Workspace:Guidance for local election candidates
From Pirate Party UK Wiki
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Requirements for standing
- To run as a Pirate Party UK candidate, you must be officially nominated by the party (contact our nominating officer, John Barron, to do this).
- You must contact your local ward/council democratic services and obtain nomination papers from them.
- You must have signatures of 10 registered electors of the ward where you wish to stand.
- You must notify your local ward/council democratic services (in writing, with the 10 signatures) of your wish to stand no later than 19 working days before the elections are due to take place.
Useful links
- The electoral commission has lots of guidance for candidates and electoral agents
May the 6th 2010 specific guidance from the electoral commission
- Read this if you are planning to stand on May the 6th (PDF warning)
- Some useful information aimed at anyone wishing to become a councillor.
Local authority links
Most local authorities will have pages about becoming a councillor and advice on forthcoming elections. List yours here:
Suggested local policies
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Current documents are draft copies yet to be ratified by the party though a vote and finalised by party members.
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Here are some ideas that prospective candidates for local elections might want to use when putting together their manifestos.
Using technology to increase efficiency
Pirates understand technology: what it is, how to use it, and what it's effects are. This understanding -- something no other party can claim to have -- can lead to the increased and improved use of technology in local services, increasing efficiency. This leads to lower costs, and ultimately, either lower taxes or better-used taxes.
Improved internet access and competition
Where broadband is not available, we will make it so. Where competition between internet service providers is inadequate or non-existent, we will increase or introduce it. Pirates will even investigate using municipal wireless networks to further improve access to the internet.
Utilising the web
Pirates will, where possible, move many standard procedures that use 'dead tree technology' -- that is, paper forms -- over to the web to not only decrease waste, but also decrease storage, postage and processing costs, and increase the speed and quality of service. We will of course retain paper forms for those who do not have access to, choose not to use or cannot use the web.
We will encourage using council websites to publish all possible documents produced by the council, including minutes, budgets and all statutory announcements, to improve the transparency and accountability of local governments.
Protection of privacy
Pirate councillors will ensure that the privacy of citizens is upheld and that the data collected on them is minimal, appropriate, held securely and never misused.
Digital library services
Pirates will extend and improve library services, including internet access in libraries and access to library services over the internet. We will encourage libraries to publish their public domain works on the web, especially in cases where the works are rare or of significant historical, intellectual or cultural value.