To qualify as a candidate for the local elections you must satisfy the following criteria:

• You are over 18; and
• You must be a British citizen, a citizen of another Commonwealth Country, a citizen of the Irish Republic, or a citizen of another member state of the European Union
• not be disqualified from standing at the time of nomination and on the day of the election.

You must also meet at least one of the following four qualifications on the day you are nominated and on polling day:

• you are registered as a local government elector for the Borough area in which you wish to stand; or
• you have occupied as owner or tenant any land or premises in the Borough area in which you wish to stand during the whole of the 12 months before the day they are nominated; or
• your main or only place of work during the last 12 months has been in the Borough area in which you wish to stand; or
• you have lived in the Borough area in which you wish to stand during the whole of the previous 12 months.

To qualify as a candidate and to continue to hold the office of town councillor a person must satisfy the following criteria on the day they are nominated and on polling day:

• be at least 18 years; and
• be a British Citizen, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or a citizen of any other member state of the European Union; and
• not be disqualified from standing at the time of nomination and on the day of the election.

You must also meet at least one of the following four qualifications on the day you are nominated and on polling day:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

To qualify as a candidate for the UK Parliamentary election you must satisfy the following criteria on the day you are nominated and on polling day:

• Be at least 18 years; and
• be either a British citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or an eligible Commonwealth citizen; and
• not be disqualified from standing at the time of nomination and on the day of the election.

Deposit

A £500 deposit is required at an election for a UK Parliamentary election. This must be submitted before the close of nominations. The deposit must be made either in cash or by a UK bankers draft. For those candidates who poll more than 5% of the total valid votes cast in the constituency will have their deposit returned. Those candidates who have polled less than, or equal to, 5% of the total valid votes cast will lose their deposit.