Deadline looms for new Ross poll
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ROSS-SHIRE folk wishing to serve their communities for the next four years have less than three weeks in which to get their names in for new-look elections.
The looming deadline - 4pm on Tuesday, October 4 - applies to nominations for community councils.
An election will be held in instances where the number of nominations exceeds the maximum membership.
For the first time, elections will be held across the Highlands on the same day – Wednesday, November 16. 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 the following day.
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 November 16 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 Highland Council to issue a further calls 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 at the time of the nomination deadline to seek election. To be eligible to stand, young people need to have completed a voter registration form.
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.
The Returning Officer for the elections is Alistair Dodds, Chief Executive of The Highland Council. He will be assisted in administering the elections by Corporate Manager, William Gilfillan, Elections Manager, John Bruce, and the Council’s network of Ward Managers.
Mr Dodds said: "Community Councils play an important role in the democratic process, offering a local perspective on a range of issues. I am sure there will be significant interest in the elections, which for the first time are being held across the Highlands on the same day and for the first time will involve 16 and 17 year olds."
