Councillors call for break up of Highland Council

Highland is one of Scotland’s most rural council areas and about half of its population live outside settlements of 3,000 people or more, according to previous studies, external.

While Inverness and the surrounding area have grown, there have been concerns about depopulation in Caithness, Sutherland and Lochaber.

Nine councillors have signed a motion, proposed by Andrew Jarvie, asking Highland Council to write to the Scottish government about holding a review.

One of the nine, Fort William and Ardnamurchan councillor Andrew Baxter, wants to see powers, including around planning applications, devolved to as local level as possible.

He said: “I think we have a form of local government that is particularly detached from our local communities.

“Bigger is definitely not better and that’s been proven over the last 30 years since we’ve had this system of mega unitary authorities.

“A smaller form of local councils would deliver better results for local residents.”

He added: “It’s a nonsense that someone living in Culloden is able to decide on a planning application in Kilchoan.

“Aberdeen is closer to Culloden than Culloden is to Kilchoan, and no one would ever suggest that someone in Aberdeen should decide our planning policy.”