Would-be local councillors are being urged not to miss important briefing sessions for potential borough, town and parish election candidates.

Cheshire East Council's election team is hosting seven sessions about the borough council elections and seven separate sessions for town and parish council elections for potential candidates at locations across the borough from 20 February.

This is due to elections being held on Thursday 4 May for all 82 borough council seats and for all contested town and parish councils in Cheshire East. 

For the first time, new government rules mean photo ID will be needed to cast your vote in person. People do not need photo ID to vote by post.

Nominations for the elections close at 4pm on 4 April – meaning all paperwork and other documentation must be submitted and approved by that date. 

Anyone who may wish to stand as a candidate in the May elections is urged to attend one of these key briefing sessions:

• Monday 20 February – Capesthorne Room, Macclesfield Town Hall SK10 1EA;
• Sunday 26 February – Committee Suites, Westfields, Sandbach CW11 1HZ;
• Wednesday 1 March – Committee Suites, Westfields, Sandbach CW11 1HZ;
• Thursday 2 March – Grand Hall, Congleton Town Hall CW12 1BN;
• Monday 6 March – Capesthorne Room, Macclesfield Town Hall SK10 1EA;
• Wednesday 8 March – Holmes Chapel Community Centre, Station Road CW4 8AA; 
• Thursday 9 March – Council Chamber, Crewe Municipal Buildings CW1 2BJ.

All briefing sessions start at 5.30pm for borough candidates and at 7pm for town and parish candidates except for the briefing on 26 February, when the briefing for borough will start at 2pm and the town and parish will start at 4pm.

Returning Officer Lorraine O'Donnell, who is chief executive of Cheshire East Council, said: "These briefing sessions provide important information relating to these elections, the process for nominations, protocols and legal rules. Nomination packs and other relevant paperwork will also be available for collection at the briefings.

"It is critical that all paperwork for candidates is completed correctly, before the deadline for nominations, to avoid any problems that could prevent a candidate from standing. 

"I would urge all potential candidates to attend one of these sessions. Members of the council's friendly elections team will be on hand to offer advice on the paperwork that candidates need to complete."

The briefings will include important information including:

• The role of borough, town and parish councillors and the protocols they will need to follow once elected; 
• Key changes to election law around voter ID requirements;
• Timetables of key election events and deadlines;
• Nomination arrangements, timings and how to complete nominations;
• Details of the timing of delivery of polling cards;
• Details for postal votes and proxy votes;
• Polling day arrangements;
• Ballot verification and count details;
• Candidate expenses guidance; and 
• Campaign 'Dos and Don'ts.'

Due to limited space, it is important that potential candidates contact Cheshire East Council's elections team to reserve their place as soon as possible. They should telephone 01270 685922 or email: [email protected]

This will enable the team to ensure they have the relevant documents available for you to collect at the briefings.

Anyone who wants to have their say in the local elections in May must also be registered to vote. It only takes five minutes to register online via the gov.uk website