Aird and Loch Ness is one of 22 wards within the Highland area and is served by 4 councillors. It has a population of 9,842 with the main centres being Fort Augustus, Drumnadrochit, Beauly and Kirkhill. Click the map image for a more detailed view of the ward.
Charles Stephen will ensure the efficient delivery of services within the ward and work with other agencies and community groups to maximise available funds. He will also administer the local Ward Forum, which will comprise the four ward councillors as well as a representative from the police and community partners.
The Inverness City Manager, David Haas, co-ordinates the activities of the ward managers of the Inverness wards and administers the Inverness City Committee.
There is 1 Service Point within the ward which will generally be your first point of contact with the Council. If a visit is not suitable, please call our Service Centre on 01349 868527. Or email service.point@highland.gov.uk. You can also use this website to report faults, to make enquiries or to complain about the Council's performance.
This ward is served by 15 primary schools which feed 5 secondary schools. There are also 2 libraries. The links on the right hand side of this page give access to further information about this ward including recycling facilities and transport links.
Rural Inverness Local Development Plan
LEADER is a European Union Community Initiative aimed at promoting economic and community development within rural areas. The Highland LEADER 2007–2013 programme is now open for applications. More information about the main Highland LEADER programme can be found at: www.highlandleader.com.
The Rural Inverness LEADER Local Action Group (LAG) has a Local Development Plan to deliver relevant projects during the lifetime of the Highland LEADER Programme. The LAG is made up of:
• Anne Angus – CVS Inverness
• Ben Leyshon – Scottish Natural Heritage
• Charles Stephen – Highland Council
• George Hawco – Abriachan Woodland Trust
• Graeme Ambrose – Destination Loch Ness
• Helen Carmichael – Councillor
• Jim Crawford – Councillor
• Lucy Fraser – Albyn Housing
• Marie mackintosh – Highlands & Islands Enterprise
• Martin Culbertson – LEADER – Highland Council
• Nicole Wallace – LEADER – Highland Council
• Molly Doyle – Community Councils Representative
• Roderick Balfour – Councillor
• Stewart Nicol – Inverness Chamber of Commerce
• William Gilfillan – Highland Council
The LAG needs your assistance to help prepare this Local Development Plan, and would like to hear about any possible project ideas your community group or organisation might have that meet the Programme criteria below.
The overall aim is:
To enable people in Rural Inverness to realise their ambitions to live in communities where they can fulfil their personal, social and economic potential.
The main objectives are:
• To stabilise and grow population levels and the balance between age groups, particularly focusing on the retention and attraction of young adults;
• To increase the benefits communities can derive from their natural, built and cultural heritage;
• To maximise the benefits of community assets;
• To improve access to services in the community, particularly focusing on the needs of young people and those over 65;
• To assist communities to create, update and implement development plans;
• To increase the scope and range of training and learning opportunities available locally;
• To support the development of social enterprise and micro-businesses.
The LEADER Programme in Rural Inverness will be aimed directly at the following specific target groups:
• Young people
• Women
• The under-employed
• Young adults (up to 34)
• Older people (over 65)
• Micro-businesses
Project proposals that fall within the following categories will be accepted for funding consideration by the Local Action Group:
• Local Development Plans and Partnership Working
• Culture and Heritage
• Training and learning opportunities
• Access to activities, facilities and services
• Land, environment and access to the countryside
• Renewables
• Tourism
• Social enterprise and micro-businesses