Three wards in the parish of Penzance will have an uncontested election
Following the deadline for candidate nomination papers on Wednesday 2 April, and the Statement of Persons Nominated on Thursday 3 April, notice has been given by Cornwall Council that there will be uncontested elections for Penzance councillors in the three wards where not enough people have put themselves forward to stand as candidates:
- Newlyn & Mousehole ward: 3 candidates for 5 seats
- Heamoor & Gulval ward: 2 candidates for 3 seats
- Penzance Promenade ward: 5 candidates for 6 seats
In these three wards, all candidates standing will be duly elected.
In Penzance East ward where there are more candidates than seats, there will be an election on Thursday 1st May.
On Friday 2nd May, formal notice will be given of co-option of councillors for Heamoor & Gulval, Newlyn & Mousehole and Penzance Promenade wards. Vacancies for the following four seats on Penzance Council will be filled by co-option, and applications will be invited from this date.
- Newlyn & Mousehole ward: 2 vacancies
- Heamoor & Gulval ward: 1 vacancy
- Penzance Promenade ward: 1 vacancy
Any eligible person who wishes to be considered for co-option should write to the Town Clerk providing their address and contact details, stating the ward for which they wish to be considered, the reasons they wish to be considered for co-option and providing any relevant experience they might have, by no later than 5.00 pm on Friday 16 May 2025.
Applications will then be considered at the Penzance Council meeting, on Monday 2 June, with an opportunity for each candidate to provide a five-minute verbal presentation.
Successful candidates will be co-opted as councillors at that meeting, and will be asked to attend an induction day at Penzance Council, Penlee Centre, on Thursday 5 June.
Timetable of councillor co-option:
| Thursday 1st May: | Local Elections Polling Day |
| Friday 2nd May: | Formal notice given of co-option of councillors – applications invited |
| Friday 16th May: | Closing date for applications |
| Monday 2nd June: | Applications considered at Penzance Council meeting |
| Thursday 5th June: | Co-opted councillors Induction Day |
Criteria for candidates for councillor co-option:
QUALIFICATIONS
Candidates must satisfy the following qualification categories in order to be eligible to fill the vacancies:-
(a) Be aged 18 years or older;
(b) Be a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, a qualifying EU citizen or an EU citizen with retained rights;
(c) Be registered as a local government elector for the Parish of Penzance; OR have, during the whole of the preceding twelve months, occupied as owner or tenant, any land or premises in the Parish; OR have had their principal or only place of work within the Parish during the preceding twelve months; OR have, during the whole of the preceding twelve months, resided in the Parish or within 4.8km thereof.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Candidates will be ineligible to fill the vacancies if any one of the following criteria categories applies to them:-
(a) They hold a paid office under Penzance Council;
(b) They are subject to a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order;
(c) They have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three months or more (including a suspended sentence), without the option of a fine, during the preceding five years;
(d) They have been disqualified under the Representation of the People Act 1983;
(e) They are subject to the notification requirement of or under Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003; or
(f) They have been convicted of an intimidatory criminal offence motivated by hostility towards a candidate, future candidate or campaigner or holder of a relevant elective office.
