CANDIDATES for community councils in Argyll and Bute can be officially nominated from early June, a report has said.
An update to community planning groups across the area has given the details of operations ahead of community council elections on Thursday, August 20.
It will also be known by Thursday, July 2 if any community councils are uncontested, meaning an election is not required.
The document has been published ahead of a meeting of Argyll and Bute Council’s Bute and Cowal community planning group on Tuesday, April 28.
The report said: “The next community council elections for Argyll and Bute will take place on August 20 and will cover all 56 community councils across the local authority area.
“These elections form part of the four-year electoral term and support ongoing community representation at a local level.
“The nomination period for candidates will open on June 5 and will close on June 25. During this period, eligible residents will be invited to submit nominations to stand for election to their local community council, in line with the approved scheme for the establishment of community councils.
“Following the close of nominations, official notices will be published no later than July 2. These notices will confirm which community councils are uncontested and those where an election is required.
“For community councils where the number of valid nominations does not exceed the number of available places, no poll will be held, and those community councillors will be deemed elected uncontested as of August 20. Follow up by-elections may be necessary if there are less than 50 per cent of vacancies filled on a community council.”
The report added: “On the basis that the date of the election is not until August 20, and existing community councillors will continue until the date of the election, community councils will continue to be invited to attend the August meetings.
“Only the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands community planning group would be impacted as that meeting is scheduled to take place post-election date.
“However, not all community councils attend every meeting, and provided that the quorum of five members is met, meetings should proceed as scheduled.
“For the Oban, Lorn and the Isles and the Bute and Cowal area community planning groups, those groups are currently chaired by community councillors. However, as mentioned above those members would remain community councillors up until midnight on August 19 and there would be no concerns in terms of their ability to chair the August meetings.
“It’s possible where additional by-elections may be required that there is an impact on the November round of meetings as community councils cannot not be formally established/constituted until their inaugural meetings have taken place.
“The timetable for these inaugural meetings cannot be confirmed until the position on membership is known. That may mean a delay.
“Area community planning partners are asked to support the forthcoming community council elections by promoting awareness within their own communities and networks, including encouraging eligible residents to consider standing for election and to participate in the nomination process.
“Partner support in sharing information locally will assist in maximising engagement and supporting the establishment of community councils across Argyll and Bute.”
