Members of Highland Council’s Badenoch and Strathspey area committee have drawn up a list of priorities in order to ensure that local needs and issues are taken into account by the council as a whole.

The list also includes issues such as encouraging community participation; economic regeneration and local employment; development of education and training facilities and opportunities; improving access to quality healthcare and care at home service; broader integrated transport and connectivity; improved road infrastructure and partnership working.

Councillor Bill Lobban, chair of the Badenoch and Strathspey area committee, said: “Here in Badenoch & Strathspey our main priority must be to ensure that our residents have well paid jobs and affordable places to live. We must also ensure that our elderly and disadvantaged residents are well looked after and give our young people the best education and opportunity for their future.

“The best way to do this is to promote our local economy, make sure our infrastructure is up to scratch and work together to make our area prosper.”

Highland Council leader, Councillor Margaret Davidson, visited the area committee to hear about the local priorities and what the council can do to help progress these.

She said: “This is the biggest council in the UK, in geographical size and members. We cover diverse and widespread communities, each with their own unique challenges and needs. The council is committed to a localism agenda, which means we really want to hear want matters to local people so that we can target our efforts and design our services accordingly.

“We have our Highland First Programme and each Area is now identifying their local priorities, which is a good start in actually empowering people to work in partnership with the council to make real improvements and reduce inequalities across the Highlands. I want area committees to be really specific in identifying areas for local economic development. We have a short time available in the term of this council, but I am convinced that we can make some real inroads.”