Five candidates to contest Landward Caithness By-Election
Notice of Poll
Five candidates will contest the forthcoming by-election to elect one councillor to serve The Highland Council’s Ward 4 – Landward Caithness.
The candidates are:
• Ed Boyter, Scottish National Party (SNP)
• Kerensa Carr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist
• Tina Irving, Independent
• Matthew Reiss, Independent
• Winifred Sutherland, Independent
The by-election will be held on Thursday 28 November and voting will take place at 14 polling stations between 7.00 am – 10.00 pm. The polling stations are:-
• Castletown Drill Hall
• Reay Hall
• Ross Institute, Halkirk
• Bower Community Hall
• Watten Hall
• Britannia Hall Dunnet
• Canisbay Hall
• Keiss Amenities Hall
• Reiss Hall
• Assembly Rooms, Wick
• Thrumster Hall
• Lybster Community Centre
• Dunbeath Village Hall
• Free Church Hall, Millbank Road, Thurso
The Returning Officer is the Chief Executive of The Highland Council, Steve Barron and the count will take place at the Assembly Rooms in Wick on Friday 29 November 2013.
The vacancy has arisen following the resignation of Alex MacLeod who was one of four Councillors representing Landward Caithness. The other Ward members are Councillors David Bremner, Willie Mackay and Gillian Coghill.
Anyone eligible to vote can apply for either a postal vote or to vote by proxy. The latest time to apply for a postal vote is 5.00pm on Wednesday, 13 November 2013 and the deadline for anyone wishing to apply to vote by proxy is Wednesday, 20 November 2013. Advice on postal and proxy voting is available by contacting the Electoral Registration Office on 0800 393783.
Landward Caithness is one of 22 wards within the Highland area and has a population of 11,290 with the main centres being Halkirk, John O' Groats, Castletown, Dunbeath and Lybster. The electorate is 8,588.
The Highland Council is made up of 80 elected members. The current representation is Independent 33, SNP 21, Liberal Democrats 14, Labour 8, Independent Nationalist 1, Non-aligned 2 with 1 vacancy for the Landward Caithness ward.