Community Council Elections 2025

Community Council elections generally take place every four years.  The most recent elections took place in autumn 2025.  Community Councils are independent, constituted voluntary organisations.  As the most local tier of elected representation in Scotland, Community Councils play an important role in local democracy in Shetland, by representing local views which can influence decisions on planning and the provision of local services in their area.   

Community Councils usually meet every four to six weeks and perform a wide range of duties including:

In advance of the 2025 elections, several key challenges were identified across Community Councils, including:

• vacant seats and anticipated retirements,
• ageing demographics,
• gender imbalance.

To address these challenges, a working group was formed consisting of officers from the Shetland Islands Council (SIC), along with representatives from the Association of Shetland Community Councils (ASCC) and individual Community Councils.  

The working group:

• brought together representatives from Community Councils and the ASCC,
• generated ideas to improve the visibility and accessibility of the election process, and
• agreed a shared approach to publicity, which was taken back to the ASCC for endorsement.

Following approval of the publicity plan, SIC staff led on delivering the plan on behalf of the working group.   A sustained, high-profile publicity campaign was delivered using a mix of:

• online videos, posters and flyers,
• radio advertising, and
• physical road signage.

Alongside centrally coordinated activity, Community Councils were encouraged to promote elections locally.  Some Community Councils successfully used social media and community networks to highlight election dates and the benefits of becoming a Community Councillor.

When nominations closed, 114 people had come forward and all 18 Community Councils were successfully re-established.  While there were no contested seats and some vacancies remained, the publicity campaign contributed to a good uptake in co-options in the months following the elections.

Several Community Councils saw new members join and changes in chairing roles, bringing new perspectives to their work.

Community Council Liaison Officer Michael Duncan said:

 “The Community Council election publicity campaign was in the main a successful project.   The mix of online videos, radio advertising and physical signage was well received and really helped to raise the profile of community councils and the elections. Going forward, it is hoped to build on this by rolling out the next election campaign a little bit earlier, and by encouraging more local publicity by community councils and their members.”  

Positive feedback was received on the online videos, radio adverts, and road signage. Future elections would place greater emphasis on supporting each Community Council to develop and deliver its own local election plan, with Shetland-wide publicity used to complement and amplify local efforts.

This would include:

• sharing examples of good practice,
• supporting Community Councils to proactively engage directly with their communities, and
• encouraging earlier and more targeted local campaigning.

Contribution to the Shetland Partnership

This work directly supports the Shetland Partnership’s Participation priority by:

• strengthening local democratic structures,
• supporting community involvement in decision-making, and
• encouraging wider and more diverse participation in Community Councils.