Extract from another Parish Council's Standing Orders on the topic of Co-option

CO-OPTION

Co-option is the process by which the Parish Council selects a new Councillor when an election has not been called. It is done as an Agenda item within the monthly Parish Council meeting. The Parish Council manages the process of co-option by itself and strives to demonstrate that it is fair, equitable and transparent by following the procedure set out below:

1. The Parish Council advertises notice of the vacancy as widely as possible and invites interested candidates to write to the clerk by a specified closing date.
2. The deadline date to receive expressions of interest is specified by the clerk in all advertising. The normal period in which to receive application will be set by the Parish Council at the meeting following the vacancy being announced. All applications must be received within the agreed period. The deadline date is not negotiable and will not be extended under any circumstances. If an applicant does not submit their application within the specified time, the Parish Council will not consider the application.
3. If there is more than one candidate, all application letters will be circulated to all Parish Councillors, ahead of the Parish Council meeting at which the Parish Councillor is to be co-opted.
4. At the Parish Council meeting candidates will be invited to say something about themselves and Parish Councillors will have an opportunity to ask each candidate questions.
5. Each candidate will be allocated a maximum of 5 minutes to speak.
6. Candidates and members of the public will then be asked to leave the room while the Parish Council considers each candidate, in a closed session.

   When there is only one candidate the procedure will be as follows:

   • Following discussion, the Parish Councillors will be given a ballot for a secret vote.
   • The papers will be placed in a sealed box and the Clerk will count the votes. These will be verified by an independent person.
   • The result of the count will be announced and if the candidate receives more than 50% of the vote that candidate will be co-opted to the Parish Council with immediate effect.
   • The candidate will then be asked back into the room and the result of the vote announced. It should not be assumed that just because there is only one candidate that they will be automatically successful.
   • Should the candidate be unsuccessful the vacancy will be readvertised.

   Where there is more than one candidate, the alternative vote shall be used:

   • Each Councillor will be given a ballot paper which lists all the candidates in alphabetical order.
   • Each Councillor shall mark their preferences in numerical order, secretly, on the ballot paper which is put into a sealed box.
   • The Clerk will count the votes for each candidate and this will be verified by an independent person.
   • The Clerk will announce the number of votes each candidate has received and if there are two candidates the one with the most votes will be successful. However, if there are more than two candidates and none of those persons has received an absolute majority of votes in their favour, the name of the person having the least number of votes shall be struck off the list and his or her votes transferred to the second preferences on the ballot papers. This process shall continue until a majority of votes is given in favour of one person. Any tie may be settled by the Chairman’s casting vote.
   • The Clerk will clearly announce the winning candidate to the Councillors.
   • The candidates and the public will be asked back into the room and the result announced. The successful candidate will be co-opted to the Parish Council with immediate effect.

7. Should no candidate be successful the vacancy will be re-advertised.
8. If there is more than one vacancy, each shall be taken in turn.
9. All voting papers should be kept by the Clerk for a period of three years and will be obtainable to view should there be a challenge to the result within that time.

• source: https://appletonparish.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/standingorders.pdf