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
As intimated in Highland Council's budget plan, a new senior management structure is to be implemented following approval by Council 14th March. It reconfigures the senior management team into two layers, rather than three and brings Highland Council into line with other benchmarked authorities.
Today, Morrison Construction introduced some of their local apprentices who are working on the UK Governments' Levelling Up Funded refurbishment project at the Northern Meeting Park in Inverness. All these apprentices have been recruited from the Highland area.
The by-election to elect a councillor to represent Ward 19 - Inverness South on The Highland Council has been won by Duncan Cameron McDonald - Independent who was one of the eight candidates who contested the vacancy. Voters in the ward went to the poll yesterday (Thursday 11 April) and the by-election count was held this morning in The Highland Council Headquarters in Inverness.
The Technology Placement Programme offers funding to businesses in the Highland Council area to cover up to 70% of the cost of employing a student or graduate. The Technology Placement Programme offers funding to businesses in the Highland Council area to cover up to 70% of the cost of employing a student or graduate.
Following the success of its Business Digital Grant scheme launched last year, The Highland Council is delighted to announce further funding. This is to help Highland companies access digital support alongside other business growth support.
The Highland Council is delighted to confirm a highly successful second year for Public Service Obligation (PSO) flights between Wick and Aberdeen. The period from April 2023 to March 2024 has seen a substantial increase in passenger numbers, with several months seeing over 1,000 passengers using the service, and overall the service has seen year on year growth of 25%.
Members of Highland Council, who met on Thursday 14 March 2024, approved a corporate Digital Ambition, which has been designed to deliver significant organisational change across Council services, recognising the current priorities within the organisation. The Strategy, which is embedded within the wider Council Delivery Plan, has been developed to focus attention and resources on areas of change which will deliver the greatest benefit to the Council.
The Council remains committed to supporting mentoring in our schools, including the support that is currently delivered through the MCR Pathways programme. Highland Council is currently undertaking a review of Employability Support provided by a number of different council services and how these relate to the work carried out by external partners and in our schools.
Highland Council members have considered and agreed a revised draft Highland Outcome Improvement Plan. The partnership plan has been reviewed and updated by the Community Planning Partnership.
Members at today's (14 March 2024) meeting of The Highland Council agreed the local authority's new draft Community Wealth Building Strategy. They were also asked to note that a period of public engagement on the draft will now begin, with a final strategy returning to full Council for consideration in September.
