Inverness needs its own dedicated city council to deliver for local communities and champion investment without apology, Inverness and Nairn MSP Emma Roddick has said.

Ms Roddick has formally written to Minister for Public Finance Ivan McKee to urge that proposed local government reforms include the creation of a standalone Inverness City Council.

The move follows her speech in the Scottish Parliament during a debate on council reform, where she challenged the persistent myth that “Inverness gets everything” and called for an end to the culture of hesitation around investing in the Highland capital.

Highlighting that Highland Council covers an area far too big to be local, the seventh-largest in the country by population as well as by far the largest geographically, Ms Roddick made the case that a two-tier system of local democracy would empower Inverness while allowing neighbouring areas, such as Nairnshire, to decide their own local priorities.

Emma said:

“Inverness is a growing, ambitious city with massive potential, but for too long every bit of progress has had to come with an apology and a healthy dose of local cringe. When you look at decisions like the Town House losing vital Common Good income, or Crown Estate funds being carved up to give our city as little as possible, the idea that ‘Inverness gets everything’ just does not reflect reality.

“Having represented Inverness Central as a councillor, I know just how deeply our distinct communities care about their local areas. People in Dalneigh, Merkinch, Smithton, or the Bught deserve a civic body that is unapologetic about standing up for their interests and investing in what our city needs.

“We can still work with our loved neighbours across the Highlands – and do it better than the current system, which leaves every community feeling hard done by, pit against each other in a constant cycle of parochial grievance.

“Creating an Inverness City Council would give our city the self-governance it deserves, while freeing other areas like Nairn to take control of their own local decisions. It is time we had the confidence to back Inverness.”

The Scottish Government has committed to exploring local authority reform during this parliamentary session, and Ms Roddick confirmed that she intends to continue discussions with ministers as the proposals take shape, following up on her contributions with a letter to Ivan McKee, Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Reform.