Postal votes dispatched for Community Council elections
This week 26,305 voters in 25 communities across the Highlands will receive a postal ballot paper to vote in their local Community Council elections.
They have until 5 pm on Wednesday 16 November to return the pre-paid envelope containing their ballot paper which invites them to vote for the maximum number of candidates vacant by marking a cross (X) in the box opposite the names of the candidates they are voting for.
Counting will take place on Thursday and Friday 17 and 18 November in Kinlochbervie Village Hall; Carnegie Building, Dornoch; Council Offices, Dingwall; Town House, Inverness; Carrbridge Village Hall; and Lochaber House, Fort William.
Those Community Councils involved are:- Ardersier & Petty, Ardgour, Aultbea, Beauly, Carrbridge, Contin, Cromarty, Dores & Essich, Dornoch, Fortrose & Rosemarkie, Glenelg & Arnisdale, Invergordon, Kilmorack, Kinlochbervie, Kinlochleven, Kilmuir & Logie Easter, Lochardil (Inverness), Morar, Morvern, Nairn Suburban, Nairn West, Plockton, Stratherrick & Foyers, Strathglass and Strathnairn.
In these Community Councils, more nominations than the maximum membership were received.
A further 112 Community Councils attracted more than half the maximum membership, allowing them to function from 16 November.
A total of 19 Community Councils failed to attract half the maximum membership and will disband from midnight on 15 November. The Council will be in touch with those Community Councils that failed to form a new Council to see if there is demand to re-run the elections.
Those Community Councils which will not be established are: - Bower, Broadford and Strath, Caol, Central (Inverness), Dunvegan, East Nairnshire, Fearn, Gairloch, Glencoe and Glen Etive, Glendale, Inverness South, Laggan, Lairg, Merkinch (Inverness), Nether Lochaber, Raasay, Sleat, Skeabost, Tongue.
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.