Your town needs you!

Local elections will be held on Thursday, May 5, and Honiton residents will have the opportunity to vote for councillors to fill 18 seats (nine in St Michael’s ward and nine in St Paul’s ward).

Parish and town councils depend on local people taking an interest in what happens in their community, whatever their background, and local people standing as councillors can bring a wealth of knowledge and community understanding into the local team.

If you are interested in becoming a councillor, or know someone who might just need some encouragement, now is the time to act - get the forms and send them off.

There are only four criteria to qualify to put yourself forward as a town councillor :

• You need to be over 18 years of age

• You need to be a British citizen, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of any member state of the European Union

• You need to be on the Electoral Register for East Devon

• You need to be a local government elector of the parish or a person who has occupied land or other premises as an owner or tenant in the parish for the past twelve months or a person who has resided within three miles of the parish or has had a principal or only place of work in the parish.

For further information contact the town clerk, Lyn Hargood, on (01404) 42957 or email towncouncil@honiton.gov.uk

Alternatively, meet town council representatives us on St Paul’s forecourt during the morning of Saturday, March 5.