11 December 2011 Last updated at 04:34 ET

Highland Council sets out election plans

Running local authority elections in Highland will require an army of 660 staff and cost £350,000, it has been calculated.

Voting will take place across the area and also the rest of Scotland on 3 May next year.

Highland Council will hold an electronic count of ballot papers at Inverness Sports Centre the following day.

The local authority also expects to handle about 27,000 postal votes.

About 60 employees will be needed at the Inverness count, according to a report to councillors.

Council officers said the staff would have to be trained in the use of electronic equipment before the election.

Volunteers would also be sought from the local authority's workforce to fill 600 posts at polling stations across the Highlands.