Council Director to step down
29th November 2013
Mr Neil Gillies, The Highland Council’s Director of Transport Environmental and Community Services, has announced his decision to retire from the Council, with effect from the end of January, next year.
Mr Gillies joined the former Highland Regional Council in 1978 and worked on a wide range of civil engineering projects including roads, bridges, harbours and coast protection works, and road maintenance.
He was appointed as Head of Roads and Community Works in 2002, in the newly formed Transport, Environmental and Community Services, which saw three Council Services being brought together.
The step up to Director of TECS came in 2006, when he took on responsibility for the full range of services including waste management, roads and transport, harbours, environmental health and trading standards.
Challenges over the past seven years included the transformation of the Council’s waste collection service, delivering major civil engineering projects across the Highlands, including lifeline roads in Skye, Lochaber and Sutherland and major flood prevention works in Inverness.
Mr Gillies will leave as the Council introduces a new Service structure, with five new Services replacing the existing 7. The responsibilities of Transport Environmental and Community Services will be taken over by two new Services –Capital and Development and Community Services.
Stuart Black, Director of Planning and Development, will be taking up the position of Director of Capital and Development.
Community Services is a new Service and the Council has today (Friday) advertised for a Director to shape a service that will deliver front line services, such as housing, waste management, community works, cleaning, transport, roads and winter maintenance, environmental health, emergency planning, harbours and street lighting.
Meanwhile, the Council has appointed Michelle Morris to take on additional duties as Depute Chief Executive, deputising for Chief Executive Steve Barron during his absence. Ms Morris, who was Assistant Chief Executive, joined the Council in early 2008 from the City and County of Swansea Council. She will assume the title of Director of Corporate Development in the new Service structure.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Yesterday
Council welcomes Visitor Levy flexibility plan
The Highland Council welcomes moves by the Scottish Government to introduce greater flexibility on how it could design a Visitor Levy Scheme for consultation. The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 currently provides local authorities with discretionary powers to implement percentage-based levies following statutory consultation.Yesterday
Highland Council is reaching out for views to shape its next 26/27 budget.
As it looks to set out its forthcoming priorities, the council is seeking involvement from members of the public, including businesses, community groups, parents, and young people. All their opinions are going to be crucial in deciding how Highland Council will take on its budget challenge for 2026-2027.Yesterday
Have your say in Thurso's future £100million investment by attending public consultation events
Thurso is to benefit from £100m investment in education and community facilities and are rolling out the first phase of public consultations on 9 and 10 December 2025. The Highland Council is inviting people that live, work, or study in Thurso, to come along to the public consultation events to have their say; this is an opportunity to help shape the future of Thurso, to gather views and ideas.2/12/2025
Finding new owners for empty homes - Scheme launched to help return more empty homes to active use
A new online portal has been launched to bring empty homeowners together with prospective buyers or developers with the aim of facilitating more properties to be used as homes again. Covering the whole of Scotland, this builds on the success of local pilots, referred to as "matchmaker schemes".1/12/2025
Consideration for short term let control area in Skye and Raasay
Steps towards introducing a short term let control area have been considered by Highland Council's Isle of Skye and Raasay area committee. On Monday (1 December 2025) the committee heard evidence to justify the grounds for the introduction of a Short Term Let Control Area covering all or part of Skye and Raasay.28/11/2025
Workforce North event spotlights Highland economy
EMPLOYERS and educators from across the Highlands have gathered to hear how a new initiative is aiming to transform the region's economy. Workforce North - A Call to Action brought together business leaders and teachers from primary and secondary schools from across the Highland Council area with a wide range of partners geared towards education, learning and skills development at Strathpeffer Pavillion.
27/11/2025
Council calls for meaningful engagement from Home Office Over 300 Asylum Seekers Being Sent to Inverness
The Highland Council continues to call for meaningful engagement from the Home Office over its plans to temporarily accommodate up to 300 adult male asylum seekers at Cameron Barracks, Inverness. It follows an email on Monday from Alex Norris MP, Minister for Border Security and Asylum, to Council Leader, Raymond Bremner, which failed to answer questions raised by the Council or address community concerns.27/11/2025
SSEN Transmission becomes first signatory to Highland Social Value Charter
SSEN Transmission has become the first company to sign up to the Highland Social Value Charter (HSVC), marking a significant milestone in delivering long-term socio-economic benefits for communities across the Highlands. Investment commitments from the company include funding for roads, new homes, jobs, and work for local contractors in addition to a local and regional fund for communities to apply to.25/11/2025
Wick - Aberdeen PSO - Update issued 24/11/2025
The Highland Council continues to work through the procurement process for the provision of the Wick Public Service Obligation for the Highland Council. We have now entered the preferred bidder stage and have entered a standstill period.25/11/2025
Highland Council winter road condition and school closure report for 25 November 2025
Maps of the Council's gritting routes by priority and policy are available online at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting (external link) The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Our Social Media
