Oban and Dunbeg fail to form community councils

A DOZEN community councils in Argyll and Bute – including Oban, Dunbeg, Seil and Lismore – have been unable to form after the election on April 26 because there were not enough candidates.

Nominations for new community councillors closed on March 22. Argyll and Bute papers revealed there were only two contested elections – one in Jura and one in Kilninver and Kilmelford.

Forty two community councils were formed by uncontested elections, including in Oban, Lorn and the Isles – Appin, Ardchattan, Avich and Kilchrenan, Coll, Connel, Glenorchy and Innishail, Iona, Kilmore and Kilbride, Luing, Mull, Taynuilt and Tiree – as well as in Kintyre and Mid Argyll, Colonsay, Craignish and Islay.

However, there are 12 community councils that cannot be formed due to insufficient nominations being received – less than 50 per cent of the maximum membership level. These include the Isle of Gigha, Ardrishaig, Oban, Seil and Easdale, Dunbeg, Lismore, Cove and Kilcreggan, Rosneath and Clynder, Cardross, Ardentinny, Sandbank and Bute.

‘We have 20 per cent of community councils that would not be operational,’ councillor George Freeman told last Thursday’s council meeting in Kilmory Castle. ‘Thirty per cent of community council places would be vacant.’

The report added: ‘In most cases we are one or two short but there are four community councils where we need three, four or five candidates to be nominated. We’re looking at a timetable for a by-election to fill these.’