Black Isle and Easter Ross Area Committee approved the transfer of Invergordon Town Hall to community ownership, backed local projects, advanced place planning, & agreed the 2026/27 Winter Roads Plan.
Community empowerment and local investment took centre stage as the Black Isle and Easter Ross Area Committee officially approved the Community Asset Transfer of the historic Invergordon Town Hall. During the meeting held earlier today, Members also green-lit the area’s Winter Roads Service Plan and reviewed vital financial support for local grassroots projects.
Easter Ross Community Partnership Area Place Plan Progress
The Black Isle and Easter Ross Committee has reviewed and welcomed the report of the Easter Ross Area Place Plan Progress Report for 2025/26.
Members agreed to target service programmes and align external funding to support local priorities like job creation, skills training and sustainable travel.
The progress report showcases major milestones across the area during 2025/26, driven by the partnership’s People, Place and Prosperity working groups. A standout achievement is the surge in place planning: while only one community within Wards 6 and 7 was preparing a Local Place Plan in early 2025, by July 2026, Local Place Plans were under development in all communities across Easter Ross.
Key achievements highlighted in the report include:
- Employment and Skills: The partnership expanded youth employability provision, including the Venture Forward project, and introduced a dedicated Easter Ross key worker. It delivered key events like the jobs fair at the Averon Centre on 5 November 2025 and established new delivery contracts with Barnardo’s and Apex Scotland to support care-experienced youth and justice clients.
- Connectivity and Sustainable Travel: To address local transport barriers, the partnership established the new Easter Ross Transport Forum in response to engagement with local Community Councils. The forum had themed discussions on rail improvements, active travel and reliable public transport. Crucially, Scottish Government funding was secured to develop transport initiatives specifically aimed at helping people into work.
- Health and Wellbeing: The “Planet Youth” prevention-based model was successfully established in Tain Royal Academy, Invergordon Academy and Alness Academy. A survey of 375 pupils achieved a 77% response rate, leading to fully funded sleep improvement programmes and local Community Action Groups.
Chair of the Black Isle and Easter Ross Committee, Cllr Lyndsey Johnston commented: “The progress of the Area Place Plan highlights what we can achieve through the Community Partnership and our shared commitment to building resilient, sustainable communities. By aligning our service delivery and external funding with these grassroots priorities, we are directly supporting local employment, wellbeing, and connectivity across Easter Ross.
“From ensuring that every community in Easter Ross has a voice in shaping its future through Local Place Plans, to tackling rural barriers through the Transport Forum, and securing government funding to connect people with jobs, we are seeing the direct impact of collaborative actions across our area.”
Winter Roads Service Plan 2026/27
Members approved the 2026/27 Winter Service Plan. The Plan also emphasises community self-help through the Council’s Winter Resilience Scheme.
Chair, Cllr Lyndsey Johnston said: “Our Winter Service Plan is an essential framework for keeping the region moving safely. While the Council is fully mobilised to tackle extreme winter weather, we also strongly encourage local communities to engage with the Winter Resilience scheme to provide enhanced footway gritting and assist vulnerable neighbours.
“The B9176 Struie Road is a critical arterial route for our area and a high priority for The Highland Council. We recognise the significant disruption caused to local residents during the 10-day closure in January 2026, and we are deeply grateful for the community’s patience. In partnership with Police Scotland, our priority remains restoring access along this key route as swiftly and safely as possible as soon as storm conditions abate”
Communities can find out more about the Winter Resilience scheme on our website.
Community Asset Transfer Request – Invergordon Town Hall
A decision was reached to grant the Invergordon Development Trust a 99-year lease of the Invergordon Town Hall for a nominal cost of £1 per annum.
The Trust plans to restore the 1871 building, which was previously underused and deteriorating into a vibrant, multipurpose civic hub featuring a café, exhibition space, and community venue.
Welcoming the decision, Chair, Cllr Johnston said: “This Community Asset Transfer marks an exciting new chapter for Invergordon. Transferring this historic property to the Invergordon Development Trust unlocks its vast potential as a multipurpose civic hub, generating far greater social, economic, and wellbeing benefits for the town than a standard commercial lease.”
Ward Discretionary Awards
The Area Committee noted the distribution of Ward Discretionary Awards approved between 1 April and 21 July 2026, which injected essential funding into various community initiatives.
Beneficiaries included the Flip of the Cain Art of Wellbeing, South Lodge Primary School, The Place Youth Club and numerous local community councils.
Chair of the Committee, Cllr Lyndsey Johnston said: “Ward Discretionary Awards show how well-placed applications from vital third sector and community groups can have a huge and positive impact on strengthening our communities in the Black Isle and Easter Ross. From youth play schemes to vital community facility upgrades, these awards highlight the variety and breadth of activity taking place across the community, often by volunteers who are our true community heroes.”
A full list of projects funded include:
Cromarty Firth Ward
- Flip of the Cain Art of Wellbeing: £2,988.33
- South Lodge Primary School Feeder Schools trip for 6 children: £1,300
- The Place Youth Club – Invergordon Play Scheme: £1,500
- The Place Youth Club – Alness Play Scheme: £1,500
Tain and Easter Ross Ward
- Seaboard Memorial Hall – Village Care Assistance Scheme: £3,500
- Tain Gala Association – Tain Car Rally and Gala: £2,000
- Community Food Initiatives North and East – Fareshare in Highland: £164
- Poppy Wreaths: £128.57
Black Isle Ward
- Culbokie Players – Assistance to running costs: £960
- Cromarty Courthouse Trust – Caring for our team: £1,000
- Ferintosh Community Hall – Roads planning to hall car park: £1,000
- Avoch and Killen Community Council (jointly submitted with Avoch and Fortrose Community Councils) – core footpath between Avoch and Fortrose essential maintenance: £2,000
- Cromarty Harbour Trust – “Hooly at the Harbour”, hire of musicians and equipment: £500
- Culbokie Community Trust – Contributions to running costs of Culbokie toilets: £1,000
- Knockbain Community Council – North Kessock Community Youth Art Project: £500
Updates were also delivered on:
- Police Scotland Area Performance Report
- Environmental Health
- Common Good Funds
- Housing Repairs and Capital Report
The full Black Isle and Easter Road Committee agenda and reports are available on our website.