LibDems at Highland Council get a boost as Patrick Logue joins the group
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Former Conservative Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh Councillor who resigned from the Conservative group last year has joined the Scottish Liberal Democrats at Highland Council.
It means that the Tory group has gone from 10 elected in 2022 down to eight after the departure of former leader Andrew Jarvie – he joined Highland Alliance – while the Liberal Democrats now have 14 members.
Cllr Logue has previously voted for more school building funding, spoken out about unelected members of the education committee, and against high electric vehicle charging fees.
They will be hoping to increase that on Thursday April 11 for the newly vacant seat in the Inverness South ward following Colin Aitken’s resignation – the electronic count taking place the next day in Inverness.
Inverness South (Ward 19) is a four-member ward so whoever wins will join Councillors Ken Gowans (SNP), Duncan Macpherson (Highland Alliance) and Andrew Sinclair (Scottish Conservatives).
The Returning Officer, Derek Brown, who is also Highland Council chief executive, said: “This is an opportunity to join The Highland Council to represent the Inverness South Ward so I encourage anyone interested to put themselves forward.”
Formalities
Candidate nomination forms can be downloaded by clicking here or by contacting the Election Office via email or phoning 01349 886657.
The completed forms must be returned by hand to the Returning Officer in Meeting Room 1, The Highland Council, Election Office, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness IV3 5NX.
That can only be done with a prior appointment sometime between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Friday exclusing public holidays and before 4pm on Thursday March 7.
Before the original documents are officially lodged by hand, candidates are encouraged to scan and email their forms to election@highland.gov.uk for an informal check.
If the seat is contested then the ballot will take place on Thursday April 11.
Voting
Anyone over 16 years old who is living in the ward is eligible to vote in this by-election if they are registered. If you need to register to vote then you can click here.
Alternatively, you can call the Electoral Registration Officer on 0800 393783 to request a paper application form. The last date to register to vote in this by-election is midnight on Friday 22 March 2024.
Voters in Ward 19 will be able to cast their vote in person on the day by visiting their local polling station or they can apply for either a postal vote or to vote by proxy.
The latest time to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Monday 25 March and the deadline for anyone wishing to appoint a proxy, which is someone to vote on their behalf, is 5pm on Wednesday 3 April.
Advice on postal and proxy voting is available by contacting the Electoral Registration Office on 0800 393783.
