Shetland Islands Council area - Review of Electoral Arrangements Public Consultation

Results updated 23 Jul 2025

The Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 required us to review the six councils containing inhabited islands, which included Shetland Islands Council area.

We reviewed and consulted on, between Sept. – Nov. 2019, the number of councillors and ward boundaries for Shetland Islands Council area.

One of the main reasons we undertake reviews is that the population, and therefore the electorate, of any local authority area is constantly changing, with migration into or out of areas as well as within the same area. As a result of these changes, some councillors may represent considerably more or fewer electors than other councillors in the same council area. The Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 introduced the use of one or two member wards where a ward containing an inhabited island, in addition to the current multi-member ward system.

What happened next

The recommendations were adopted for the local government elections in May 2022. We will next review the electoral arrangements for Shetland Islands Council area by 2036.

Links:

• Final Report
• News Release - 31 May 2021