Community Council elections are the key to ensuring appropriate and effective representation is achieved. Community Councils should receive appropriate support to administer elections by Falkirk Council.

Voting for candidates for election to a Community Council should adopt the following procedure:

A notice declaring the intention to conduct an election and seeking nominations of candidates for election to the Community Council must be publicly advertised at least 28 days before the date of any the election.

The notice must contain details of:

• the name and address of the person responsible for issuing and receiving nomination forms.
• the closing date and time for receiving nomination forms which must be at least fourteen days before the election takes place.
• the closing date and time for receiving application forms for inclusion in the supplementary roll which must be at least fourteen days before the election takes place.
• the date on which elections will take place and the statement as to how the election will be run Community Council elections can be completed without a ballot.

If the number of nominations received does not exceed the number required to establish the Community Council, then all those nominated will be considered duly elected without the need for a ballot.

There are three types of Community Council election:

• Establishing a Community Council – this begins with receipt of a petition and seeks to establish a Community Council where one has not previously existed.
• Interim election process to fill vacancies – this is a response to vacancies arising and can be filled at any time.
• Re-establishing an existing Community Council as part of the usual election cycle. This is the process to be followed for re-establishing Blackness and Area Community Council.