Nominations for councillor and mayor open Monday, August 1. Candidates will then have until noon on Wednesday, August 10 to nominate.

To ensure that all candidates are aware of the requirements and challenges of civic life, Cessnock City Council will be hosting candidate briefings next week in partnership with Local Government NSW.

Learning outcomes of the workshops include identifying the key requirements for becoming a councillor and addressing expectations and potential challenges.

The workshops will outline how the role of councillor fits in with other roles and various levels of government and with the integrated planning and reporting framework; and key elements of council meetings, including the code of conduct and conflicts of interest.

Sessions will be held at the council chambers on Wednesday, August 3 from 10am-1pm and Thursday, August 4 from 6pm to 9pm.

Registrations to attend the briefings are compulsory and should be submitted to Kim Appleby (council’s governance and business services manager) on 4993 4184 or kim.appleby@cessnock.nsw.gov.au by Friday, July 29.

Cessnock City Council is one of 81 NSW councils that will hold elections this year.

The remaining councils are subject to amalgamation, or under administration, and those elections have been deferred.

The Cessnock local government election will include voting for the mayor plus three councillors in each of the four wards.

Pre-poll voting will open at 10 Allandale Road (next to Video Ezy) and Kurri Community Centre from Monday, August 29 to Friday, September 9.

A pre-poll will be open at Branxton Community Hall from September 7 to 9.

Polls will be open on election day (September 10) from 8am to 6pm at various locations in the Cessnock local government area.