Become a Conservative Councillor

Download Guide to becoming a Conservative Councillor

If you need to find the contact details of your local Conservative constituency, then use this form.

Download the Guide to becoming a Conservative Councillor (1.8Mb PDF), courtesy of the CCA.

To become a councillor is to take on one of the most rewarding tasks within the conservative party. A councillor is in the position to influence decisions to help her own local community. Working together with the other conservative councillors, or working independently to help individuals in her own ward can give great satisfaction.

There are different types of councils, depending upon the area in which you live, Parish Councils, District Councils, County Councils, Unitary Authorities, Metropolitan Districts, and London Boroughs.

You will need to be elected to become a councillor. You must first get in touch with your local Constituency Association; they are responsible for deciding who will be nominated to become a councillor. You will be asked to fill in a form, and provide a CV.


Click the video below to hear Caroline Spelman MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, talk about how important it is for people to become councillors.



Eligibility

  • A British subject or a citizen of the Irish Republic or the European Union and resident of the United Kingdom
  • 21 or over on the day of nomination
  • Either on the electoral register for the council area in which you are seeking election, or have lived or worked in that council area for at least the last twelve months

You will not be able to stand for election if:

  • You hold a paid office or employment within the council you wish to stand for
  • You have been convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to not less than three months imprisonment within the last five years

Do not be afraid that you are not qualified for this important position. Women naturally have all the skills necessary for this. Communication skills, organisational skills, caring and listening skills - women have them in abundance. Training is provided, expenses are provided, sometime crèches are provided, and your work schedule will be worked out between you and your group leader so that you do not take on more than you can manage.

7 Step Plan to becoming a Conservative Councillor

  • Getting selected
  • Plan your campaign
  • Organise your team
  • Canvassing
  • Leaflets
  • Polling Day
  • You've been elected!

Apply to Become a Councillor

You will first need to be a member of the Conservative Party, so join now if you're not already a member!

You will then need to be selected by your local association, so your first point of contact would be with them, especially to see what council vacancies they have available.

To find out your nearest Conservative Association, type your town/city name plus 'Conservative Association' into a search engine and see whether you have a local association online. For example, if you live around Salford, type Salford Conservative Association into your preferred search engine and in this example a list of 10 local associations will appear - click on the one that is closest to where you live.

If you are having trouble finding your local association, please email:
councillors@conservativewomen.org.uk
with your full address and postcode.

The Conservative Councillors Association is also an excellent place to do some research and see whether becoming a councillor is right for you. You can join as an associate prior to becoming a councillor (membership to the Conservative Party is required).