These sessions will allow the public to contribute, have their say and leave comments.

Members of the public are invited to attend the engagement events which will take place on Tuesday 27 August between 5.30pm-7.30pm and Wednesday 28 August between 10.00am-5.00pm in Dingwall Community Library.

In attendance on the day will be members of the Community Support and Engagement Team who will be on hand to greet people as they arrive and ensure their opinions are captured and reflected within the data gathered.

Dingwall & Seaforth Area Committee chair, Councillor Graham MacKenzie, commented: “I encourage as many local residents as possible to take the opportunity to drop in on one of these sessions, have a chat with the officers facilitating the event, learn more about the process and leave comments for consideration in the wider Plan.

“These Plans will set out the vision, ambition and priorities for people and place in Dingwall & Seaforth. This will support targeting resources, service delivery and provide a clear vision for attracting external investment.”

In Highland, sub-regional Area Place Plans are being developed to bring together an overview of existing strategies and projects, and also making sure that a clear vision is captured of what the community aspirations are for their area.

The plans will help The Highland Council, partners, and communities to secure funding by evidencing the impact of every pound spent and the actions associated will provide clarity and manage expectation around how and where resources are prioritised. They will also provide a stronger framework for communities to prepare plans for their own community, empowering them to drive and deliver change.

Community engagement will build a shared understanding of how Place underpins development, service delivery and how organisations and communities work together. These plans will be a future guide to get the best impact for people living in an area, based on a shared understanding of local need.