Question

To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance his Department provides to Returning Officers on the eligibility of 18 year olds to stand for election to a local council in a ward in which they go to school but do not live.

The Electoral Commission has published guidance for Returning Officers and people considering standing for election to local authorities in Great Britain which sets out the four possible qualifications to stand and be elected. These qualifications relate to candidate activity in the local authority area, rather than the specific ward in which they are standing. Candidates must meet at least one of the qualifications to be validly nominated.

One qualification is that the candidate’s principal or only place of work in the previous 12 months was in the local authority area. This enables those who work in the local authority area but do not necessarily live there, to qualify.

The Commission has advised that simply attending a school, college or university in the local authority area for the sole purpose of studying would not be sufficient grounds to qualify to stand for election under the principal or only place of work qualification, although an individual may meet one of the other qualification criteria. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that they are eligible and not that of the Returning Officer. In giving their consent to nomination, the candidate is confirming that they meet the qualifications to stand for election as stated in their nomination paper and are not disqualified.