Candidates considering serving on their local Community Council for the next four years are being reminded that the nomination deadline for election is only one week away.
To be able to stand for election, candidates must return their nomination forms to The Highland Council by 4 pm on Tuesday 4 October.
For the first time, the elections for all 153 Highland Community Councils are being held at the same time. An election will be held in instances where the number of nominations exceeds the maximum membership, which varies from 7-13 members depending on population. Elections, voting by post only, will be held on Wednesday 16 November. Each elector shall be entitled to vote for a number of candidates up to and including the number of vacancies on the Community Council.
Counting will take place locally from Thursday 17 November.
Where the number of nominations is equal to or more than half the maximum membership, these candidates will be automatically elected to the Community Council, with effect from 16 November and no ballot will be required. Where the number of candidates is less than half the maximum membership, no Community Council will be formed. It shall be at the discretion of The Highland Council to issue a further call(s) for nominations when it is deemed appropriate.
If there were elections in every instance, 1,330 Community Councillors would be elected - 339 in Caithness Sutherland and East Ross; 562 in Ross, Skye & Lochaber and 429 in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey.
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.
The new scheme also allows people aged 16 to seek election and also to vote in the election.
Nominations forms are available from the home page of the Council's web site: www.highland.gov.uk. They can also be obtained from any Council Service Point, or by contacting the Council Service Centre on 01349 886606.