Polling takes place on Thursday for Black Isle by-election

On Thursday (19 December) voting begins in the Black Isle By-election with polling stations opening their doors at 7am and remaining open for voters until 10pm.

The Black Isle Ward is one of 22 wards within the Highlands and has an electorate of 8,443. Anyone who has applied for a postal vote who may not yet have posted their ballot paper is reminded that they can hand it in to any of the polling stations up until 10 pm on Thursday.

The polling stations are:

• Killearnan Public Hall, Tore
• Munlochy Hall
• North Kessock Public Hall
• Cromarty Victoria Hall
• Resolis Memorial Hall
• Findon Hall, Culbokie
• Gordon Memorial Hall, Rosemarkie
• Fortrose Town Hall
• Avoch Parish Church Hall

The count will take place on Friday (20 December) at the Black Isle Leisure Centre starting at 9.30 am.

The candidates are:

• Jennifer Barclay, Fortrose, (Independent).
• Myra Carus, Rosemarkie, (Scottish Green Party)
• Shaun Finlayson, Avoch, (Scottish Labour Party
• Bill Fraser, Fortrose, (Independent)
• Jackie Hendry, Tore, (Scottish National Party, SNP)
• Douglas MacLean, Avoch, (Scottish Conservative and Unionist)
• George Normington, North Kessock, (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
• Gwyn Phillips, Rosemarkie, (Independent)

The Highland Council is made up of 80 elected members.  The current representation is Independent 33; Scottish National Party 21; Liberal Democrats 14; Labour 8; Independent Nationalist 1 Non-aligned 2 with 1 vacancy for the Black Isle ward.

ENDS