Campaign to break up Highland Council launched by Lib Dems

The public is being urged to back a campaign launched this week by the Highland Liberal Democrats to break up Highland Council - the largest local authority in Scotland.

Under the banner “Time to Say Goodbye to Highland Council”, the campaign argues that Highland Council is too large, too centralised, and too remote to serve the diverse needs of communities across the Highlands.

Following growing dissatisfaction with Highland Council’s performance - from roads to educational attainment - the Highland Liberal Democrats are calling for a full review and fundamental reform of the current Highland Council structure.

The intervention follows a vote in December last year where the Highland Council’s SNP-led administration blocked a proposal to begin a review into whether the Highlands would be better served by a smaller number of new authorities.

The move disappointed campaigners, not least given Deputy First Minister - and Highland SNP MSP - Kate Forbes called for the break up of Highland Council when she was running for the SNP leadership in 2023.

Cllr Andrew Baxter, the Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, said:

“People tell me every day that Highland Council is no longer working for them.

“It’s too big, too out-of-touch, and fails to listen to local needs. Even in places like the Black Isle, which you might expect to back a centralised model, there’s growing frustration. People want change – and they want it now.”

“The administration says they’ll give more powers to area committees, but we’ve heard that before. In reality, these committees are toothless talking shops – and the leadership has no intention of giving communities real control.”

David Green, the Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Caithness, Sutherland & Ross, said:

“People are fed up with what they see as lack of interest in meeting the needs of communities in the Far North. Just look at the state of the roads or the decline in access to local health services, particularly for women.

“While absolutely there are shared issues that are best delivered by pulling and sharing resources, there are also unique challenges in Caithness and Sutherland. While both counties wrestle with depopulation, Inverness and the surrounding area is growing.

“A one-size-fits-all culture, whether that is imposed from Edinburgh or Inverness, will never meet the needs of rural communities. The best decisions are made as close to people as possible - that is why this campaign is about finding a better way to empower local people.”

ENDS.

Notes to editors:

The petition can be found here: Break up The Highland Council - Highland Liberal Democrats