The Outer Hebrides or Western Isles, sometimes known as the Long Isle or Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland. The islands are geographically coextensive with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. They form part of the archipelago of the Hebrides, separated from the Scottish mainland and from the Inner Hebrides by the waters of the Minch, the Little Minch, and the Sea of the Hebrides.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is the local government council for Na h-Eileanan Siar council area of Scotland. It is based in Stornoway in the Isle of Lewis.
Na h-Eileanan an Iar, formerly Western Isles, is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, created in 1918. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
Gravir, is a village on the shore of Loch Odhairn in the Park district of the Isle of Lewis. Gravir is within the parish of Lochs. There is a Free Church, a school and a voluntary fire station in the village. There is also a pier. Most of the plots of land used to be used for crofting, but this has declined in the last 50 years. The road leading to the village is the B8060, and continues on to Orinsay and Lemreway.
The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1997 enables local councils in Scotland to rename the areas for which they are responsible with Gaelic names. It enables them also to revert to names in English. The act was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
Elections to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar were held on 3 May 2007, the same day as the other Scottish local government elections and the Scottish Parliament general election. The election was the first one using 9 new wards created as a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, each ward elected three or four councillors using the single transferable vote system form of proportional representation. The new wards replaced 31 single-member wards which used the plurality system of election.
Elections to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar were held on 3 May 2012, the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. The election was the second one using the 9 wards created as a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004. Each ward elected three or four Councillors using the single transferable vote system: a form of proportional representation. A total of 31 Councillors were elected.
An election to the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar was held on 1 May 2003 as part of the wider 2003 Scottish local elections.
Elections to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar were held on 4 May 2017, the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. The election was the third one using the nine wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004. Each ward elected three or four Councillors using the single transferable vote system: a form of proportional representation. A total of 31 Councillors were elected.
Barraigh, Bhatarsaigh, Eirisgeigh agus Uibhist a Deas is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects four Councillors.
Beinn Na Foghla agus Uibhist a Tuath is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects three Councillors.
Sgir’ Uige agus Ceann a Tuath Nan Loch is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects three Councillors.
Sgire an Rubha is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects three Councillors.
Steòrnabhagh a Deas is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects four Councillors.
Steòrnabhagh a Tuath is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects four Councillors.
Loch a Tuath is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects three Councillors.
An Taobh Siar agus Nis is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects four Councillors.
Elections to the Orkney Islands Council were held on 5 May 2022, the same day as the 31 other Scottish local government elections. The election used the six wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with 21 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the STV electoral system.
Elections to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar took place on 5 May 2022 on the same day as the 31 other Scottish local government elections. The election was the first to use the nine wards created under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 which allowed for single and dual member wards, with 29 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 2, 3 or 4 members, using the Single Transferrable Vote electoral system, a form of proportional representation. Following a boundary review the number of wards will increase from nine to 11 while the number of councillors elected will fall from 31 to 29.
The Vatersay Causeway is a 250-metre-long causeway that links the Scottish Hebridean Islands of Vatersay and Barra across the Sound of Vatersay.
