Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland

Fifth Statutory Review of Electoral Arrangements Final Recommendations

Shetland Islands Council Area

Report to Scottish Ministers

Contents Part 1 Background...... 4 Shetland Islands Council area ...... 4 Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland ...... 4 Legislative requirements ...... 5 Fifth Reviews of Electoral Arrangements ...... 5 Issues considered ...... 6 Effective and convenient local government ...... 6 Determining councillor numbers in council areas ...... 6 Electorate data ...... 9 Ward design ...... 9 Electoral parity ...... 10 Local ties ...... 10 Easily-identifiable boundaries ...... 11 Special geographical considerations...... 11 Other factors ...... 11 Consultation ...... 11 Part 2 Conducting the Review ...... 13 Councillor numbers ...... 13 Consultation with Shetland Islands Council ...... 13 Consultation with the public ...... 13 Ward design ...... 14 Consultation with Shetland Islands Council ...... 14 Consultation with the public ...... 15 Development of our final recommendations ...... 16 Part 3 Final Recommendation for Shetland Islands Council area ...... 18 Appendices ...... 27 Appendix A Existing and Recommended Wards for Shetland Islands Council area ...... 28 Appendix B Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, as amended: Schedule 6 - Rules to be observed in considering electoral arrangements ...... 29 Appendix C Categorising Councils Matrix ...... 30 Appendix D Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973: Conduct of Reviews ...... 31 Appendix E Timetable for the Fifth Reviews of Electoral Arrangements ...... 33 Appendix F Index of Commission Meetings, Papers and Minutes - Shetland Islands Council area ...... 34

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1 North Isles 3 2,297 -5% 2,305 -7%

2 Shetland North 3 2,490 3% 2,484 1%

3 Shetland West 3 2,577 6% 2,606 6%

4 Shetland Central 3 2,258 -7% 2,249 -9%

5 Shetland South 3 2,570 6% 2,576 4%

6 Lerwick North 3 2,420 0% 2,611 6%

7 Lerwick South 4 3,163 -2% 3,258 -1%

Conduct of Reviews

18 Procedure for reviews

19 Local inquiries

Description Start Finish Reviews commenced 21 February 2014 Commission met separately with all 32 councils to 25 February 2014 2 April 2014 provide a background to the reviews 2-month statutory consultation period with councils on 21 February 2014 23 April 2014 councillor numbers Commission considered councils’ responses April 2014 May 2014 12-week public consultation period on councillor 29 May 2014 21 August 2014 numbers Commission considered responses and agreed September 2014 January 2015 councillor numbers Commission developed proposals for wards September 2014 January 2015 2-month statutory consultation period with councils on 19 March 2015 19 May 2015 proposals for wards Commission considered councils’ responses June 2015 July 2015 12-week public consultation on proposals for wards 30 July 2015 22 October 2015 Commission considered all representations and November 2015 April 2016 developed its final recommendations Commission submitted its reports to Scottish Ministers May 2016

APS Group Scotland 430071 (05/16)