 | 'If you think taxation without representation is bad, you should know how bad it is with representation.' Old farmer's almanac. |  |
| 'If you think taxation without representation is bad, you should know how bad it is with representation.' Old farmer's almanac. | |
The three island groups of Shetland Islands, Orkney Islands and Western Isles have had unitary councils since the local government reorganisation in May 1974. The last elections to Shetland Council were held on the 5 th of May 1994, on the same day as the last Regional Council election. 16 Independents, 6 Shetland Movement, 2 Liberal Democrats, 1 Labour and 1 Independent labour councillors were returned.
In April 1995 Mr P. Guy of the Shetland Movement was elected unopposed as representative of South Yell.
On the 14 th of November 1996, the Liberal Democrats gained their second seat in a row as Mr John Nicolson won South Yell from the Shetland Movement with over 60% of the vote. This takes the number of Liberal Democrat Councillors on Shetland Council up to 3.
A retired Shetland council director won a landslide victory for the Liberal Democrats in the Yell South by-election last night (THURS).
John P. Nicolson's victory was announced in the Mid Yell school hall by council chief executive Malcolm Green, whose management style the successful candidate recently described as 'harsh and brutal'.
Just four months ago Mr Green disciplined Mr Nicolson over alleged procedural irregularities when he was Shetland Islands Council's director of leisure and recreation. The local government union, Unison, described the council's treatment of Mr Nicolson as 'little short of barbaric'.
Now Councillor Nicolson, a recent convert from Labour to the Lib Dems, will take his seat at the top table alongside councillors who refused to overturn the bitterly resented disciplinary finding.
In a 57 per cent poll of the 568 electors in Yell South, islanders gave Mr Nicolson 217 votes, 63 per cent. Runner-up with 94 votes was Shetland Movement candidate Sandy Cluness, reporter to the Shetland Children's Panel and a councillor in the 1980s. Yell resident Allan Ogden, independent, trailed third with 29 votes.
After shaking hands with Mr Green, Mr Nicolson said: 'It's a splendid climax to a wonderful week's campaigning in Yell. I'm honoured to be given the job and I'll give it all the time it needs.
'I hope to spread the Liberal Democrats' presence in the town hall.'
Mr Nicolson's win brings the Lib Dems Shetland council seats to three. His colleague Peter Malcolmson, another council director who took up politics after retirement, was among the first to congratulate him.
The party is currently trying to recruit Independent councillors to form a new Lib Dem caucus on the 26-member council, which is under Independent control, although chaired by a declared Labour supporter, Convener Lewis Smith. There are two Labour, one Independent Labour and three Shetland Movement members.
| 14 th November 1996 | 5 th May 1994 | ||||||
| John Nicolson |  | 217 | 63.8% | P. Guy | Shet Mov | unopposed | 0.0% |
| Sandy Cluness | Shet Mov | 94 | 27.6% | ||||
| Allan Ogden | Ind | 29 | 8.6% | ||||
| Lib Dem gain from Shet Mov | Lib Dem maj. | 123 | 36.2% | Shet Mov gain | Shet Mov maj. | 0 | 0.0% |
Return to home page