Election of Parish Councillors for
The below named parish councils:
Parish Seats up for election:
Abberton – Four, Layer De La Haye – Nine
Birch – Seven, Messing – Five
East Mersea – Five, Peldon – Four
Fingringhoe – Seven, Salcott – Two
Great & Little Wigborough – Two, Virley – One
Inworth – Two, Wivenhoe – Two
Langenhoe – Five.
1. Elections are scheduled for the above-named parish councils whereby all seats on the parish council are up for
election. The number of seats on the council are listed alongside the name of the parish council. The Wivenhoe Town
Council election is a by-election for two vacant seats only.
2. Forms of nomination may be obtained from the office of the Returning Officer, Colchester Town Hall, High Street,
Colchester, CO1 1PJ, during the times stated below.
3. Nomination papers must be delivered to the Returning Officer at Colchester Town Hall, High Street, Colchester,
CO1 1PJ on any working day after the date of this notice, on Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. (excluding
bank holidays) but no later than 4 p.m. on Thursday 9 April 2026.
4. If any election is contested the poll will take place between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. on Thursday 7 May 2026, alongside
the Essex County Council and Colchester City Council elections scheduled for the same day.
5. Applications to register to vote must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by
12 midnight on Monday 20 April. Applications can be made online www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
6. Electors voting at a polling station must show a prescribed form of photographic identification. A full list of the
prescribed forms of photographic identification is available on the Colchester City Council website. For those who
require a Voter Authority Certificate or an Anonymous Elector Document to meet the requirement for photographic
identification, applications must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by
5 pm on Wednesday 4 March. Applications can be made online
www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo id-voter-authority-certificate.
7. Applications, amendments or cancellations of postal votes and amendments or cancellations of proxy votes must
reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 5 pm on Tuesday 21 April. Further information about voting by post is
available online www.colchester.gov.uk/elections/postalvote/.
8. New applications to vote by proxy at this election must reach the Electoral Registration by 5 p.m. on Tuesday 28
April. You can find information and dependent upon your proxy type apply online at www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote.
9. If after 5 p.m. on Tuesday 28 April, you find out you are unable to attend the polling station, or if the photo ID you
intended to use is lost you can apply for an emergency proxy. Your application must reach the Electoral Registration
Officer by 5 p.m. on Thursday 7 May. Contact us for assistance.
10. The address of the Electoral Registration Officer for electors and residents of Colchester City Council is
• In Person – Colchester Town Hall, High Street, Colchester CO1 1PJ
• By Post – Rowan House,33 Sheepen Road, Colchester, CO3 3WG
• By Email – elections@colchester.gov.uk
• By Phone – 01206 282820
Dated: Friday 27 March 2026 Pam Donnelly
Returning Officer
Printed and published by the Returning Officer,
Rowan House, 33 Sheepen Road, Colchester, CO3 3WG