Independent or political?

There are two basic options - you can stand for election as an independent candidate or as a group/party political candidate.

If you are interested in being a councillor, but aren't sure whether you should be independent or party political, you will find help and support about the options in your local town hall Opens in a new window.

Either way, you should be clear about your views on local issues and expect to be questioned about what makes you different from other candidates. Make sure you know about the council's performance and plans for the future because you will be asked about them - and what you would do differently.

The local political parties are already looking for people interested in representing them. Don't worry if you are not already a member of a party as they will be able to go through all the options with you. Some have special training and encouragement schemes for new people.

The three largest parties have councillors' associations. You can find out more from their websites:

The independent group on the Local Government Association can provide information for independent councillors and candidates. You can view their website at www.independentgroup.lga.gov.uk Opens in a new window