COMMUNITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS - TIMETABLE

[NickB]

SEIL AND EASDALE COMMUNITY COUNCIL

THE ARGYLL AND BUTE COMMUNITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS 2009 TIMETABLE


MONDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER 2009...................................NOTICE OF ELECTION


THURSDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER 2009 (4 p.m.)...................CLOSE OF NOMINATIONS
........................................................................LAST DATE/TIME FOR WITHDRAWALS


THURSDAY 7TH OCTOBER 2009....................................NOTICE OF POLL (IF ELECTION CONTESTED)
..........................................................................NOTICE OF UNCONTESTED ELECTION (IF UNCONTESTED)

FRIDAY 16TH OCTOBER 2009.......................................ISSUE OF POSTAL VOTES


THURSDAY 29TH OCTOBER 2009..................................ELECTION DAY
..........................................................................FINAL DATE FOR RECEIPT OF POSTAL BALLOT PAPERS


FRIDAY 30TH OCTOBER 2009................................COUNT OF VOTES

Nomination packs are available from Balvicar Post Office and must be lodged with the Returning Officer by 24th September 2009. The packs contain guidance notes.

The Community Council can have 10 members. The minimum number to be established is 5 members.

If more than 10 nominations are received, there will be a postal ballot. Each elector will be entitled to vote for candidates up to the number of seats to be filled.

If there are between 5 and 10 nominations, the candidates will be declared to be elected and no poll held.

Should the number of candidates nominated be less than 5, no Community Council will be established and a follow-up election will be held in 6 months’ time. If there are still too few nominations, the Community Council may be left dormant or it might amalgamate with another Community Council.

Following the Review, the role of Community Councils has been expanded and they will play an increasingly important role liaising with local government. It is important that we do not lose our Community Council and we hope as many people as possible will consider standing.

[NickB]

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So who is going to stand and on what platform?

[NickB]

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That's the nominations closed then. Many of you will be relieved to hear that although I had a last minute wobble and decided I should perhaps stand after all I had ironically missed the deadline.

I am looking forward to seeing who the candidates are when the list comes out, but I suspect it won't be an exciting election as I am sure there won't be more than ten candidates. It seems like a bit of a weak spot in our democratic system when anyone can essentially elect themselves to a position just by putting their name down.