Reminder to those eligible to vote in Cairngorms National Park Election

Voters in Wards 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the Cairngorms National Park Election have until 4pm on Thursday, 19 March 2015 to return their postal votes for a community representative to serve their areas on the Cairngorms National Park Authority Board.

In Ward 4, no poll will take place, and the uncontested candidate will be declared to be elected to the Cairngorms National Park Authority Board on the day of election at the Aviemore count.

The total electorate is 14,867 and 13,844 voters in Wards 1, 2, 3 and 5 have until 4pm on Thursday 19 March to return their ballot papers in the pre-paid envelope provided to them and votes will be counted that evening.

Voters who wish to return their completed postal ballot paper by hand no later than 4pm on the last day (19 March) must deliver them as follows:

• Wards 1, 2 and 3 only to Highland Council Offices, Ruthven Road, Kingussie, PH21 1EJ
• Ward 5 only to the Cairngorm National Park Authority office, Albert Memorial Hall, Station Square, Ballater, AB35 5QB

The counts will commence at 5pm at:

• Aviemore Community Centre for Wards 1, 2, and 3; and
• Victoria and Albert Halls, Station Square, Ballater for Ward 5.

There is a two-way contest in Ward 1, three-way contests in Wards 2 and 3; and a four-way contest in Ward 5.

Candidates may provide the Returning Officer – Steve Barron, Chief Executive of The Highland Council – with a statement containing their perspective on matters relating to the Park. These statements accompany the ballot papers and are also online at www.highland.gov.uk/cnpa.

In Moray (Ward 4) Eleanor Christina Mackintosh, Tombreckachie Farm, Glenlivet, Ballindalloch has been elected to the board as a community representative, being the only person to return a valid nomination form by the deadline of 11 February 2015.

At 4,528 square kilometres the Cairngorms National Park is Britain's largest National Park. The Cairngorms National Park Authority's board comprises 19 members. Scottish Ministers appoint seven members, another seven are nominated to the board by the five councils in the Park area - Highland (2), Aberdeenshire (2), Moray (1), Angus (1) and Perth & Kinross (1) - and five are elected locally. The members will serve between 18 months and four years. All board members serve on the CNPA planning committee.