Council wants to cut the number of councillors 23/4/14
The Comhairle may be left with more councillors than it wants after a Local Government
Boundary Commission recommendation.
The Commission which is reviewing electoral arrangements including the size of wards
agrees with the council that there too many councillors.
It reckons getting rid of five positions - from 31 councillors down to 28 - would
be appropriate. The body is restricted in cutting numbers down to 26 as sought by
the Comhairle.
The Comhairle originally sought to slash the figure to just 22 elected members. In
a move previously described as turkeys voting for Christmas by one elected member,
they argue the present figure of 31 is too high.
Then they backtracked and suggested just five councillors’ posts should be axed.
The Commission will make the final decision but the island council is putting forward
its own options and is now likely to suggest a compromise of 27 councillors.
The Comhairle also wants the introduction of electoral wards consisting of between
two to six councillors so that distinct geographical communities can be adequately
represented.
It suggested the Commission should consider the “different role of councillors in
sparsely populated rural areas such as the Western Isles, particularly in the more
rural areas, and should take into account community ties in determining ward boundaries.”
The council had suggested a general cut of up to five councillors across the Western
Isles on the basis of one councillor per 1,000 electors instead of the current ratio
of one per 750 voters. This would have reduced the Comhairle to 26 elected members.
Previously, there was consensus from councillors in the Harris and Lochs areas that
they should be part of the same ward - they also indicated that North Lochs, Kinloch
and South Lochs should be included in the same ward as this represented a natural
community and would encourage more candidates to stand for election whilst sharing
the demanding workload for those elected.