Become a councillor

The next elections will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026. Nominations to stand as a candidate will be confirmed on this page nearer to the election. Read through our upcoming elections webpages.

Make a difference in your community

Becoming a councillor is both a rewarding and worthwhile form of public service. Councils and their councillors have the responsibility for the running of most local services in their areas such as education, social services, housing and regeneration, waste collection and recycling along with roads and street lighting.

Councils also play a pivotal role in ensuring the health, safety and well-being of residents by working closely with key partners such as the police and health services.

Becoming a councillor

To become a councillor you will need to stand for election.

The borough has 48 councillors, each elected by and representing a ward. There are 19 wards with two or three councillors for each ward.

The next local elections will be in 2026.  By-elections can be held with just five weeks notice.

What does it cost?

No deposit is payable to stand as a candidate in local council elections. However you need to keep careful records of all expenditure on your campaign, as these have to be accounted for at the end of the process.

You can be a candidate if you are:

Over 18 and a British citizen, a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of a country which is a member of the European Union, and either:

1. are on the electoral register for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, or
2. for at least the whole of the 12 months before nomination day* you match one of the following:
   • live in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames – as owner or tenant
   • principal or only place of work is in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
   • have occupied, as owner or tenant, land or premises in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

(*The day of nomination is the day nomination papers are accepted by the Returning Officer and a certificate issued)

You cannot be a candidate if:

• you are bankrupt
• you have a criminal conviction which has a minimum penalty of three months in prison or more
• you are subject to the notification requirement of or under Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003
• you work for Kingston Council or hold paid office under the authority (including joint boards or committees) or hold a politically restricted post with another local authority
• you have been disqualified under part three of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (which relates to donations and other offences) or under the Audit Commission Act 1998