Highland (council area)
This article is about the Highland administrative region in Scotland. For other uses of the name see Highland (disambiguation).The
Highland Council Area (
Sgire Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd[Gàidhealtachd in Roinn na Gàidhealtachd and Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd (Highland Council) is used to translate Highland. In other contexts it is used to translate Scottish Highlands and Gaeldom. "Sgire Comhairle" is the translation of "Council Area" (distinct from the "Council") used in the Highland Council Gaelic Strategy document.] in
Gaelic) is a
local government area in the
Scottish Highlands and the largest local government area in
Scotland, and in the
UK as a whole. It shares borders with the council areas of
Moray,
Aberdeenshire,
Perth and Kinross, and
Argyll and Bute. Their councils, and those of
Angus and
Stirling, also have areas of the Scottish Highlands within their administrative boundaries. The Highland area covers most of the mainland and
inner-Hebridean parts of the former
counties of
Inverness-shire and
Ross and Cromarty, all of
Sutherland,
Caithness and
Nairnshire, and small parts of
Argyll and
Moray.
The area was created as a two-tier
region in 1975, with an elected council for the whole region and, in addition, elected councils for each of eight disricts,
Badenoch and Strathspey,
Caithness,
Inverness,
Lochaber,
Nairn,
Ross and Cromarty,
Skye and Lochalsh and
Sutherland. In 1996 the Highland Regional Council and the included District Councils were wound up and their functions were transferred to the new Highland Council. This council maintains
area committees named after the old districts.
The Council Area headquarters is located in
Inverness with most previous District Council offices retained as outstations.
Main article Politics of the Highland council area''
Councillors
The council represents 80
wards. Each ward elects one
councillor by the
first past the post system of
election. There are plans, however, to abolish existing wards and to create new larger wards for the next round of elections, with each ward electing three or four councillors by the
single transferable vote system. The total number of councillors will remain the same.
[The Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland (external link: Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland website) has now made its final recommendations, dated 3 August 2006 ]
Copies have been deposited at various council offices, and should be available for public inspection for a period of six months The next round of elections is scheduled to be held in
2007.
Political representation
*
Independent - 54 councillors
*
Liberal Democrat - 12 councillors
*
Labour - 8 councillors
*
Scottish National Party - 6 councillors
Members of the Scottish Parliament
For elections to the
Scottish Parliament the Highland area is within the
Highlands and Islands electoral area, which elects eight
first past the post constituency Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and seven
additional member MSPs. Three of the region's constituencies, each electing one MSP, are within the Highland area:
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross,
Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber and
Ross, Skye and Inverness West.
Members of Parliament
In the
House of Commons of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom the Highland area is represented by
Members of Parliament (MPs) elected from three
constituencies:
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross;
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey; and
Ross, Skye and Lochaber. Each constituency elects one MP by the
first past the post system of election.
*
Alness,
Altnaharra,
Applecross,
Aviemore*
Back of Keppoch,
Ballachulish*
Cromarty*
Dalwhinnie,
Dingwall,
Dornoch,
Durness*
Fort Augustus,
Fortrose,
Fort William*
Gairloch*
Glencoe,
Golspie*
Helmsdale*
Invergordon*
John o' Groats*
Kingussie,
Kinlochbervie,
Kinlochleven,
Kyle of Lochalsh*
Mallaig*
Nairn,
Newtonmore,
North Ballachulish*
Plockton*
Portmahomack*
South Ballachulish*
Tain,
Thurso,
Tobermory,
Tongue,
Torridon*
Ullapool*
Wick*
Cairngorms National Park*
Castle Tioram*
Cawdor Castle*
Culloden Battlefield*
Fort George*
Glencoe*
Glenfinnan*
Glen Orchy*
Glen Spean*
Highland Folk Museum*
Loch Linnhe*
Loch Lochy*
Loch Ness*
Rannoch Moor*
Skibo Castle*
Tor Castle*
Urquhart Castle*
West Highland WaySee
Scottish Highlands for more information.
External links
*
The Highland Council (Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd)**
Political composition of the council*
Scottish Highlands and Islands Film Commission
