Could you be our next Councillor?

We are inviting Labour Party members living or working in Basingstoke and Deane to apply to become a Labour candidate for the May 2023 Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council elections. There will be a seat in every ward that will be up for election. This gives us an exciting opportunity to get as many Labour candidates elected as possible. Basingstoke and Dean covers a large area and sits inside three local Constituency Labour Party (CLP) areas: North West Hampshire, North East Hampshire and Basingstoke.

Current vacancies are shown below. You don’t have to live in a ward to stand there. Neighbouring local Labour parties select candidates for the other Basingstoke and Deane wards and you can apply to them to stand in any of their wards.

Basingstoke CLP
In the Basingstoke Constituency Labour Party it’s our responsibility to put up Labour candidates in the following wards: Basing & Upton Grey, Brighton Hill (Sitting Councillor), Brookvale and King’s Furlong, Chineham, Eastrop & Grove, Hatch Warren & Beggarwood, Kempshott & Buckskin, Norden, Popley (Sitting Councillor), Sherborne St John & Rooksdown, South Ham (Sitting Councillor) and Winklebury & Manydown (Sitting Councillor).

For other wards contact:

North West Hants CLP
Wards being recruited for in NW Hants CLP are: Oakley and the Candovers, Evinger, Tadley and Pamber, Tadley north, Kingsclere & Baughurst, Whitchurch, Overton & Laverstoke

North East Hants CLP
NE Hants wards requiring candidates are: Tadley & Pamber, Bramley, Oakley & the Candovers

What do councillors do?

Local councillors could take part in a range of activities (here is a PDF of an outline job description). This might look daunting but help and support is on hand from other councillors and from staff at the Council when issues need further action.

One way to describe a Councillor’s job is to think of it as an advocate and supporter of the local community, taking action on issues raised by constituents and lobbying the Council for resources for the ward. Another part of the role is helping to “oversee” the work of the Council by sitting on Council Committees, making sure that local residents are given quality public services.

You would be part of a strong supportive team of local Labour councillors.

Am I qualified?

To apply, you must live in the Basingstoke and Deane Borough area. You must be a member of the Labour Party for a year, although that can be waived.  You’ll also need to be 18 or over at the start of April 2023. If you’d like to check your membership status email the Party’s membership team at: membershipaction@labour.org.uk or go to https://hub.labour.org.uk/.

There are no special qualifications needed to be a Councillor. A willing ear and being prepared to lend a helping hand are the most important qualities alongside a fundamental belief in fairness and equality which all Labour members share. You don’t need to be an expert campaigner or know every Labour policy inside out. There are people to help you. Local politics is about local issues and services – like Buses and Bins.

You do need to meet certain legal requirements to stand as a local councillor (like living or working in Basingstoke and Deane for 12 months, and rules about bankruptcy and criminal offences). You can check the full list in our PDF document guide to eligibility.

Further information

As part of the selection process, we have a short application form to fill out so we can check eligibility and there will be a short friendly interview as well.  There are some good PDF booklets to download to Becoming a Labour councillor and a Guide for disabled members on being a councillor. You can also contact the relevant CLP Chair or any one of our current Councillors for further information.

How to apply – closing date: 15th January 2023

Please fill in the contact form below to register your interest, download the application forms, or to ask a question.
You must return your application forms as quickly as possible and not later than the closing date above. Once we receive your application, we will check your eligibility and invite you for a short friendly interview. These will be held online using Zoom and usually take place the week after the closing date. There is a  timetable below outlining the main steps and key dates in the selection process.

Application closing date: 15th January 2023

Interview w/b: 16th January 2023

Ward shortlisting meetings for ward members only: 4/2/23

Ward Selection meetings candidate presentations to members: 11/2/23

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