Co-Option Policy
Adopted - May 2021
1. On confirmation that Leverton Parish Council can co-opt to fill a vacancy, a notice will be placed on the Parish Council noticeboard and the Parish Council website advertising the vacancy.
2. All enquiries or applications must be directed to the Clerk.
3. The Clerk will confirm that each candidate is qualified to become a Councillor and is not disqualified from being a Councillor as set out in Local Government Act 1972.
4. Applicant/s will be invited to attend a Parish Council meeting to observe proceedings and procedures and will be given the opportunity to ask any questions they feel are relevant to become a councillor.
5. Applicants will then be invited to attend a further Parish Council meeting and present a short statement detailing their experience and details of what strengths and qualities they believe they can bring to the council.
6. At the end of this meeting Council will resolve to move into closed session to consider the application/s and members of the public and press will be asked to leave.
7. Council will discuss suitability and will vote on the acceptability of each candidate. An absolute majority vote is required for each candidate from all members present and entitled to vote.
8. Council will vote to select the order in which acceptable candidates should be approached to offer co-option.
9. Candidates will be notified by email of the Council’s decision within 48 hours. If the first choice does not accept the post then the second is to be approached
10. Assuming that the co-option position is filled Council will formally ratify the appointment at the next full Council Meeting.
11. Clerk to notify the Monitoring Officer of the new Councillor appointment(s) and initiate Acceptance of Office and declaration of interest procedures.
12. If insufficient candidates come forward for co-option, the process should continue, whereby the vacancies are again advertised.
Appendix A.
Voting
- If there are more candidates than vacancies, the candidate with the least number of votes should be taken off the list of candidates, and if there are still more candidates than vacancies, the vote is taken again. This procedure should be repeated until the number of candidates equals the number of vacancies and each candidate has a majority vote.
- Even if there are fewer candidates than vacancies, each candidate must receive an absolute majority; no majority, no co-option. There is no “co-opted uncontested” provision within the law.
- The successful candidate must receive an absolute majority vote of those members present at the Parish Council meeting.
- If a member is not at the meeting the legislation does not provide for a proxy or postal vote.
- Each Councillor must vote; no councillor may abstain.
- The Chairman may only use his casting vote if two successive voting rounds are stalemated.