27th October 2026
The council has legal responsibilities to support Gaelic, but with budgets stretched and services facing difficult choices. Residents are entitled to ask how priorities are decided across the Highlands.
Highland Council is advertising a new community engagement officer post connected with Gaelic, prompting a familiar question in parts of the Highlands where the language is not widely spoken: should the council be increasing expenditure on promoting Gaelic when other services and jobs may be under pressure?
The question is particularly relevant in Caithness, where residents have raised concerns about the loss of public-sector employment, pressure on local services and the tendency for decisions affecting the Highlands to be shaped by priorities elsewhere.
This is not necessarily an argument against Gaelic. Scotland's languages are part of its cultural heritage, and communities where Gaelic remains an everyday language have legitimate reasons to want it protected. The issue is how Highland Council balances those responsibilities against the many other demands on its budget.
A new post for Gaelic
The advertised community engagement officer position is for 35 hours a week on a fixed-term contract of 18 months. The salary is £41,423 to £44,899 a year.
At those salary rates, the basic salary cost over 18 months would be approximately £62,000 to £67,000, before employer pension contributions, National Insurance, travel and other employment expenses.
The successful applicant will help with community engagement connected with the designation of Areas of Linguistic Significance under the Scottish Languages Act 2025.
The council has identified Skye and Raasay as the first area to be considered because it is the only Highland electoral ward meeting the statutory threshold based on the 2022 Census figures. The legislation requires areas meeting the relevant criteria to be considered within the prescribed timescale, and the council must complete its consideration of Skye and Raasay by 1 September 2027.
Councillor Drew Millar, chair of Highland Council's Gaelic Committee, has said that the work will involve engaging with local people, organisations and partners to understand how Gaelic is used and how it can be supported for future generations.
The council also intends to consider other areas under wider criteria once the statutory phase has been completed.
That is a legitimate public-policy objective. But it also raises questions about how much the programme will eventually cost and what resources will be needed to carry it forward.
The budget problem
Highland Council, like other Scottish local authorities, faces significant financial pressures. Its budget forecasts have identified a gap of £16.3 million for 2026/27, with further financial challenges expected beyond that year.
When councils face funding gaps, they must consider difficult choices involving staffing, service provision, charges, investment and the use of reserves. Even when a new post is relatively small in comparison with the overall budget, residents can reasonably ask how it fits into those choices.
The important question is whether the new appointment will be funded from existing council resources, a specific grant or another source of funding.
If external funding is available specifically for this work, and would not otherwise be available to support roads, social care or other services, the argument about competing priorities becomes different. A grant-funded post does not automatically release money for other services if the grant cannot be used for them.
If, however, the appointment requires additional council funding, the opportunity cost deserves closer examination.
The council should make that distinction clear rather than leaving residents to guess.
There is also a difference between meeting statutory responsibilities and choosing to expand a programme beyond what the law requires. The Scottish Languages Act establishes a framework for supporting Gaelic and Scots, but it does not follow that every possible promotional activity must receive additional funding regardless of other pressures.
Why does this matter in Caithness?
The Highlands are not a single, uniform community. Gaelic has a much stronger presence in some areas than others, and the council needs to recognise those differences when allocating resources.
The 2022 Census showed that 8.07 per cent of Highland's population aged three and over reported some Gaelic language skills. That figure covers a wide range of abilities, from some understanding of the language to speaking, reading or writing it. It does not mean that 8.07 per cent are fluent speakers.
In Skye and Raasay, Gaelic has a more substantial community presence, making the case for targeted engagement easier to understand.
In Caithness, residents may have different priorities. Roads, public transport, school provision, access to healthcare, economic development and the retention of public-sector jobs are all important concerns. Some residents may also question the money spent on Gaelic signs, promotional material and other initiatives when they rarely encounter the language in everyday life.
Those concerns should not be dismissed as hostility towards Gaelic. They reflect a wider question about how a geographically large council ensures that its spending decisions are fair to communities with different needs.
Equally, the fact that Gaelic is less widely spoken in Caithness does not automatically mean the area should receive no support for its historical or cultural connections with the language. The legislation permits consideration of areas on grounds beyond the present number of Gaelic speakers.
What matters is that decisions are evidence-based, transparent and proportionate.
What should the council explain?
There are several reasonable questions Highland Council could answer.
First, what is the full cost of the 18-month appointment, including employer contributions, travel and associated expenses?
Second, how will the post be funded? Is the money coming from a dedicated grant, an existing Gaelic budget or general council resources?
Third, which specific statutory responsibilities will the officer help the council fulfil, and what work would not be completed without the appointment?
Fourth, what results are expected at the end of the contract? Community engagement can be valuable, but residents should be able to see what has been achieved and what decisions have followed.
Finally, what provision has been made for any further work arising from the designation process? An 18-month appointment may be temporary, but the programme itself could create continuing demands on staff time and budgets.
