Anyone interested in becoming a councillor in May is invited to Cornwall Council's councillor fair being held at County Hall in Truro between 9.30am and 1pm on Saturday, January 28.

This year’s elections for the 123 new members of Cornwall Council and for the county's 213 town and parish councils, will be held on May 4. The aim of the event, which will be chaired by Ann Kerridge, the chairman of Cornwall Council, is to provide information on the role of a councillor. There will also be information on the election process, and the support which is available for all newly elected councillors.

“Putting yourself forward as a candidate for either Cornwall Council or your local town or parish council is a very important decision, said Cllr Kerridge. “Elected members have a number of different roles to juggle which involve balancing the needs of their local community and the council they represent. They will be involved in making decisions and monitoring a range of services as well as playing a key role in determining how these services are provided, funded and prioritised.

“If all this sounds daunting – then please don’t worry. There is a huge amount of support available from both officers and other members, ranging from advice on policies and procedures, to dealing with the media and IT equipment.”

Guest speakers at the councillor fair will include Cornwall Council’s chief executive, Kate Kennally, who will outline the authority’s plans for the future; Anita Searby, Cornwall Council’s democratic services team leader; existing members of Cornwall Council, who will explain the role of a Cornwall councillor; Sarah Mason, county executive officer of the Cornwall Association of Local Councils; and existing town and parish councillors, who will speak on the role of a town or parish councillor. The event will end with a question time session, chaired by Cllr Kerridge.

Staff and representatives from both Cornwall Council and the Cornwall Association of Local Councils will be available throughout the morning to discuss how they support councillors in their roles, and there will also be a chance, following the formal part of the fair, for candidates to meet representatives from the political groups during the afternoon.

Anyone interested in attending the councillor fair is asked to email erichards@cornwall.gov.uk or call 01872 326489 beforehand to give the democratic services team an indication of potential numbers.

A short film containing interviews with a number of Cornwall councillors about the role of a local member and advice for anyone considering standing for election is available on You Tube - https://youtu.be/MGLSESVl5Pc

The notice of election for both Cornwall Council and the town and parish council elections is due to be formally published on March 20. Candidate information packs and nomination papers will be available from Cornwall Council’s elections team shortly before this date, with the closure of nominations due to take place at 4pm on April 4.