, street lights, road maintenance or education, please contact Bradford Metropolitan District Council on 01274 432111 or report your concern on BMDC’s website at www.bradford.gov.uk.

Election Process to become a Parish Councillor

Parish councillors are elected by the public and serve four-year terms. Following elections, councils appoint a chairman. The Nomination and Election process are detailed below.

The Election Procedure

Ordinary elections of local councillors take place on the first Thursday in May every four years.

The election timetable is as follows:

Nomination process

A prospective candidate must deliver to the Returning Officer a valid nomination paper. This form is obtained from the Officer. The candidate’s surname, forenames, residence and description (if required) must be entered and his or her number and prefix letter from the current register of electors. The Returning Officer has a copy of this register, and the clerk of the local council normally has one.

The nomination paper must also contain similar particulars of a proposer and a seconder. They must be electors for the area for which the candidate seeks election (i.e. the parish, community or town or the ward if it is divided into wards): they must sign it.

What Next?

The returning officer appointed by a principal authority is the person responsible for the conduct and arrangement for the elections. If you are considering becoming a candidate for election it could be wise to contact the Returning Officer to obtain any more detailed information.

Please note: A vote will only take place if the number of candidates nominated in the parish is greater than the number of vacant seats.

But the election is not for a few years

If a seat becomes vacant mid-term (or if there are not enough candidates to fill all council seats at election time) the council will hold a by-election or co-opt.

Publication of the Notice of Casual Vacancy starts the process which allows ten electors of the parish to request that an election be held to fill the vacancy. If no request is received, then, after the expiry of the fourteen day period, the council can co-opt a person to fill the vacancy as soon as is practicable.

The Parish Council will publicise the vacancy and the candidate is chosen by the Parish Council.

You have to be:

• a British subject or a citizen of the Commonwealth
• over 18 years of age

and additionally you have to be one of the following

• a local government elector for the council area for which you want to stand
• have during the whole of the 12 months occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the council area or within 3 miles of it for the whole period
• have during that same period had your principal or only place of work in the council area or within 3 miles of it for the whole period.

You cannot stand for election if you:

• are subject of a bankruptcy restriction order or interim order.
• have, within five years before the day of the election, been convicted in the United Kingdom of any offence and have had a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for a period of over three months without the option of a fine.
• you work for the council you want to become a councillor for (but you can work for other local authorities, including the principal authorities that represent the same area).