Rogart elects a new community council
A small Sutherland community has finally formed a community council after failing at the first attempt and a delay due to coronavirus.
Highland Council depute returning officer Phil Tomalin has made public the results of the recent election for Rogart Community Council.
A total of 19 nominations were received for the eight places available and the successful contenders are: Christine Ross, Liz Allan, Frank Roach, Karen Mackay, Amy McHardy, Jonathan Hedges, Tommy Sutherland and Matthew Fox.
According to Mr Tomalin, the area's electorate numbers 411 and 224 postal votes were received, giving a 55 per cent return. There were no spoiled votes.
The first call for nominations to reform community councils in the Highland area - after previous bodies came to the end of their term in office - took place last October.
However, when the results were made know, Rogart's community council was the only one of Sutherland's 17 community councils to fall by the wayside, with not enough people standing. East Sutherland and Edderton ward councillor Richard Gale, chairman of Sutherland County Committee, expressed his disappointment at the Rogart result.
But the community rallied when a renewed attempt to form a council was made earlier this year.
Mr Tomalin, ward manager for East Sutherland and Edderton, at that point said he was delighted at the large number of nominations received.
However, there was a slight delay in announcing the results after the Covid-19 pandemic took hold and the local authority diverted all its resources to dealing with the crisis.
