Villagers given chance to call for a rare vote after councillor steps down
Villagers near Newport will have a chance to call for a by-election after a long-standing councillor stepped down in the summer.
Councillor Fiona McKeown resigned from Church Aston Parish Council in July and was presented with a thank-you card and flowers for her “many years of service.”
Now an official notice of a casual vacancy has been announced by the parish council to see if there is interest in holding a contested election. There has not been a contested election in the parish for some years.
At the elections in May 2023 all the councillors were elected unopposed.
In April this year the minutes show that the council had contested co-option where two people went for one seat and Councillor Greg Williams was appointed following a closed session.
Ten electors have to call for an election to fill the vacancy by September 29. If a request is not received the parish council must as soon as practicable co-opt a person to fill the vacancy.
It could be the last chance for the electors of the area to have an election for Church Aston Parish Council in its current form.
Under plans approved by a Telford & Wrekin Council boundary review Church Aston will be merged with Chetwynd Aston and Woodcote to form a council with a bigger area. Elections in that new council area are set to take place in May 2027.
Church Aston Parish Council supported the move.
The borough council’s boundary review process noted that “in the last few years whenever a vacancy has occurred at either Chetwynd Aston or Church Aston, there has been insufficient interest from potential candidates meaning no election is held and, instead, the vacancies have been filled by co-opting a new councillor”.
“Whilst this is within the rules for filling vacancies, it does not lend itself to efficient democracy when there is no ability to put the vacancies to an election.”
Until the new council is formed Church Aston Parish Council will be made up of 10 councillors.
Church Aston Parish Council says all its elected members give their time freely, and receive no financial rewards for council business.
Parish councils are funded through a ‘precept’ on council tax payers within their area to cover their administrative costs.
For anyone interested in knowing more about the vacancy the Returning Officer’s address is Electoral Services Office, Darby House, Telford & Wrekin Council, Lawn Central, Telford TF3 4JA and the telephone number for further guidance is 01952 380181.
