28 Community Councils Including Bower In Caithness Fail To Get Enough Nominations

5th October 2023

The election day is scheduled for Monday, 27 November 2023 and voting is by means of a postal vote. The maximum membership of each of the Highland Community Councils is determined by the population it serves and varies from 7 to 13 members.

A total of 28 Community Councils across The Highland Council area will not be established as they failed to attract half the maximum membership.

They are:

Balintore and Hilton
Ballachulish
Ballifeary
Bower
Carrbridge
Cawdor and West Nairnshire
Creich
Cromdale and Advie
Dalneigh and Columba
Dalwhinnie
Dornie and District
Dulnain Bridge
East Nairnshire
Glendale
Golspie
Grantown On Spey
Muir of Ord
Muirtown
Nairn West and Suburban
Nigg and Shandwick
Portree
Resolis
Small Isles
Smithton
Stromeferry and Achmore
Sunart
Tain
Waternish

The next opportunity for nominations to be made to those Community Council's will be in January 2024

Following the recent call for candidates wishing to serve on the 156 Highland Community Councils to come forward, a total of 113 Councils attracted sufficient interest to allow them to form from Wednesday 11 October 2023.

15 Community Councils received more nominations than their maximum membership, and at the close of withdrawal period at 12noon on Tuesday 10 October 2023, The Highland Council will confirm if an election goes ahead for these Community Councils using a postal ballot.

The Community Councils for which the Council received more nominations than the maximum membership are as follows:

Bettyhill, Strathnaver and Altnaharra
Contin
Croy and Culloden Moor
Dunvegan
Glengarry
Kilmorack
Kiltearn
Kirkhill and Bunchrew
Melvich
Plockton and District
Scourie
Spean Bridge, Roy Bridge and Achnacarry
Thurso
Watten

Wester Loch Ewe

If a candidate wishes to withdraw, they can do so by completing a withdrawal notice

For the Community Councils for which an election is to be held, candidates will be requested to submit a personal statement to support their candidacy and this will be published on the council's website on the date the ballot papers are issued.

https://www.highland.gov.uk/ccelections

The election day is scheduled for Monday, 27 November 2023 and voting is by means of a postal vote. The maximum membership of each of the Highland Community Councils is determined by the population it serves and varies from 7 to 13 members.

Details of the nominations and the list of results are available now from The Highland Council's website -
https://www.highland.gov.uk/ccelections

 

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