Dear Councillor Fencesitter,
I’m intrigued.
How can Smalltown and Dullbridge Town Councillor, Mark Facelift, stand as a candidate for the Illiberal Party, when he lives in Fridgepond? As an elected representative how can he be allowed to make decisions regarding Smalltown and Dullbridge when he doesn’t live here?
Yours,
Confused of Smalltown Posh.
Dear Confused of Smalltown Posh
Thank you for your question, which I shall endeavour to answer here.
To stand as a candidate for election to the council you have to ‘qualify’ by either living or working in the parish to which you seek to be elected.
I live in Smalltown and Mistress Bones, despite not living in the parish, has a business in a Smalltown, so we both easily qualify.
But, as you rightly ask, what of Smalltown and Dullbridge Town Mayor, Mark Facelift?
He lives in Fridgepond and retired from running his Smalltown Waterworks business some time ago, so exactly how does he qualify?
That’s an easy one to answer. Councillor Mark Facelift is a COUNCILLOR. That is his main job and his nomination form lists his business address as Smalltown and Dullbridge Town Council, Hayloft Road Palace, Smalltown.
In effect this means that if you are elected as a Councillor in a parish you can keep standing for election in that parish – even if you move to Outer Mongolia.
Whilst this may seem immoral – representing the views of an area in which your only connection is being a representative for the area you wish to represent – it’s not against Electoral Commission rules.
So in short, Mark Facelift qualifies to stand for election as a Councillor because he’s already a Councillor.
If you believe that councillors should live or have a genuine business in the area then I would advise that you don’t vote for Councillor Facelift.
Best regards
Councillor (but only for a few more days) Fencesitter.
The BeFuddled Party.