THE date of the by-election to select a new councillor for West Dunbartonshire’s Kilpatrick ward has been confirmed.

It comes after outgoing councillor Douglas McAllister resigned from his position to focus on his new role as the area's member of parliament.

Polls open on Thursday, November 28.

Voting will get underway from 7am on the date, with polling places remaining open until the vote closes at 10pm.

The count will take place immediately after the polls close, with a declaration as soon as possible thereafter.

The deadline to apply to be registered ahead of the poll is November 12.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote is November 13 at 5pm and for a proxy vote it is 5pm on November 20.

Residents are being encouraged to check they are registered to vote before the deadline to ensure they can have their say on who they want to represent them on a range of local issues.

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The by-election will use the Single Transferrable Vote (STV) system, which asks voters to mark their candidates in numerical order of preference.

The notice of candidates standing will be published at close of nominations at the end of October

Returning officer, Peter Hessett, said: “It is extremely important that residents in the Kilpatrick ward use their vote.

“The successful candidate elected as a Councillor will make decisions on behalf of residents about local services including roads, parks, schools and planning.

“If you are unsure whether you are on the electoral register, contact the electoral registration office on 0141 562 1200 and, if necessary, complete the forms online which will take just a few minutes.

“In addition, any resident who will require a postal or proxy vote should apply now to ensure this is place in advance of the deadline."