Two new people have been voted onto the Stornoway Trust while three of the existing
trustees were re-
John A Smith, better known as Archie, topped the poll with 1,864 votes while George H Macdonald received the second highest number of votes at 1,647. Both are new entrants to the board of the community landlord.
Serving trustees, Catriona Murray, Norman A Maciver, and Donald Nicholson, return to the organisation.
Six candidates threw their hats into the ring for five vacancies.
The result of the election -
Some 2,608 people voted out of 10,033 people on the electoral roll for the Stornoway Trust area giving a turnout of 26%.
There were six spoilt votes.
Civica Election Services -
The vote should have been completed on Tuesday but because of the delay with the post causing ballot papers to be delayed in reaching voters it was extended to Thursday afternoon.
The new deadline was for voting slips to be returned to Civica in London by 4pm today (Thursday) which also marked the close of the poll.
Trust factor, Iain Maciver, said: “I would like to thank all those who put their names forward, congratulate those who have been successful, and commiserate with Tim Pickering (who was not elected).”
He highlighted: “It is better to have an election than not to have one, but unfortunately things didn't work out as we hoped.
“We have used Civica Election Services (previously known as Electoral Reform Services) on numerous occasions and this is the first time we there has been an issue.”
► Stornoway Trust election deadline extended
Mr Maciver said the experience may well lead to introducing new procedures for the future to extend the very short election timeline of 14 days between confirming the number of candidates and the election date which the trust is legally obliged to follow.
However, such a change requires to undergo a protracted legal process to amend the Deed of Trust set down by Lord Leverhulme who gifted the estate to the people 100 years ago.
Firstly, the trust would have to consult with the public on proposed amendments before drawing up a petition or legal document which would be submitted to the Court of Session in Edinburgh for their approval.
Mr Maciver thanked people for voting, pointing out that “not every community gets the chance to vote for their landlord.
“There are plenty who would love to do so but never get the opportunity.
“Those who do have the chance should take it advantage of it.”
Nearly half the population of the Western Isles live on the estate which stretches between North Tolsta, Newmarket, Point and part of North Lochs.
It also covers Stornoway, making it the only community landlord in Scotland with a sizeable town under its wings.
Half of the ten elected unpaid trustees stand down every three years from the body which has an annual turnover of about £1 million.
It employs around 20 people, is responsible for administrating 1,333 crofts and 60,000 acres of common grazings as well as looking after the woods in the Lews Castle grounds.
The Stornoway Trust celebrates its centenary this year as it was officially constituted as a community body in 1924 when landlord Lord Leverhulme gifted 69,000 acres of land to the people.
The trust owns the Arnish manufacturing yard -
In recent years the Stornoway Trust undertook an ambitious redevelopment of the Lews Castle grounds to preserve historic buildings and features and improve the popular public park.
New faces join the Stornoway Trust following public election
4 April 2024
L-
The full complement of ten elected trustees at the Stornoway Trust with factor, Iain Maciver, on the far left of the photo