Elections
Haydon Wick Parish Council comprises 18 Councillors across two wards; ‘all out’ elections are held every four years. The next full elections will be held in May 2026.
Timeline:
Publication of Notice of Election (pre-election period commences): Monday 23 March
Nominations Commence: Monday 23 March - 10am-4pm each working day
Swindon Borough Council
Election of Councillors for the Parishes:Haydon Wick – Haydon Wick ward
Number of Councillors to be elected: NineHaydon Wick – Priory Vale ward
Number of Councillors to be elected: Nine- Nomination papers must be hand delivered to the Returning Officer at Room 11, Civic Offices, Euclid Street, Swindon, SN1 2JH between 10am and 4pm on any working day from the date of publication of this notice (excluding bank holidays) but no later than 4pm on Thursday, 9 April 2026.
- Nomination papers may be obtained from the offices of the Returning Officer at Room 11, Civic Offices, Euclid Street, Swindon, SN1 2JH, during the times stated above, or via:
Swindon Borough Council website
By emailing Swindon Electoral Services on elecreg@swindon.gov.uk
By telephoning Swindon Electoral Services on 01793 463494 - Please make an appointment to submit your nomination papers via the online booking system at https://www.swindon.gov.uk/xfp/form/1262 or by emailing elecreg@swindon.gov.uk or by telephone on 01793 463494.
- If any election is contested the poll will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026.
- Applications to register to vote must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 12 midnight on Monday 20 April 2026. Applications can be made online:
https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote - Applications, amendments or cancellations of postal votes must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Room 11, Civic Offices, Euclid Street, Swindon, SN1 2JH by 5pm on Tuesday 21 April 2026. Applications can be made online: https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote
- Applications for a Voter Authority Certificate or an Anonymous Elector’s Document valid for this election must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026. Applications for a Voter Authority Certificate can be made online:
https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate - Applications to vote by proxy at this election must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Room 11, Civic Offices, Euclid Street, Swindon, SN1 2JH by 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026. Some applications can be made online: https://www.gov.uk/applyproxy-vote
- Applications to vote by emergency proxy at this election must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Room 11, Civic Offices, Euclid Street, Swindon, SN1 2JH by 5pm on Thursday 7 May 2026.
Close of Nominations: 4pm, Thursday 9 April
Publication of Statement of Persons Nominated
Deadline to register to vote: Monday 20th April
Elections Day: Thursday 7th May
Notice of Person Elected: Monday 11th May
What Does a Haydon Wick Parish Councillor Do?
Parish Councillors are elected representatives responsible for representing the 23,000+ residents of Haydon Wick, making decisions on local issues, and engaging with the community to improve life across Greenmeadow, Haydon Wick village, Haydonleigh, Abbey Meads, Haydon End, Taw Hill, Oakhurst, Woodhall Park, and West Moredon.
1. Representation: Be the Voice of Your Neighbours
Parish Councillors represent the interests and concerns of Haydon Wick residents at Council level. You act as a bridge between the community and the Council, ensuring that local voices are heard in decision-making processes.
Recent Example: When residents requested a safe space for dogs to exercise off-lead, Councillors listened and delivered – the community dog park at Goodearl Field opened in January 2026.
2. Decision-Making: Shape Your Community's Future
Councillors participate in monthly meetings (typically held at 7:30 PM at Thames Avenue offices) to discuss and decide on various local issues, including budgeting, community projects, and policies. You’ll be involved in setting the strategic direction for Haydon Wick and determining how the Parish precept is allocated.
Recent Decisions Include:
- Approving £50,000 for the White Eagle Outdoor Gym
- Allocating £7,500 annually for Community Choices projects (where residents vote on local improvements)
- Funding the award-winning Memory Café
- Managing parks, play areas, and open spaces
3. Community Engagement: Connect with Residents
Engaging with residents is a crucial part of a Councillor’s role. This includes attending local events like the Christmas Carnival and Summer Extravaganza, running surgeries for residents to raise issues, and communicating Council activities and decisions back to the community through the Haydon Wick Living Magazine and social media.
Ways Haydon Wick Councillors Engage:
- Drop-in surgeries at Thames Avenue offices
- Attending community events (Christmas Carnival, youth programmes)
- Supporting initiatives like the Companions Café, Memory Café, and the Haydon Wick Haven
- Responding to resident concerns about parking, planning, and local facilities
- Participating in the annual Parish Meeting
4. Monitoring Services: Ensure Quality Delivery
Councillors are responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of services provided by the council and ensuring that they meet the needs of our diverse community. This involves evaluating how well decisions are implemented and making adjustments as necessary.
