A parish council will start looking for new members after next month's elections - because not enough people have put themselves forward for nomination.

Ten people have been elected uncontested onto Great Missenden Parish Council after formal nominations ended last week.

But that leaves six vacancies on the council that need to be filled, and that can't be done until after the local elections on May 7.

The current chairman of the council, Brenda Gover, is among those who will not be standing for re-election next month.

Andrew Garnett, one of the village's representatives on Chiltern District Council, said it was a concern so few people had been nominated to stand for the council.

He said: "We're looking at co-opting because we don't have the full numbers.

"There aren't enough people putting their names forward for them to fill all the seats in Great Missenden. That's a great shame, particularly if the parish will take on more responsibility."

Great Missenden Parish Council is one of 14 within the Chiltern district to have been settled without a vote being cast, with each of them being filled uncontested.

The only council in the district without any uncontested seats at all is Chesham Town Council.

Former Chesham mayor Mark Shaw said: "I think it's always good and healthy to have a rigorous debate over the future of towns and villages and how their local councils are run.

"It's important that people are prepared to put their head over the parapet and have their say.

"It's good that in Chesham we have a healthy debate with parties across the political divide, from independent to the main parties."