The person elected to any of the following offices, that is to say, the office of chairman, vice-chairman, presiding member, deputy presiding member, . . . councillor or elected mayor of the council of a county , county borough, district or London borough . . . shall not, unless he has made a declaration of acceptance of office in a form prescribed by an order made by the Secretary of State, and the declaration has within two months from the day of the election been delivered to the proper officer of the council, act in the office except for the purpose of taking such a declaration.
If such a declaration is not made and delivered to the proper officer within the appointed time, the office of the person elected shall at the expiration of that time become vacant.
The declaration shall be made before either—
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A person elected to the office of chairman of a parish or community council or parish or community councillor shall—
make in the presence of a member of the council or of the proper officer of the council and deliver to the council a declaration of acceptance of office in a form prescribed by an order made by the Secretary of State, and if he fails to do so his office shall thereupon become vacant.
Any person before whom a declaration is authorised to be made under this section may take the declaration.