A TOTAL of 37 candidates have now been confirmed as running for election with the aim of securing one of 10 seats up for grabs on Tamworth Borough Council this year.
Residents will go to the polls on Thursday, May 6, to select the people they want to represent them on local matters dealt with by Tamworth Borough Council, such as waste collection and recycling, parks and open spaces, homelessness, leisure services, street cleaning and planning.
As the council elects councillors in thirds, a total of 10 of the 30 seats on the council (one for each electoral ward) are up for election this year.
This year, voters will also be asked to choose their representative on Staffordshire County Council, which holds elections for all of its 62 seats every four years.
Six of the county council’s 60 electoral wards/divisions cover Tamworth and there are 21 candidates vying for your vote for those seats.
Staffordshire County Council’s powers and areas of responsibility include highways, adult social care, children’s services, libraries, trading standards and transport.
This year, there’s also an additional vote to choose the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire, for which there are five candidates.
The Candidates
In order to have their say on May 6, residents need to make sure they are registered to vote before the deadline of 11.59pm on Monday, April 19. Register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
You may not be registered to vote if you are voting for the first time, have recently moved house or have never registered for any other reason. The process takes just five minutes and all you need is your National Insurance number.
As these elections are being run in tandem, Tamworth Borough Council has plans in place to ensure people can vote safely amid the ongoing public health situation.
How to cast your vote
There are a number of ways to have your say in the elections in May - you can vote in a polling station, by post, or by appointing someone you trust to vote on your behalf, which is known as a proxy vote. Voting by post means you don’t have to visit a polling station at all.
Anyone who is already registered to vote has until 5pm on Tuesday, April 20, to apply for a postal vote. Anyone who misses this deadline may be able to apply to vote by proxy. The deadline for applying for a proxy vote is 5pm on Tuesday, April 27, except for in a medical emergency.
Last minute proxy vote applications on grounds of medical emergency (such as having to self-isolate) or reason of employment, can be made until 5pm on Thursday, May 6.
Applications for postal and proxy votes can be made via Tamworth Borough Council’s website at www.tamworth.gov.uk/elections-2021. More information is also available from the Elections Office on 01827 214155.
This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic and space restrictions in counting venues, the votes will be counted on Friday and Saturday instead of overnight on Thursday. This means the results of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner will be announced on Friday, May 7, and borough and county votes will be declared on Saturday, May 8.
Andrew Barratt, Returning Officer and Chief Executive for Tamworth Borough Council, said:
“As always, these elections are very important – they’re an opportunity to make your voice heard and have a say on who represents you on issues that directly affect day-to-day life here in Tamworth.
“This year we’re putting additional arrangements in place to help you stay safe at the polling station; you can expect many of the measures you’ve become used to in shops and banks over recent months, such as hand sanitiser, floor markings, face masks, one-way systems and additional cleaning.
“However, if you prefer, you also have the option to apply to vote by post or by proxy.”
“Voting by post means you don’t have to attend the polling station at all, but time is running out for this option, with the deadline approaching in the next few days. If you want to vote by post, you need to apply now.”
