Candidates set their sights on Civic Centre
A total of 39 councillors would be needed to win a majority at the Civic Centre – with the composition of North Lanarkshire Council and its leadership for the next five years set to emerge during and after Friday’s count.
Both Labour and the SNP are bidding to win majority control of the chamber with 42 and 43 candidates respectively; although neither reached the required total in 2017.
The last election saw the SNP return 33 councillors on polling day, one more than Labour – but it was the latter group who went on to form a minority administration after gaining support from Conservative and independent members at the new council’s first meeting.
Votes for all 21 wards across North Lanarkshire will be counted electronically at Ravenscraig sports centre, beginning at 9am on Friday – and while the political composition of the council will be known by the end of the day, its administration may still be in the balance until its first meeting.
Councillors’ landmark initial assembly must take place within three weeks of polling day, when the council leader and provost for the five years ahead will be chosen from among the elected members.
Following by-elections and switches of party since 2017, North Lanarkshire’s political composition at the end of the current council term was 31 Labour members, 26 SNP, nine independents, eight Conservatives and three Alba members.
Each ward will return either three or four councillors, chosen under the single transferable vote system in which voters number candidates in order of preference on their ballot papers, using 1 for their first choice, 2 for their second and so on; and giving their support in as many or as few candidates as they wish.
The most-contested areas are Coatbridge North and Cumbernauld South, each with nine candidates for four councillor roles – compared to Airdrie South where there are just five candidates for four seats.
North Lanarkshire election officials are also assuring voters that “public health measures will be in place, similar to those in other indoor venues”, adding: “Voters are asked to wear face coverings and allow one-metre distancing to protect themselves and others.”
Anyone who is self-isolating or becomes unwell as a result of Covid-19 can apply for an emergency proxy vote up to 5pm on Thursday.
Turnout at the 2017 election varied from a ward high of 50.5 per cent in Cumbernauld North to just 38 per cent in Coatbridge South – meaning nearly two in every three voters in the latter did not cast their vote.
A total of 24 incumbent councillors are not standing for re-election this time around, including depute provost Tom Castles in Coatbridge; respective finance and enterprise conveners Bob Burrows and Allan Graham; and Meghan Gallacher, the former Conservative leader who is now an MSP.
Three founder council members are also standing down – ex-SNP leader David Stocks, Harry Curran of Labour and independent Tommy Morgan.