Community Council Seats Contested

This indicator measures the percentage of Community Council seats contested in the latest elections or by-elections. Community Councils are voluntary organisations set up by the Local Authority to represent local communities. They play a key role in local democracy by bringing people together, advocating for community interests, and making the area a better place to live. Shetland has 18 Community Councils, each with a different number of seats based on the area's size. The indicator shows how many of these seats required a ballot to elect Community Councillors.

Source

Data is taken from the Shetland Islands Council figures for Community Council elections and by-elections.

Most recent data

The most recent round of Community Council elections were held in November 2022. At this election there were no seats contested. With 163 seats available, a total of 125 nominations were received, a return rate of 77%. With no contested seats this left 38 vacant seats.

Why do we monitor this indicator?

This indicator contributes to monitoring the outcomes outlined in the Participation priority of the Partnership Plan. As an indicator it is a one of a number of measures that help to show individuals' desire to engage in making things better for their communities.

“Communities will feel empowered and the majority of people in Shetland will feel more able to influence the decisions that affect them and have a strong understanding of how and why decisions are taken.”