Community councillors are elected on a four-year cycle, and elections will next take place in September to October 2019.
Each election is managed by a separate independent returning officer – generally a local ward councillor and community councils run on rules approved by the council.
As well as individual councillors there are representatives from recognised local interest groups who take places on each community council. The timetable for the elections in 2019 is as follows:
Individual Community Councillors
9 September 2019 nomination period opens If you wish to be considered as a candidate then you must be nominated by a proposer and seconder, both of whom must be on the electoral register for the community council area. Each elector may only propose one nominee and second one nominee.
Any nominations must have the candidate’s consent. You are not allowed to nominate yourself.
30 September 2019 Nominations close and all validly completed nomination forms will be counted.
At this point there can be three outcomes:
- Uncontested election – if the number of nominees is equal to or more than half the number of permitted members but does not exceed the maximum number of permitted members the candidates will be declared duly elected and no poll will need to be held.
- Contested election – if the number of nominees is more than the maximum number of permitted members then a poll is required. Where an election is contested it will be conducted by secret ballot of local electors, organised by the Returning Officer in accordance with the Scottish Local Election Rules but subject to modification. Voting in a contested election will be a combination of e-voting and postal voting. Polling day would be 31 October 2019.
- Unsuccessful elections – If the number of nominees is less than half number of permitted members no community council will be established.
10 October 2019 Notice of poll if required
31 October 2019 Polling Day
Local interest groups
Local interest groups, who wish to put someone forward as a nominated member must be registered with the Council. They will be sent the following by the Returning Officer or can obtain them from the Council website:
(i) Nomination/Registration form for Local Interest Groups;
(ii) Copy of publicity leaflet; and
(iii) Copy of the Scheme for Community Councils
Registration forms for local interest groups should be returned to the Council’s Elections Team who will ensure that qualifying organisations are appropriately registered by the close of nominations (30 September 2019). The Elections Team will inform the Returning Officer of the number of valid application forms received. Where the number of nominations does not exceed the maximum number of nominated members those nominees will be declared duly elected.
Should the number of nominees registered exceed the maximum number of nominated members, the Returning Officer will convene a meeting of representatives from all registered local interest groups and the elected members of the community council. Participants at this meeting will vote by ballot to determine which local interest groups will become members.
Read more information about community councils here on the council website.
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