Ward Forums across Highland focus on Police and Fire Services
19th August 2013
A series of 19 Highland Council Ward forums are being held across the Highlands to seek the views of the public on local police and fire services.
The first meetings are being held at Portree and Golspie on Monday 2 September and they run until 30 October.
Council Leader Councillor Drew Hendry said: �The Council works closely with both Police and Fire Services to help ensure that Highland communities are as safe as possible. We�re pleased to provide a platform for our partners to consult on their community plans.�
Chief Superintendent Julian Innes of Police Scotland said: �This is a partnership approach to engagement with local Highland communities. We look forward to listening to people�s views on how their local services are targeted.�
Scott Hay, Area Manager for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service added: �Public sector organisations work most effectively when they work in partnership. We�ll continue to work together to keep communities safe.�
The meetings are on:
2 September 2013 at 2pm - The Chamber, Tigh na Sgire, Portree.
2 September 2013 at 7.30pm - Golspie Community Centre.
9 September 2013 at 7.30 pm - Mackays Hotel, Union Street, Wick.
10 Sep 2013 at 7.00pm - Stratherrick Hall, Gorthleck.
12 September 2013 at 7.00pm - Kinmylies Church.
12 September 2013 at 7.30pm - Alness heritage Centre, Alness.
16 September 2013 at 7.00 pm - Garve Hall.
17 Sep 2013 at 7.00pm - Phipps Hall, Beauly.
18 September 2013 at 7.00pm - Aviemore Community Centre, Aviemore.
19 September 2013 at 7.00pm - Hilton Community Centre.
23 September 2013 at 7.00 pm - Dornie Hall.
24 September 2013 at 7.00pm - Town House, Inverness.
26 September 2013 at 7.00pm - Inshes Primary School, Inshes.
1 October 2013 at 7.00pm - Town House, Inverness.
3 October 2013 at 6.00pm - Leanaig Centre, Ben Wyvis Primary School, Conon Bridge.
7 October 2013 7pm-9pm - Caol Community Centre, Caol, Fort William.
26 October 2013 at 11.00am - Lairg Community Centre.
29 October 2013 at 7.00pm - Culloden Academy, Culloden.
30 October 2013 at 7.30pm - Nigg Village Hall, Nigg.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
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.
The annual Highland Youth Parliament (HYP) conference will take place at Inverness Leisure and Canal Park, Inverness on Friday (13th June 2025). Highland young people are focusing on future youth voices and what they would like a future Highland to look like.