Preparations under way for local government elections next year

Preparations are well under way to run the Highland Council local government elections in May next year.

At Friday’s meeting of the Highland Council, members agreed the resources required to run the elections which will take place on Thursday May 5.

The total cost of running the 2022 council election is estimated to be £550,000.

This is based on all ordinary expenses to run the election but excludes any potential Covid costs.

For this election, the Scottish Government has put a national framework agreement in place to deliver the printing of the ballots and the electronic counting of the votes.

As the Local Government Boundary proposal for Highland was rejected by Parliament in October, the current council membership and ward boundaries with its 74 members elected across 21 wards and respective three or four members remains unchanged.

The council’s current polling scheme which lists the venues used for poll will be used.

However, to minimise disruption to schools and pupils, and as previously agreed, an in-service day for all Highland schools is in place on Thursday May 5 and because of the exam period, no secondary schools will be used as polling stations.

The council says its election team will continue to work closely with the Electoral Management Board, the Scottish Government and The Electoral Commission to ensure compliance with all directions before, during and after the election.

The count will take place electronically in Inverness.

Roadshows are to be held to help those thinking of standing for election understand the role of councillor.