Islands Review - Highland council area Public Consultation

Results updated 23 Jul 2025

The Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 required us to review the six councils containing inhabited islands, which included Highland Council area.

We reviewed and consulted on, between Nov. 2020. – Jan. 2021, the number of councillors and ward boundaries for Highland Council area.

One of the main reasons we undertake reviews is that the population, and therefore the electorate, of any local authority area is constantly changing, with migration into or out of areas as well as within the same area. As a result of these changes, some councillors may represent considerably more or fewer electors than other councillors in the same council area. The Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 introduced the use of one or two member wards where a ward containing an inhabited island, in addition to the current multi-member ward system.

What happened next

Scottish Ministers did not adopt our recommendations. We will next review the electoral arrangements for Highland Council area by 2030.