Loch a Tuath (ward) explained

Loch a Tuath
Year:2007
Council:Na h-Eileanan Siar
Region:Scotland
Map1:Loch a Tuath.jpg
Map Entity:Na h-Eileanan Siar
Map Year:2007–2022
Previous:Barvas and Arnol
Blackwater
Braighe
Carloway
Coll
Gress
Laxdale
Electorate:2,216 (2022)
Population:2,654 (2021)[1]
Elects Howmany:3
Councillor1:Donald F. Crichton
Party1:Independent (politician)
Councillor2:Calum MacLean
Party2:Independent (politician)
Councillor3:John A. MacIver
Party3:Scottish National Party
Towns:Coll
North Tolsta
Scot Parl:Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Scot Region:Highlands and Islands
Westminster:Na h-Eileanan an Iar

gd|'''Loch a Tuath'''|Broad Bay', {{literal translation|North Loch is one of the 11 wards of gd|[[Comhairle nan Eilean Siar]]|Council of the Western Isles. Created in 2007, the ward elects three councillors using the single transferable vote electoral system and covers an area with a population of 2,654 people.

Independents have dominated elections in the Western Isles and the majority of councillors elected in the area have had no party affiliation. However, since 2012, the Scottish National Party (SNP) have held one of the seats.

Boundaries

The ward was created following the Fourth Statutory Reviews of Electoral Arrangements ahead of the 2007 Scottish local elections. As a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, local elections in Scotland would use the single transferable vote electoral system from 2007 onwards so Loch a Tuath was formed from an amalgamation of several previous first-past-the-post wards. It contained all of the former Coll ward, the majority of the former Blackwater, Gress and Laxdale wards as well as part of the former Barvas and Arnol, Braighe and Carloway wards. The ward centres around the towns of Coll and North Tolsta in the northeast of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.[2] Proposals in the Fifth Statutory Reviews of Electoral Arrangements ahead of the 2017 Scottish local elections would have maintained the ward's original boundaries.[3] However, these were not adopted by Scottish ministers as plans for the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 would bring forward an interim review following the 2017 elections.[4]

The Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 allowed for the creation of single- and dual-member wards to allow for better representation of island areas. The boundaries and number of members representing Loch a Tuath were unaffected by the 2019 Reviews of Electoral Arrangements – instigated as a result of the act.[5]

Councillors

ElectionCouncillors
2007John A. MacIver
(Independent/
SNP)
Kenneth MacIver
(Independent)
Catriona Stewart
(Independent)
2012Donald Finlayson Crichton
(Independent)
2017Callum McLean
(Independent)
2022

Election results

2022 election

See main article: 2022 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar election.

2017 election

See main article: 2017 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar election.

2007 Election

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Loch a Tuath . Scottish Government . 27 July 2024.
  2. Web site: Fourth Statutory Review of Electoral Arrangements; Na h-Eileanan an lar Council Area . Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland . May 2006 . 1 November 2024.
  3. Web site: Fifth Statutory Review of Electoral Arrangements; East Ayrshire Council Area . Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland . May 2016 . 1 November 2024.
  4. Web site: Council ward boundaries agreed . Scottish Government . 14 September 2016 . 1 November 2024.
  5. Web site: Review of Electoral Arrangements; Na h-Eileanan an Iar Council Area . Boundaries Scotland . June 2021 . 1 November 2024.