Heather elected as North Isles Councillor

Voters in the North Isles have elected Heather Woodbridge to represent the ward on Orkney Islands Council.

The result of the North Isles by-election was announced this afternoon at the conclusion of the Count, which took place at Kirkwall Town Hall.

Local government elections in Scotland use the Single Transferrable Vote system. Voters mark their ballot paper by numbering the candidates in the order of their choice.

After the votes were counted electronically, Returning Officer for Orkney John Mundell made the declaration that Heather Woodbridge had been elected as a Councillor for the North Isles.

The results in full giving the number of first preference votes for each candidate are:

Daniel James Adams – 42.

Coilla Anne Drake (Scottish Labour Party) – 158.

Claire Stevens (Independent) – 75.

Heather Woodbridge (Independent) – 638.

The vast majority of constituents opted to vote by post and there was a turnout of 50.7%.

Heather Woodbridge will join Graham Sinclair and Stephen Clackson as Councillors for the North Isles. The by-election was called after her father, Kevin Woodbridge, died earlier this year.

She said: “Thank you for this opportunity. I am so proud to the representing the North Isles as my father did before me.”