1st February 2018
The former Wick High School has now been put up for sale by auction with a guide price of £50,000. Full details can be found here
Imagine a dedicated employee logs into their bank account on payday, only to find it completely empty. When they contact HR, the records show their salary was successfully processed but sent to an entirely different bank account.
The Highland Council’s newly unveiled Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2027–2032 paints a glossy, optimistic picture of the region's future. It promises a steady pipeline of 700 affordable homes a year, framed alongside a booming £10–£16 billion "Growth Deal" linked to green freeports and renewable energy expansion.
Highland Council is forecasting expenditure of almost £75 million on its housing capital programme during 2026/27, against an original budget of nearly £84 million, as rising building costs, project delays and the availability of additional government funding influence its investment plans. A Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital monitoring report, covering expenditure to 31 August 2026, is being considered by the Housing and Property Committee on 4 November.
Highland Council is making progress on a range of housing and property projects, but rising construction costs, shortages of contractors and uncertainty over future funding continue to threaten delivery. A progress report covering the second quarter of 2026/27 is being considered by the Housing and Property Committee on 4 November.
Highland Council is stepping up its efforts to bring long-term empty properties back into residential use, but early results from its £1 million Empty Homes Challenge Fund suggest that turning the policy into actual homes may prove more difficult than anticipated. A report going before the Council's Housing and Property Committee on 4 November provides an update on the strategy introduced in November 2025.
The number of people presenting as homeless in the Highlands has reached its highest level in three years, highlighting the growing pressure on housing services despite some encouraging performance figures from Highland Council. A report covering the six months from April to September 2026 is being considered by the Council's Housing and Property Committee on 4 November.
Highland Council has set out an ambitious vision for the economic future of the Highlands, with the possibility of attracting between £10 billion and £16 billion of public and private investment over the next 25 years. On paper, it is an impressive prospect.
The Caithness Area Committee which met (Monday 2 November 2026) has approved six applications submitted to the Community Regeneration Fund (CRF). This approval securing significant investment to support local projects that will benefit communities across the north.
From the loss of a direct bus link to Inverness to uncertainty over rural broadband, a difficult council budget and the future of community organisations, the past week has provided plenty for Caithness residents to think about. But there have also been celebrations, local achievements and signs of community spirit.
Highland Council is facing another difficult financial challenge, with councillors being told that a further £39.2 million in savings must be found over the next three years to balance the authority's finances. The announcement, made at the full council meeting on 29 October 2026, represents a substantial deterioration in the financial outlook.
