How are the reserved headteacher seats on Council allocated?

2 seats within each of the primary/nursery and secondary school election categories are reserved to those employed as headteachers (those who, within a period of 2 years ending on the candidate qualifying date of 19 September 2025, have been employed on a permanent - not acting – part-time or full-time basis in that capacity) within either category.

The headteacher reserved seats are allocated on the following basis:

• If the number of headteacher candidates standing in an election category does not exceed the number of reserved headteacher seats vacant in that category, the Returning Officer will declare those candidates elected unopposed to the reserved headteacher seats.
• If the number of headteacher candidates standing in the election category exceeds the number of reserved headteacher seats vacant in that category, the reserved headteacher seats will be filled by those headteacher candidates credited with the greatest number of votes in the election.

Any headteacher candidate not so elected to a reserved headteacher seat will be entitled, in accordance with the Election Scheme, to be elected to any other vacant seat in their election category.