11.7 Incumbent candidates
Election year policy for elected members
In an election year, an incumbent member standing as a candidate has two roles:
- as an elected member, continuing to take part in council decision-making for which he/she is provided the necessary resources
- as a candidate campaigning for re-election.
Council resources must not be used for any electoral advantage. The Election Year Policy for Elected Members, adopted by the Governing Body after feedback from local boards, outlines the rules for managing the use of council resources during election time.
The chief executive also develops a policy for the conduct of staff during an election year.
Terms of office and transitions
Members who are elected at a triennial election come into office the day after the public notice of the official declaration of results [1]. Current members’ terms of office expire at the same time [2].
Election day is the second Saturday in October and the public notice of results is usually one week later. Elected members take up office but are unable to fulfil their duties until they have made their declarations [3]. There may be one or two weeks between commencing office and making their declarations.
Interregnum period
The Governing Body and local boards typically pass resolutions setting out how decisions are to be made between the final meetings in September and the inaugural meetings. This period of time is often referred to as the interregnum period. While current members are still in office, decision-making may be delegated to a few members.
During the 2016 interregnum period the Governing Body delegated urgent decision-making power to any two of either the mayor, the deputy mayor and a chairperson of a committee of the whole. Local boards delegated urgent decision-making power to their chair and deputy chair.
The chief executive will also make decisions during this period under existing delegations.
For information on what happens if a vacancy occurs during a political term, visit Appointments after resignations or vacancies.
Footnotes
[1] Local Electoral Act 2001, section 115
[2] Local Electoral Act 2001, section 116
Straight Connector 7, Shape[3] Local Government Act 2002, Schedule 7, clause 14