THREE community councils in Helensburgh and Lomond are back up and running after by-elections saw enough local residents put their names forward as members.

Cardross, Rosneath and Clynder, and Cove and Kilcreggan all fell into limbo following elections to all Argyll and Bute community councils in April – in which too few candidates stood in each area to even form a quorum.

But by-elections organised by Argyll and Bute Council have now seen enough residents step up to the plate in all three areas to enable the local groups to be re-formed.

Elected unopposed to Rosneath and Clynder Community Council are Edward Bell, Alistair Cameron, Warren Crew, Shirley Dalziel, Garry Freeburn, Heather Garden, John Izatt, Morevain Martin and former convener Ken Smith.

Cove and Kilcreggan Community Council has elected Kenneth Barlas, Graham Barr, Kim Cleminson, former convener Nick Davies, Jane Gregory, Fiona Howard, Mark Irvine, Alan Pinder and Jonathan Ward.

And four members have been elected to Cardross Community Council – Michael Brown, Kenneth Chapman, Robert Irving and Alexander MacCuish.

The successful by-elections mean that all eight community councils in the Helensburgh and Lomond area are now back up and running.

But by-elections in three other areas of Argyll and Bute – in the Cowal communities of Ardentinny and Sandbank, and on the island of Lismore – failed to attract enough candidates at the second time of asking.

At a full meeting of Argyll and Bute Council last week, it was agreed to arrange a further round of by-elections in all three areas.