WINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL CASUAL VACANCY

Thursday 18 June 2026

INFORMATION FOR PERSON INTERESTED IN APPLYING TO BE A WINGHAM PARISH COUNCILLOR

Wingham Parish Council represents the Wingham community and aims to improve the quality of life and environment we live in. We do this by raising a precept (tax) through the council tax and use this to provide some services ourselves or contribute to services supplied by others.

There are nine Parish Councillors for Wingham.

The council meets every month except August usually on the 2nd Monday evening of the month as well as the Annual Parish Assembly in April.  Occasional extraordinary meetings may be called throughout the year for urgent items to be discussed.  The Planning Committee of the Parish Council also meet every 2nd Monday of the month immediately before the main Parish Council meeting.

How much time you give to the role is up to you and can vary.  Officer roles are agreed at the May Annual Meeting and involve Councillors having named responsibility (with support from the clerk) for different aspects of Council activities, such as: Finance; Audit; Highways; Planning; Training; Allotments; Maintenance; etc.  Councillors are required to respond to correspondence from the clerk in between meetings and of course speak with residents as required.  All actions must be agreed at meetings and any conversations or queries with residents should be referred to the clerk in the first instance. Councillors are expected to undertake relevant training as required.

If you are interested in applying to become a Parish Councillor, please send to the clerk by Friday 10 July 2026:-

  • a personal statement saying why you would like to be a Councillor. This should include information on the commitment you can offer, plus what skills, experience, and interests you have; and
  • the completed Home Address & Consent to Nomination form which states that you are eligible to stand as a Parish Councillor.

Elections take place every four years (most recently on 4 May 2023) and any unfilled councillor positions may be filled by co-option following the procedures laid down by Dover District Council.

Co-option may also take place when a councillor resigns and where no election is called following the resignation within 14 working days of advertising the vacancy.