Representing our local community.

​There are various ways in which you can play your part in your community council.  Each community council must have a chairperson, a treasurer and a secretary, these are the office bearers. The office bearers are responsible for the efficient and effective operation of the community council. This doesn’t mean to say that the office bearers must do all the work, but they are responsible for making sure that everything is done according to the Scheme of Establishment for Community Councils.

​All members of the community council are equally responsible for the community council’s decisions and actions and may take on additional activities in support of the community council. The office bearers’ roles are described below, followed by an outline of other roles within a Community Council.

Meet your community councillors...

As per the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council's annual general meeting held on Monday 7th December 2020:

Chairperson
Joanna Coghill

Vice Chairperson
Allan Farquhar

Treasurer
Kimberly Miller-Rosie

Secretary (non-member)
​Jayden Alexander

​Members
Alastair Ferrier
Wendy Campbell
David Dunnett
Doreen Turner
Allan Bruce
​Frances Purves

Co-opted Members
Claire Mackenzie

Highland Councillor (delegate)
Cllr Andrew Sinclair

Chairperson

The chairperson can make a massive difference to the success of a community council. Meetings are key to the Community Council making decisions on what its priorities are and what work it has to do.  The chairperson is responsible for ensuring that discussions are productive and run on-time, and that clear action points are set.

Treasurer

​The Treasurer is responsible for handling the community council’s finances.  It is his or her responsibility to ensure that the finances are kept healthy and the community council does not get into debt. The Treasurer must oversee all financial administration and transactions of the community council, and make decisions regarding these.

Secretary

The Secretary ensures the smooth running of the community council by organising meetings, setting the agenda and keeping minutes and records.ﾠSecretaries also ensure effective communication between committee members and is the first point of contact.

Members

All members of the community council are called community councillors, this includes the office bearers. The secretary however, is a non-member of the council. Therefore he or she is not entitled to an opinion or vote on council matters and is not classed as a community councillor.

​You will notice that a Highland Councillor also sits on the committee. They are a delegate from The Highland Council (their employer) in their capacity as Highland councillors for their local district. Altogether there are four councillors for the Wick and East Caithness district. Each community council has a Highland councillor who is delegated to their committee. This alternates every four months. Highland councillors are not entitled to a vote or opinion on community council matters, however are there for support and advice; and are a good source of contact between the community council and Highland Council.

Members to the community council are elected every four years, this is run by The Elections Office under the Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils. If there are less candidates than seats, then no election will be held. If the membership of the council falls to less than half the the council will not operate until enough members. Maximum membership is thirteen, the lowest being seven.

Caithness has the most community councils, all with an active status.

We are proud, as a county, to have the most community councils in Scotland, all currently active and working for the benefit of their communities. We are overseen by the Association of Caithness Community Councils, the association has representatives from each council. For more information, visit ​The Highland Council.

- Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council
- Thurso Community Council
- Caithness West Community Council
- Tannach and District Community Council
- Bower Community Council
- Latheron, Lybster and Clyth Community Council
- Sinclair's Bay Community Council
- Berriedale and Dunbeath Community Council
- Castletown Community Council
​- Halkirk and District Community Council