New Shetland Islands Council could be announced by noon

Depute returning officer Anne Cogle, returning officer Jan Riise, and IT manager Will Gregory at Lerwick Town Hall. Photo: Dave Donaldson

The make-up of the new Shetland Islands Council is expected to be confirmed by as early as noon today (Friday) after voting came to a close last night.

After weeks of busy campaigning from candidates the final count could take just three hours to return results.

Two wards – North Isles and Shetland North – have already been declared as there were too few candidates to call an election.

Votes in the other five wards will be counted at Lerwick Town Hall in three sections this morning. 

Shetland West is up first at around 9.15am.

Shetland Central and Shetland South are expected to start at around 10am.

Lerwick North and Bressay and Lerwick South are due to begin at 11am.

Returning officer Jan Riise said he expected all declarations to be made by dinner time.

He has been running elections in Shetland, along with depute returning officer Anne Cogle, since 1999, and said it was now like a “well oiled machine”.

The Shetland Times website will be posting results of all the results as they are announced.