A new free online course designed to help anyone thinking of standing as a parish or town councillor is now available.
The course, provided by the Association of Electoral Administrators’ (AEA), explains clearly what candidates need to know about parish and town council elections, including the key paperwork, deadlines, people involved and how the process works. It covers four short modules on nomination paper, consent to nomination, home address form and final steps.
There’s also a quick knowledge check at the end to reinforce learning. The whole course takes around 20 minutes to complete.
The National Association of Local Councils worked closely with the AEA on its development, including testing the course with input from county officers in early 2026. The result is a practical, easy-to-follow resource designed to give candidates confidence and clarity.
The launch of this new resource is timely for Bedfordshire, with local council elections taking place in May 2027.