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Notice of Co-option to the City Council (East Ward)

Make a Change become a Councillor

Chichester City Council is pleased to announce a vacancy to join the City Council as a representative for the East Ward of the Parish. This is a unique opportunity for an engaged and enthusiastic member of the community to step forward and make a lasting difference.

What Do Local Councils Do?

Local councils play a vital role in shaping the wellbeing of their communities. Their work falls into three main areas:

  • Delivering services
  • Improving quality of life for residents
  • Giving communities a democratic voice

Depending on their size, councils oversee a wide range of services. Some are highly visible, such as maintaining footpaths, public seating, and litter bins. Others are less obvious but equally important, including introducing solar panels, setting up dementia-friendly groups, organising community buses, creating neighbourhood plans, implementing suitable housing, establishing youth projects, and managing allotments and open spaces.

CALLING ALL COMMUNITY HEROES Chichester City Council Needs You! MAKE A CHANGE BECOME A COUNCILLOR TO FIND OUT MORE, CONTACT: administration@chichestercity.gov.uk

Becoming a Local Councillor

Local councillors are the champions of their community. They dedicate time and energy to local projects and issues, ensuring that residents’ voices are heard and acted upon. Their responsibilities include:

  • Decision-making – shaping policies and services for the benefit of the community.
  • Monitoring – ensuring services are delivered effectively and meet local needs.
  • Getting involved locally – engaging with residents, groups, and businesses to understand priorities.

Chichester City Councillors collaborate with district and county councils, progress vital projects, and invest in the future of their neighbourhoods.

Why Get Involved?

Chichester City Council is calling on residents with innovative ideas, a passion for community, or concerns about local issues to consider standing for election. The role is exciting, rewarding, and impactful. Councillors engage directly with local people, groups, and businesses, make decisions on services and projects, and ensure that the council’s work reflects the needs of the community.

This vacancy offers the chance to become a voice for East Ward residents and to help shape the future of Chichester.

If you are interested in being co-opted on to Chichester City Council, you must meet the following criteria:

  1. A person is qualified to be elected and to be a Councillor if they are a British, Commonwealth, Irish or European Union citizen and on the relevant day (that is, the day of nomination or election) they are 18 or over.
  2. On the relevant day and thereafter they continue to be on the electoral register for the parish, or
    • during the whole of the twelve months before that day they have owned or tenanted land or premises in the parish, or
    • during the whole of the twelve months before that day their principal or only place of work has been in the parish, or
    • during the whole of the twelve months before that day they have resided in the parish or within three miles of it.

Except for qualification (1), these qualifications then continue for the full term of office, until the next ordinary elections.

Certain people are disqualified from standing, and these include paid officers (including the Clerks) of the council, bankrupts, those subject to recent sentences of imprisonment and those disqualified by legislation.

The Full Council meets eight times a year and the successful candidate would be expected to join one of the Council’s Standing Committees. Further information is available on our website here: https://chichestercity.gov.uk/meetings/

If you would like to know more about the role, please contact the Town Clerk on 01243 788502, clerk@chichestercity.gov.uk or at The Council House, North Street, Chichester. PO19 1LQ.

Applicants should submit an application form and a supporting statement giving a brief explanation of why you are interested in joining the Parish Council.

Further information and application forms can be obtained from the City Council website (City Council Co-option process and application form) or in person from the front desk of the Council House in North Street.

Completed applications and supporting statements can be sent to the address above for the attention of the Town Clerk or emailed to clerk@chichestercity.gov.uk

Qualifying candidates will be invited to speak at a Special Meeting of Council after which a vote by Councillors will take place.

The closing date for applications is: 5.00pm on Friday 30 January 2026

Download the information pack and application form here: City Council Co-option process and application form or in person from the front desk of the Council House in North Street.

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