Plea to community to come forward for ‘wee’ council elections

Community-minded individuals are being encouraged to step forward and sign up to represent their areas at grassroots council level.

Nominations are being invited from people seeking election to 15 Highland community councils including three in Lochaber. Acharacle and Kinlochleven require five new members while Spean Bridge, Roy Bridge and Achnacarry need nine people to join to enable them to form a quorum.

All three community councils are currently in abeyance.

Fort William and Ardnamurchan councillor Andrew Baxter is one of many who believe community councils form a vital part of the political process locally.

He told us: ‘Good community councils are important here in Lochaber.

‘They effectively represent local opinion on a wide range of issues that otherwise would go unnoticed by a range of public bodies.

‘I know from experience how their absence makes it even more difficult to get those at Highland Council in Inverness to listen to Lochaber people. They do make a difference.’

Community councils are voluntary organisations that express the views and concerns of local people within their area across a wide range of issues from new buildings and roads to local services and facilities.

Anyone who wishes to support their local community council should be registered in the current Electoral Register for the Community Council area and must be 16 or over. Nomination forms and copies of the scheme for the establishment of Community Councils can be downloaded from www.highland.gov.uk/ elections, obtained by email to: election@highland.gov.uk, or by contacting the appropriate ward manager. Details available at www.highland.gov.uk/ elections.

Completed forms must be submitted to the appropriate ward manager no later than noon on Tuesday February 1, 2022. If any community council’s nominations exceeds its membership, an election will take place on Thursday March 3, 2022 via postal ballot.