These are ordinary questions of financial accountability. They would be just as relevant to a new post dealing with tourism, economic development, transport or any other policy area.
Protecting a language while protecting services
There is a genuine tension here. Gaelic has suffered a long decline in the number of people using it, and doing nothing could contribute to further loss. Support for language, education and community activity can have cultural and economic benefits that are not always captured by a simple calculation of immediate financial returns.
But councils cannot treat every worthwhile objective as an unlimited spending commitment. Their responsibilities extend to residents who may never use Gaelic services, as well as to those for whom the language is an important part of their identity.
Nor should the debate become a contest in which support for Gaelic is presented as being directly opposed to spending on roads, care or jobs. The funding arrangements matter, and the figures need to be established before drawing that conclusion.
The council should explain its priorities and demonstrate that it is making the best use of the resources available.
For Caithness residents, the broader issue is whether Highland Council gives adequate attention to the needs of every part of its area, rather than allowing particular initiatives to dominate while other local concerns remain unresolved.
Supporting Gaelic and maintaining essential public services are both legitimate objectives. The test is whether the council can explain, in financial and practical terms, how it intends to achieve both.
Residents should not have to choose between respecting Scotland's cultural heritage and asking sensible questions about public expenditure. A council operating under financial pressure should welcome those questions and answer them with clear figures, transparent funding arrangements and measurable objectives.
Should the council wait until after this years budget process has been completed when expectations are of further cuts and reductions?
The Council Press Release
Comhairle gus An t-Eilean Sgitheanach agus Ratharsair Ainmeachadh mar Sgìre Cànain Shònraichte
Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd gus An t-Eilean Sgitheanach agus Ratharsair Ainmeachadh mar Sgìre Cànain Shònraichte airson na Gàidhlig (translation follows)
Tha Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd ag obair gus an t-Eilean Sgitheanach agus Ratharsair ainmeachadh mar a’ chiad Sgìre Cànain Shònraichte (SCS) aice airson na Gàidhlig.
Tha a’ Chomhairle a-nis a’ fastadh Oifigear Com-pàirteachadh Coimhearsnachd airson cuideachadh gus na molaidhean a thoirt air adhart, agus obrachadh gu dìreach ri taobh choimhearsnachdan san dà eilean gus taic a thoirt do dhaoine, buidhnean is com-pàirtichean ionadail gus cleachdadh na Gàidhlig a neartachadh.
Tha am plana a’ co-thaobhadh ri gealltanas na comhairle, mar a chaidh aontachadh san Ògmhios, dòigh-obrach fhillte a ghabhail os làimh a thaobh a bhith ag ainmeachadh SCS sa Ghàidhealtachd.
’S e am miann againn obrachadh còmhla ri coimhearsnachdan air feadh na Gàidhealtachd gus fiosrachadh is fianais a thogail mu Sgìrean Cànain Sònraichte, a’ cur ri tuigse mu Achd nan Cànan Albannach 2025 agus a’ cur fiosrachadh ri molaidhean san àm ri teachd airson ainmeachadh a rèir nan slatan-tomhais reachdail agus pròiseasan Riaghaltas na h-Alba.
Thuirt Drew Mac a’ Mhuilleir, cathraiche Comataidh Gàidhlig Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd: “Tha cuid de na coimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig as làidire sa Ghàidhealtachd rin lorg san Eilean Sgitheanach agus Ratharsair, agus mar sin tha e iomchaidh gur e seo a’ chiad sgìre air a bheilear a’ beachdachadh airson ainmeachadh mar Sgìre Cànain Shònraichte fon reachdas ùr.
“Tha com-pàirteachadh coimhearsnachd na phrìomh phàirt de phròiseas a bheir seachad cothroman cudromach gus obrachadh gu dlùth le daoine, buidhnean is com-pàirtichean ionadail airson tuigse nas fheàrr fhaighinn air mar a thathar a’ cleachdadh na Gàidhlig an-diugh agus mar as urrainn dhuinn taic a chur ri fàs leantainneach a’ chànain airson nan ginealaichean ri teachd.
“Ged a tha sinn an toiseach ag amas air na dleastanasan reachdail againn a choileanadh san Eilean Sgitheanach agus Ratharsair, tha seo na phàirt de mhiann nas fharsainge a’ Ghàidhlig a neartachadh is a bhrosnachadh air feadh na Gàidhealtachd, ag aithneachadh gu bheil an cànan a’ cur tabhartas cultarach, sòisealta is eaconamach ris na coimhearsnachdan againn.”
Fo shlatan-tomhais reachdail an Achd, ma tha sgìre sam bith ag aithris gu bheil sgilean Gàidhlig aig co-dhiù 20 sa cheud dhen t-sluagh, feumar beachdachadh oirre airson ainmeachadh taobh a-staigh bliadhna.
