Education Director For Highland Announces His Retiremment Date

22nd April 2014

Mr Hugh Fraser, the Director of The Highland Council’s Education Culture and Sport Service, has announced his intention to retire later in the year.

Mr Fraser, who will be 60 in July, will retire at the end of September after more than 37 years service as a teacher and in education management.

He has given early notice to enable the new Care and Learning Service to take shape. This sees the merger of the Education Culture and Sport Service with Health and Social Care Services from 28 April. Mr Bill Alexander, presently Director of Heath and Social Care, will become the Director of Care and Learning.

Mr Fraser and Mr Alexander will continue working together over the coming months and until Mr Fraser’s retirement, to ensure the success of the integration of the two Services.

The Education Culture and Sport Service is the biggest spending Service in the Council with a budget of £235 million. The Council runs 176 primary, 29 secondary and four special schools, involving 2,700 teaching staff educating 30,700 children.

From Bunchrew, near Inverness, Mr Fraser was educated at Kirkton Primary School, near Inverness, and Inverness Royal Academy and taught in schools in East Lothian, Midlothian and Edinburgh after graduating from Edinburgh University.
He returned to the Highlands in 1988 as assistant divisional education officer for Inverness with Highland Regional Council. Mr Fraser has held a number of posts within the Council. Before becoming Director in 2007, he was Head of Support Services.

Wick councillor Bill Fernie who was chairman of the Education Culture and Sport Committee of Highland council for over four years up to May 2012 said, "Hugh Fraser led the Education, Culture and Sport department tthrough many changes and latterly in a time of reducing budgets maintained a high level of activity within the department. He was always extermely helpful to me in my role as chairman offering sound advice for many situations. He was always willing to share hsi experience and expertise and Highland was the better for it."