Communities get second chance to form a Community Council

16th November 2011

Community Councils in the Highlands which will disband from Wednesday 16 November as the result of not attracting sufficient nominations at recent elections are to get another chance to form a Community Council.

All have been contacted by The Highland Council to advise them that a notice of election seeking nominations will be published on Monday 21 November. The deadline for nominations is 4 pm on Friday 9 December.

The Community Councils which will disband on 16 November are Ward 1: Lairg; Tongue; Ward 3: Bower; Ward 6: Gairloch; Ward 8: Fearn; Ward 11: Broadford and Strath; Dunvegan; Raasay; Sleat; Skeabost and District; Ward 15: Merkinch; Ward 19: East Nairnshire; Ward 20: Inverness South: Ward 21: Laggan Community Association; Ward 22: Nether Lochaber, Glencoe and Glen Etive.

Community Councils at Caol, Inverness Central and Glendale (Skye) had already been in abeyance prior to the recent elections. Attempts will be made to reform these councils.

The election process will be run from the Election Office in Council HQ. The Council's website: www.highland.gov.uk will feature all relevant information.

Following the recent call for nominations to serve on the 156 Highland Community Councils, 112 Community Councils attracted more than half the maximum membership, allowing them to function from Wednesday 16 November.

25 Community Councils drew more nominations than their maximum membership, paving the way for elections by postal vote, with a deadline of 5 pm on Wednesday 16 November. Local counts will take place on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 November.

The maximum membership of each of the 156 Highland Community Councils is determined by the population it serves and varies from 7 - 13 members.

The decision to hold elections across the Highlands at the same time was a key feature of a new scheme for the establishment of Community Councils agreed by The Highland Council earlier this year.

Elections are being held at: Ardersier and Petty, Ardgour, Aultbea, Beauly, Carrbridge, Contin, Cromarty, Dores and Essich, Dornoch, Fortrose and Rosemarkie, Glenelg and Arnisdale, Invergordon, Kinlochbervie, Kinlochleven, Kilmuir and Logie Easter, Lochardil (Inverness), Morar, Morvern, Nairn Suburban, Nairn West, Park (Inverness), Plockton, Stratherrick and Foyers, Strathglass, Strathnairn.