Highlands and Islands MSP Emma Roddick has welcomed today’s unanimous recommendation of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee to reject Boundaries Scotland proposals to redraw Highland Council wards ahead of the 2022 elections.
The proposals, which would see Sutherland, Culloden and Ardersier, and Skye lose councillors and move much of rural Inverness into wards shared with the middle of the city have attracted criticism from across the region since they were published last year, with many claiming they damaged rural and island representation.
Emma said:
“The rejection of the woeful boundary proposals by the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee this morning is a welcome development.
“I wrote to John Swinney soon after my election to make clear my views that the boundary proposals are inappropriate, particularly in terms of serving rural areas.
“Many of us in the Highlands have raised a number of issues, including wards covering rural and urban areas, the splitting of communities like Hilton in Inverness, and the underrepresentation of many communities.
“The unanimous recommendation from the Committee to reject the Highland proposals demonstrates just how unfit for purpose they are.”
Emma Roddick MSP 