If you are an employee of a local authority anywhere in Great Britain you must check that you do not hold a politically restricted post. If you hold a politically restricted post, you are disqualified from standing for election as mayor.1
The posts that are politically restricted are:
the Head of the Paid Service
the statutory chief officers (the chief finance officer, chief education officer, chief officer at certain fire brigades or director of social services)
non-statutory chief officers (including a person who, as respects all or most of the duties of their post, is required to report directly or is directly responsible to the local authority or any committee or sub-committee of the authority of the head of the authority’s paid service)
deputy chief officers (a person who, as respects all or most of the duties of their post, is required to report directly or is directly accountable to one or more of the chief officers)
the monitoring officer
officers exercising delegated powers
assistants to political groups
a sensitive post which meets one or both of the following duties-related criteria:
giving advice on a regular basis to the authority (including committees, sub-committees, joint committees, the executive of an authority, committees of the executive or any member of the executive who is also a member of the authority)
speaking on behalf of the authority on a regular basis to journalists or broadcasters
You should check with the HR department of your employer if you are not sure whether you hold a politically restricted post.