Services You Would Oversee:
- Leisure Gardens across the parish
- Play areas, skate park, and outdoor gym facilities
- Community Bus service
- Parks and open spaces maintenance
- Community grants scheme for local groups
- Youth programmes and activities
- Café initiatives
5. Committee Participation: Dive Deeper into Specific Areas
Haydon Wick Parish Council has Committees and Working Parties that focus on specific areas. Councillors may choose to join these to provide oversight and contribute to detailed discussions on relevant topics.
Current Committees Include:
- Planning & Highways Committee – reviews and comments on planning applications affecting Haydon Wick as a statutory consultee – we are not the final decision maker
- Community Development Committee – oversees communications, community cafes, youth and our grant giving programme
- Finance & Policy Committee – monitors the Council’s investments, public works loans, financial planning, assets, strategic direction and reviews policies
- Parks & Open Spaces Committee – oversees the Council’s open spaces, 24 play parks, tree management, three Leisure Garden sites and biodiversity schemes
- Working Parties – many start-stop groups for specific projects (like the development of Tadpole field, Clary Road, the Council’s Grounds Maintenance Facility project and more)
You can contribute based on your interests – whether that’s finance, planning, community engagement, or environmental projects.
6. Compliance and Conduct: Maintain High Standards
Councillors must adhere to the Council’s code of conduct and complete a register of interests. This ensures transparency and accountability in your role. Haydon Wick Parish Council has achieved Quality Gold Council status – a national award recognising excellence in governance and community engagement.
What This Means:
- Declaring any personal interests in decisions
- Following the Council’s policies and procedures
- Attending training (provided by Wiltshire Association of Local Councils)
- Upholding the good reputation Haydon Wick has earned
Time Commitment
(most Councillors will tell you it can be anything from 6-12+ per month)
- Council Meetings – typically two evening meetings per month (typically Tuesdays from 7:30-10.00PM)
- Committee Membership – every Councillor must sit on two Committees (choose from Planning & Highways, Finance & Policy, Community Development & Parks & Open Spaces)
- Community Events – Councillors are welcomed to attend our many community events held throughout the year (venue/space permitting)
- Resident Cases – responding to resident queries (this will vary greatly, depending on how accessible you are to your residents, but you can expect it to take a few hours per month)
Support
- Training from our Chief Officer, their Senior Officers, Swindon Borough Council (SBC) and the Wiltshire Association of Local Councils (WALC)
- Guidance and mentoring system from our most experienced Councillors
- Professional support from our Chief Officer and their Senior Officers
- Access to Council resources and expertise
The Rewards
Being a Haydon Wick Parish Councillor means you can genuinely say: “I helped make that happen” – whether it’s a new dog park, an outdoor gym, community support services, or ensuring local voices are heard on planning decisions. You’ll be part of a Gold Award-winning Council that has national recognition for its innovative community projects.
NALC and AEA – Free Training For Prospective Parish Councillors
The course clearly explains 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.
Click the button below to access the course
New Measures to Protect Candidates Ahead of Local Elections
Police will be better equipped to protect candidates from abuse, intimidation, and violence under new measures announced ahead of the May local and devolved elections.
The government has stated that ‘A new national police unit will be established this month to target offenders who threaten and harass election candidates ahead of the May elections. It will bring together specialist officers and intelligence experts to monitor reports of abuse from across the country — identifying repeat offenders and helping police forces build stronger cases against them.
Notice of Casual Vacancy – Parish of Haydon Wick
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a casual vacancy has occurred in the office of Councillor for the Parish Council following the death of Councillor John Fuller on 8th January 2026.
In accordance with Section 89(3) of the Local Government Act 1972, where the vacancy occurs within six months before the day on which the councillor whose office is vacant would regularly have retired, an election shall not be held under Section 89(1) of the above Act, and the vacancy will be filled at the next ordinary elections of councillors on 7th May 2026.
The Council has chosen not to fill the vacancy for the period until that election.
This notice is dated 3rd February 2026
Georgina Morgan-Denn
Chief Officer/Clerk to the Council
HAYDON WICK PARISH COUNCIL
Haydon Wick Parish Council comprises 18 councillors across two wards; ‘all out’ elections are held every four years. The next full elections will be held in May 2026.
May 2023 Elections
5th May 2023 – Haydon End Ward
5th May 2023 – Haydon Wick Ward
Click here to see 2021 Election Results