A range of significant decisions affecting communities across Badenoch and Strathspey have been agreed by Members of Highland Council’s Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee today, 31 August 2026.
Chair of the Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee Cllr Russell Jones said:
“Members have decided on services affecting our communities all year round today. From the winter gritting plan to approving funding for tennis courts and considering the year-round work of the environmental health service, we have covered all seasons in one day.
“I am very pleased that Members supported the Newtonmore Tennis Club Community Regeneration Funding application which supports community resilience, improving community facilities and sustaining services in rural areas.
“And while we are still thinking of tennis and summer, I appeal to everyone to ask themselves, ‘Am I ready for winter?’. It’s never too early to prepare for winter and get your community self-help applications submitted now to the Council if you want your community to be winter-resilient this year.
“I also welcome the key priorities of the Environmental Health service for our area this year and thank staff for all the proactive and reactive engagements and requests that have been carried out over the past year.”
Winter Service Plan approved
The Winter Service Plan for gritting Highland Council roads and pavements in the Badenoch and Strathspey Area was approved by councillors for 99km primary routes (25%), 76km secondary routes (20%) and 215 other routes (55%). Staff will use five gritter vehicles and four footpath tractors between the hours of 06:00 up to 21:00 weekdays and on Saturdays and Sundays also beginning at 06:00 excluding school transport routes and difficult other routes.
Members welcomed the introduction a dedicated new fleet of gritters through a 3-year seasonal hire agreement which will help ensure any potential downtime of gritters for maintenance is reduced to a minimum providing a more effective service.
Depots at Grantown on Spey, Kingussie and Aviemore support the winter maintenance programme using on average 2,500 tonnes of salt each year. Depots are sufficiently stocked with salt supplies before the start of the winter season. During exceptional periods of heavy prolonged snow local contractors can supply equipment and operators to assist the Council clearing deep snow at short notice.
Grit bins are placed at locations with steep gradients where there is no regular road or footpath gritting service. Requests for additional grit bins can be considered by the Council through community self-help applications which can be made through local community councils. The public are advised that a ‘little bit of salt goes a long way” and to use salt sparingly and only on council roads and footpaths. Winter Service information and guidance including gritting maps are on the council’s website at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting
Ace approval for tennis courts application
Councillors have awarded Newtonmore Tennis Club £27,500 Community Regeneration Funding towards the cost of resurfacing 3 tennis courts to help transform and safeguard a highly valued community club facility.
Run by volunteers, the club has faced deteriorating court surfaces which will now be transformed with match funding on track for a project totalling £55,349. This investment supports a project that will provide a safe and high-quality playing surface not only for club members but also creating opportunities for coaching, links with schools, and social activities for Newtonmore area.
Badenoch and Strathspey Area has a Community Regeneration Funding allocation of £65,597.64. The award of £27,500 to Newtonmore Tennis Club leaves £38,097.64 of the Fund for the remainder of 2026/27.
Environmental Health
Members have scrutinised and welcomed a detailed report that demonstrates the continued demand for Environmental Health services across Badenoch and Strathspey Area throughout 2025/26 and into 2026/27.
The Environmental Health annual report highlighted 829 service requests in the area with the highest demand concerning private water supplies (164 requests), short term let licensing (129 requests), abandoned vehicles (85 requests), food safety (71 requests) and planning consultations (52 requests).
Members were informed that notable increases in services requests indicated a growing demand in relation to community safety, environmental crime, development activity and regulatory services with increases noted in:
- Dog Control (11 to 40 requests),
- Abandoned Vehicles (47 to 85),
- Planning Consultations (11 to 52),
- Health & Safety (17 to 36) and
- Civic Government Licensing (17 to 39).
The Environmental Health service also engaged in proactive work to identify and address risks before they impacted on public health by carrying out 32 food safety inspections/interventions and 30 licensing compliance checks.
Over one thousand (1,324) planning applications were screened by officers who provided advice on contaminated land and other environmental risks, and six private water supply improvement grants were awarded to the value of £8,600. The Environmental Health team also supplied emergency bottled water during a water drought in 2025.
Members welcomed the key priorities of the service for 2026/27 which will focus on proactive work on dog control, environmental crime, food safety, housing and licensing compliance, and managing short-term let licensing requirements.