Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has said that he is looking forward to working with newly elected and re-elected councillors following last week’s Highland Council elections.
Highlighting the issues which face the area, the Scottish Conservative MSP said the new council had to hit the ground running.
He also welcomed the success of local Conservative candidates, with the party holding the number of Highland councillors it held before the elections and with Scottish Conservative councillors now representing Skye, as well as Caol and Mallaig.
Mr Halcro Johnston said “I am looking forward to working with all the newly elected councillors across the Highland Council area, regardless of which party they stood for.
“Communities across the Highland Council area face many challenges, made worse by years of under-funding from central government in Edinburgh. That’s why it’s so important that all local elected representatives, at whatever level, work closely together to ensure that local services are protected.
“And it’s also important that communities furthest away from Highland Council HQ in Inverness are well represented and their issues heard. And so I’m particularly pleased that Skye, as well as Caol and Mallaig, now have Conservative representation.
“I was very pleased with the success of the Conservative team, and it was great to see John Bruce re-elected in Badenoch and Strathspey, and to know that he will be joined in the council chamber by new Conservative councillors Patrick Logue (Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh), Helen Crawford (Aird and Loch Ness), Ruraidh Stewart (Eilean a' Cheò), and Liz Saggers (Caol and Mallaig).
“I know they will be a strong voice for their communities, and real local champions for the people they represent”.
