Council vacancy – advance notice

A vacancy has arisen on South Willesborough and Newtown Community Council

Community Councillor Matthew Harris has resigned from his position as Councillor due to a job change and re-location to the Middlesbrough area. We all wish him well

Matt was elected in May 2019 when the Council was formed and latterly was elected Chair of the Council’s Planning and Highways Committee.

SWAN Community Council will start the procedure of filling the vacant position by co-option by liaising with Ashford Borough Council, which oversees all parish and community elections and Councillor appointments. There are rules to follow but once we get the go-ahead from ABC we will start the selection process

Having recently taken over the management of the Gas House Fields Allotments, SWAN Community Council is gathering momentum and it is an exciting time for anyone with a deep local interest to get involved.

Councillors need to be at least 18 years old and  be a British citizen or an eligible Commonwealth citizen and  meet at least one of the following four qualifications:

a. You are, and will continue to be, registered as a local government elector for the parish/community in which you wish to stand from the day of your nomination onwards.

b. You have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the parish/community area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election.

c. Your main or only place of work during the 12 months prior to the day of your nomination and the day of election has been in the parish/community area.

d. You have lived in the parish/community area or within three miles of it during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election.

If you satisfy the criteria, we would be happy to receive expressions of interest from you now.

To do this you can E-mail clerk@swancc.org.uk –  or write to the Chair of the Council, Councillor Sue Mullan, at the office address