Ten community council election results in the Highlands –including two in Caithness – announced
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THE results of the ten contested community council elections in the Highlands, including Thurso and Watten, have been announced.
In Thurso, 13 community councillors have been chosen. They are: Elspeth Husband with 902 votes; Gill Arrowsmith with 874; Thelma Mackenzie (835); Billy Sinclair (782); Colin Johnston (758); Marlene MacDonald (598); Corinne Nicklin (570); Bert MacLeod (547); Louise Smith (479); Alexander Glasgow (455); Kyle Manson (446); Ian Carlisle (397) and Grant Miller (385).
The total number of postal votes returned was 1589 from an electorate of 5391– a return of 29.5 per cent. Two ballot papers were rejected.
Eight candidates were successful at Watten. They were: Martin Sinclair (213); Calvin Wilson (210); Lucy Wilson (195); Jane Coghill (164); David McGillivray (135); Andy Cambridge (128); Alan Gibson (109) and David Thomson (94).
The total number of postal votes returned was 276 from an electorate of 572 – a return of 48.3 per cent. One ballot paper was rejected.
Two postal elections also took place in north Sutherland for the community councils at Bettyhill, Strathnaver and Altnaharra where eight places were being contested. The successful candididates were: Ragnar Celli; Tim Curtis; Joanna Mackenzie; Amanda Moseley; Patricia Munro; Josh Noble; Katherine Van Voornveld and Jessica Wright. The number of postal votes returned was 203 from an electorate of 363 – a return of 55.9 per cent. No ballot papers were rejected.
At Melvich, the successful candidates were: David Anderson; Eileen Bryant; Peter Fittock; Ian Fling; Emma Griffiths; Sarah Humphreys; Natasha Mackay and Catherine Simpson.
The number of postal votes returned was 167 from an electorate of 313 – a return of 53.4 per cent. No ballot papers were rejected.
A total of 30 community councils across The Highland Council area have not been established as they failed to attract half the maximum membership. They include Bower.
The next opportunity for nominations to be made to those community councils will commence in January 2024.
