COULD YOU BE OUR NEXT GREEN COUNCILLOR?

Green councillors are doing a fantastic job of bringing good ideas, hard work and green values to local government across Oxfordshire. Over the last few years, we have shown time after time that with a committed local candidate and a strong local campaign, we can get Greens elected. If you might be interested in serving your community as a Green councillor, we would love to hear from you.

What is a 'target' candidate?

If you are selected as a 'target' candidate, we will campaign for you to win! This is hard work both for you and for the volunteer team, but we know we can do it. 

UPCOMING LOCAL ELECTIONS

County Council elections – May 2025

County elections are once every 4 years - the next one is in May 2025. We presently have 3 Greens on Oxfordshire County Council, where we are in a joint administration with the Liberal Democrats. If you would like to be a county councillor it’s now or in 2029 and we really need much more Green influence on the County Council before then!

County councillors are responsible for roads and traffic, social care, education and much more. For more details about what being a county councillor entails visit here:

https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/council/about-your-council/oxfordshire-councillors/becoming-councillor

District Council and Town Council elections – 2026 & 2027

Many district and town council seats in both Cherwell and West Oxfordshire will be up for election in May 2026 and all seats will likely be up in 2027 when new boundaries are brought in.  Now is the ideal time to find serious candidates for these elections so that we can lay the groundwork for a strong and successful campaigns.

We currently have 4 Green councillors on each of Cherwell and West Oxfordshire District Councils. District councillors are responsible for planning, waste collection, promoting biodiversity and more.

Town & parish councillors are responsible for managing town funds, liaison with district and county councils, providing and maintaining local amenities such as monuments, playing fields, footpaths and churchyards and have a duty to conserve and enhance biodiversity. Most smaller town and parish councils are non-party political, but you can still bring green ideas and values as an independent councillor.

By-Elections

By-elections can be called at almost anytime at all levels of local government.When they are we need to be ready with candidates. The next by-election that we are aware of will be for the Central Ward of Witney Town Council.  The poll will probably be in October. There is also a possibility of a by-election being called in the Banbury Grimsbury & Hightown Ward.

If you would like to be considered to as a Green Party target candidate in any of the local elections please complete our target candidate application form and return it to elections@westoxon-greens.uk.  If you have questions or would like to find out more about what's involved, please email elections@westoxon-greens.uk

Time Table for Round 1 of Candidate  Applications (revised)

  - Deadline for submission of applications Midnight Saturday 5th October. 

  - Online Hustings Thursday 10th Oct 7:30pm.

  - Online ballot opens Thurs 10th Oct, closes Midnight Wed 16th Oct.

  - Result of Poll announced Friday 17th Oct.

  - Candidature ratified at next business meeting (Nov 6th).

WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR AND DISQUALIFICATIONS FROM BEING A LOCAL ELECTION CANDIDATE?

1. You have to be a British, Republic of Ireland, a Commonwealth citizen (in the latter case, you must have the right to be resident in the UK on a permanent/indefinite basis) or a qualifying EU citizen.
2. You must be 18 by the day of your nomination. This means that the youngest candidate possible in any given election is one whose 18th birthday is on the day that nominations close, and their nomination would have to be submitted that day.
3. In addition, one or more of the following conditions must be satisfied:
   • you must be a registered elector for the authority
   • your principal or only place of work (which does not have to be ‘formal’, paid work) during the12 months preceding the nomination AND election dates must be in the authority’s area
   • you must have resided in the authority’s area for the whole of the 12 months preceding nomination AND election dates
   • you must have been the owner occupier or tenant of land or premises in the authority’s area for the whole of the 12 months preceding nomination AND election dates (The residency requirement for being a candidate for a Parish or Town Council is slightly different, in that you may live within 4.8km of its boundary).
4. There are various disqualifications such as bankruptcy, but the one that affects most people is that you cannot stand for election to a Local Authority that employs you. If in doubt about this, ask us for advice via elections@westoxon-greens.uk .