HUGE areas of Lochaber are facing months without grassroots representation after too few people put their names forward for election to their local community council.
Nominations to Highland Council for posts closed on September 30, and figures revealed to The Oban Times show six community councils have failed to attract any or enough nominations to keep going or start up again.
Caol Community Council, which fell into abeyance after the last elections in 2005, failed to find anyone prepared to put their names forward to restart activities. Five other community councils - Acharacle, Inverlochy and Torlundy, Kilmallie, Kinlochleven and Mallaig - will now also technically cease to exist after October 30.
Those five areas only managed to attract seven names for a total of around 50 community council committee places, leaving Highland Council with no option other than to try for a rerun of the process, most likely next spring, in the hope that more community-minded people will step forward.
Mallaig is taking immediate steps to reform after it emerged its failure to find enough nominations for election was not down to a lack of support – but a misunderstanding of nomination deadlines.
Speaking after a meeting on Monday night, chairman John MacMillan told The Oban Times: ‘It was a simple mistiming by us on our part – it’s our own fault. As long as the new elections are no later than the spring we could work with that.
‘I know there are eight people up for re-election whenever the decision is taken to hold it and we will see if it can’t be a bit earlier than that.
‘It’s a long time to be without a community council when you have sufficient numbers coming forward. We will have a quorum to set up the community council again. I was not going to return, but I was persuaded otherwise and I will continue for another term.’
Asked if increasing workloads were putting people off considering putting their names forward across Lochaber, Mr MacMillan said: ‘You have to remember we are all still volunteers and I think there definitely seems to be more to do as a community council than there was six years ago.
‘Maybe it’s time for paid officials to find out why there has been such a lack of interest in some areas to see if they can get a fix on what is going on.’
Nine other community councils - Ardgour, Duror and Kentallen, Fort William, Glenfinnan, Morar, Morvern, Nether Lochaber, The Small Isles and West Ardmamurchan found enough people to fill most committee places, and can co-opt new members on if required.
Elections will be held in four community council areas after nominations exceeded the number of committee places available.
At Arisaig 13 people will compete for ten places, at Ballachulish 13 people are up for 11 posts, at Glencoe and Glen Etive 15 people are standing for 11 places and at Sunart 15 names have been submitted for the eight places available for the Strontian area.
Postal ballots will go out on October 16. Closing date for return of ballots is noon, October 30.
