Council Leader writes to Minister pressing for early meeting to discuss Boundary Commission proposals
6th November 2020
The Leader of The Highland Council, Councillor Margaret Davidson, has written to Kevin Stewart MSP, Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning to raise concerns following the publication of proposals by the Local Government Boundary Commission and to call for a meeting to fully discuss the issue.
The Council established a Cross Council Working Group of members to consider these proposals. This group strongly felt that the changes proposed by the Boundary Commission fail to recognise the specific Highland context, particularly in relation to parity, sparsity, rurality and deprivation and, if implemented, would result in a significant democratic deficit and in a way that is at odds with the purpose of the boundary review which was meant to be specifically focused on reflecting the requirements of the Islands (Scotland) Act.
In particular the Council wishes to see a lift of the cap on total Councillor numbers and the provision of greater discretion in the application of parity ratios. At a Council meeting held in September to discuss the issue this view was endorsed across the Chamber and it was agreed that the council reject the Boundary Commission proposals in their entirety as they stand and instead contact the Minister to seek a review of the Commissions remit in regard to rural local authorities.
Councillor Margaret Davidson said: "I have written informing the Minister of the position of the Council which is that we did not accept that the number of Highland councillors should reduce at all and indeed, in some wards there was a very strong case to increase the numbers. We don't feel that enough consideration has been given to the requirements we have here in Highland as a very large Local Authority with a significant geographical area that has a mixture of urban, rural and island wards."
The letter explains that, as things currently stand, there was no way that the Highland Council could engage in the detail of the Commission's proposals when the overall approach and outcome of the Review is wrong in principle.
The Council Leader added: "The Council’s view is that the Boundary Commission has taken little account of the effect on remote and rural areas when putting forward their proposals so it important we are able to put forward a strong case to reject proposals and the methodology used and lobby Scottish Ministers to increase the number of Councillors for Highland. It is vital that the geography, remoteness, travel time and spread of population within an area and the importance we give to localism is fully taken into account by the Boundary Commission.
“I have asked for an early meeting with the Minister so we can discuss this matter in detail and I hope this happens soon."
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Wick Business Park has welcomed wind energy technology company ENERCON as the first occupant of one of four new units completed last year. ENERCON specialises in designing, producing, installing and servicing onshore wind turbines and has been operating in the Caithness area since 2013.
Additional empty homes officers are being recruited to bring more privately owned houses back into use. The new posts are being supported as part of a £2 million investment through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership in 2025-26 which will see staff take a more proactive and targeted approach to tackling local housing issues.
The Highland Strategic Local Action Group (LAG) met in June 2025 and considered and agreed funding for 28 projects submitted to the Community-Led Local Development fund (CLLD), which makes up part of The Highland Council Community Regeneration Fund (CRF) programme. CRF is an umbrella term used to cover multiple external funding programmes administered by The Highland Council.
Highland Council has provided 12 ‘Talking Tub' resources for use in primary schools across the Highlands, in partnership with Union Technical who deliver community benefits as part of the Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme programme. Chair of Highland Council's Education Committee, Councillor John Finlayson, said: "This is a fantastic initiative being rolled out across Highland primary schools which brings innovation and inspiration to early years children.
Visitors will find it easier to dispose of their litter at several popular spots across Highland after the rollout of additional bins. The rollout has been planned to support the tourism season as part of the Council's ongoing commitment to improve and support sustainable tourism in the area.
Members of the meeting of The Highland Council (26 June 2025) have considered and agreed the Accounts Commission's Best Value report, which was published in April 2025 and highlights organisational improvements across leadership, performance management and community engagement. In April’s report, the Accounts Commission recognised and welcomed significant progress within the organisation since the 2020 Best Value Assurance Report (BVAR) and commended the embedded culture of transformation.
A new generation of community facilities is being planned for the Highlands. At a meeting of The Highland Council (Thursday 26 June), elected members approved the work to date in progressing the Highland Investment Plan workstreams - masterplan for Thurso and agreed to nominate the current Thurso High School site as the preferred location for the new Thurso Community Point of Delivery (POD).
At a meeting of The Highland Council (Thursday 26 June 2025), Members received a progress report on the partnership approach and important successes since declaring a Highland Housing Challenge in November 2023. Since establishing the ambitious Highland Housing Challenge, important successes included: A call for sites delivered 250 sites, with a potential 25,000 housing units which will support delivery against the target of an additional 12,000 houses over the next 10 years.
The Highland Council will deliver a transformative programme of energy efficiency upgrades across Council housing supported by a £9.2 million Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding proposal secured by Union Technical. The funding proposal will deliver approximately 1,000 individual energy efficiency measures to Council owned properties across the Highlands.
As part of the Highland Council's celebration of Refugee Week - 16 to 22 June - we are delighted to announce that a sharing of photographs, taken by separated young people seeking asylum living within the Highlands, is to be shown at Eden Court Arts Centre, Inverness. Look to See, which ties in with the theme for this year’s Refugee Week - Community as a Superpower - emerges out of a collaboration between multiple agencies working alongside separated young people seeking asylum, embodying the importance of community and connection, when looking to support all young people in the Highlands.