Stèidhichte air dàta cunntas-sluaigh làithreach, ’s e an t-Eilean Sgitheanach agus Ratharsair an aon uàrd taghaidh sa Ghàidhealtachd a tha a’ coinneachadh na stairsnich seo aig an àm seo, agus mar thoradh, ’s e seo a’ chiad ìre dhen bhuileachadh agus a’ chiad amas a thaobh obair phròiseict SCS na comhairle.
Feumaidh Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd am beachdachadh aice air uàrd an Eilein Sgitheanaich agus Ratharsair a thoirt gu crìch gun a bhith nas anmoiche na 1 Sultain 2027.
Bidh ìrean às dèidh seo a’ beachdachadh air co-dhiù a dh’fhaodadh sgìrean eile taobh a-staigh na Gàidhealtachd a bhith air an ainmeachadh fo na slatan-tomhais ainmeachaidh neo-reachdail, le prìomhachasan, meud-comais is raointean-ama air an dearbhadh às dèidh dhan ìre reachdail a bhith air a coileanadh agus a rèir nan goireasan a tha rim faotainn, na fianais agus an stiùiridh nàiseanta.
Fon Achd, faodar sgìre ainmeachadh mar SCS ma tha i a’ coinneachadh aon a-mach à dà phrìomh chumha:
Tha àireamh shusbainteach de dhaoine le sgilean-cànain Gàidhlig san sgìre
Chan eil àireamh shusbainteach de dhaoine le sgilean-cànain Gàidhlig san sgìre ach tha ceangal eachdraidheil aice ri cleachdadh na Gàidhlig; thathar a’ teagasg agus ag ionnsachadh tron Ghàidhlig no tha deagh ìre de ghnìomhachd chultarach a’ buntainn ri cànan no cultar na Gàidhlig san sgìre.
Tha dàta Cunntas-sluaigh 2022 a’ sealltainn gu bheil 8.07 de shluagh na Gàidhealtachd a tha aois trì agus nas sine ag aithris gu bheil sgilean-cànain Gàidhlig aca.
Gheibhear fiosrachadh mun dreuchd Com-pàirteachadh Coimhearsnachd an seo: https://myjobscotland.gov.uk/councils/highland-council/jobs/community-engagement-officer-35hpw-fixed-term-18-months-highland-wide-494191
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Highland Council to make Skye and Raasay an Area of Linguistic Significance for Gaelic
Highland Council is working to designate Skye and Raasay as its very first Area of Linguistic Significance (ALS) for Gaelic.
The Council is now recruiting a Community Engagement Officer to help take forward the proposals, and work directly alongside communities in both islands to support local people, organisations and partners to strengthen Gaelic language use.
The plan aligns with the council’s commitment, as agreed in June, to take a layered approach towards the ALS designation in Highland.
Our ambition is to work with communities across Highland to identify and evidence areas of linguistic significance, supporting understanding of the Scottish Languages Act 2025 and informing future recommendations for designation in accordance with the statutory criteria and Scottish Government processes.
Cllr Drew Millar, chair of Highland Council’s Gaelic Committee, said: "Skye and Raasay has some of the strongest Gaelic-speaking communities in Highland, so it is fitting that they are the first area to be considered for designation as an Area of Linguistic Significance under the new legislation.
"Community engagement is a key part of a process that will provide important opportunities to work closely with local people, organisations and partners to better understand how Gaelic is used today and how we can support its continued growth for future generations.
"While our immediate focus is on meeting our statutory responsibilities in Skye and Raasay, this forms part of a wider ambition to strengthen and promote Gaelic all across Highland, recognising the language's cultural, social and economic contribution to our communities."
Under the act’s statutory criteria, any area where 20 per cent or more of the population reports Gaelic skills must be considered for designation within one year.
Based on current census data, Skye and Raasay is the only electoral ward in Highland meeting this threshold and, as a result, forms phase one of implementation and the immediate focus of the council’s ALS project activity.
The Highland Council must complete its consideration of the Skye and Raasay ward no later than 1 September 2027.
Subsequent phases will consider the potential designation of other areas within Highland under the non-statutory designation criteria, with prioritisation, scope and timescales to be determined following completion of the statutory phase and in line with available resources, evidence and national guidance.
Under the Act, an area may be designated as an ALS if it meets one of two primary conditions:
The area contains a significant number of people with Gaelic language skills
The area does not contain a significant number of Gaelic speakers but demonstrates a Historical connection with the use of Gaelic; has provision of teaching and learning through the Gaelic language or significant activity relating to Gaelic language or culture.
The 2022 Census data shows that 8.07 percent of Highland’s population aged three and over report some Gaelic language skills.
Details of the Community Engagement Post can be found here: https://myjobscotland.gov.uk/councils/highland-council/jobs/community-engagement-officer-35hpw-fixed-term-18-months-highland-wide-494191