Thirteen community councils left with vacant spots as nomination period extended

Only five community councils were fully filled at yesterday’s (Thursday) deadline for the community council elections.

Thirteen have been left with vacancies, with one community council only filling a third of its vacant posts.

The SIC has extended the nomination period for those councils until Monday at 4pm – citing yesterday’s communications blackout and the postal strike for the extension.

Bressay, Fetlar, Nesting and Lunnasting, Skerries and Sandsting and Aithsting were the only community councils to fill all of their positions.

There are five vacancies on the Lerwick, Scalloway and Dunrossness community councils.

And six of the nine places on the Yell community council have not been filled.

“The nomination period has been reopened for any remaining vacancies to community councils, after yesterday’s disruption to electronic communications and postal strike,” the council said.

“The returning officer is aware of the severe disruption to electronic communications yesterday, compounded with the postal strike, which may have impeded the ability of some to submit their forms on time.”