Councillors vote 'no' to Highland Council break-up

Highland councillors have voted against breaking up the local authority.

A group of councillors had called for a review of the governance of Scotland's largest local authority by area.

They said communities could be better served by a smaller number of new authorities.

But at a meeting of the full council on Thursday, an amendment suggesting strengthening the powers of existing local area committees won by just five votes.

Highland Council serves a third of Scotland's land area and was created under local government reform 30 years ago.

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.

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

Nine councillors had signed a motion asking Highland Council to write to the Scottish government about holding a review.