Seven new members elected to re-formed Ardgay and District community council after interim election
The community council for Ardgay and District has reformed after seven new members were elected in an interim election today.
A total of 13 nominations were received to fill seven vacancies on the community council, which had been dissolved by Highland Council in February after four of its five members had resigned.
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The area’s newly elected community councillors join existing member Samantha Kane to form a community council of eight.
The new members elected are Eilidh Forbes, Tommy Gordon, Kerry Hawthorne, Anne Henderson, Robert Henderson, Robert Sawyer and Les Waugh.
Counting of ballot papers commenced at noon today from the area office at Dingwall, before depute returning officer Cheryl MacIver confirmed a 54.83 per cent turnout, representing 301 postal votes from an electorate of 549.
The total number of rejected ballot papers was two.
Votes were cast as below:
Eilidh Forbes 157 (elected)
Amy Frew 74
Donna Gillies 141
Tommy Gordon 151 (elected)
Kerry Hawthorne 142 (elected)
Anne Henderson 164 (elected)
Robert Henderson 156 (elected)
Paula Maclean 40
Posy Macrae 100
David Rippon 65
Robert Sawyer 187 (elected)
Tom Tomlinson 88
Les Waugh 213 (elected)
Mass resignations eight months ago meant that the community council no longer had a quorum, leading to its collapse and a Highland Council decision to suspend its activities.
Among those to resign were former chairman Silvia Muras, Anna McInnes, Sabrina Ross and Dr Buster Crabb, who was co-opted onto the council at an extraordinary general meeting last November.
Vice-chairperson Samantha Kane, owner of Carbisdale Castle, was the only community councillor not to have resigned.
Kinlochleven Community Council and Strathglass Community Council were recently uncontested and formed on Tuesday 10 September 2024.