17 SEPTEMBER 2026

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Five Highland councillors have lost a vote of no confidence over their involvement in a decision to allow convicted rapist David Brown to retain two taxi operator licences.

Councillors Sean Kennedy, Duncan Macpherson, John Grafton, Chris Birt and Ruraidh Stewart were the subject of the motion at a meeting of Highland Council in Inverness.

The motion was passed by 56 votes to six, with five abstentions.

The June licensing decision prompted widespread public anger after the committee voted to take no action against Brown’s operator licences, despite objections from Police Scotland.

Brown, who was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison for raping an 18-year-old passenger, later surrendered the licences.

Councillors defend their actions

The five councillors were given the opportunity to speak during the debate.

John Grafton, who was expelled from the Scottish Liberal Democrats following the licensing decision, said he had found it difficult to defend himself against the allegations made about him.

He said:

“The decision I took in June was not about the taxi driver being a fit and proper person. That may be wrong, yes, OK, I admit that. But I believe the decision made was about protecting the public and protecting individuals.”

He also criticised media coverage of the issue, saying there had been “a deluge” from members of the press.

Mr Grafton said he believed there had been too much bias for the motion to be a “realistic vote”.

Chris Birt said he had been advised there were two options available to the licensing committee: to revoke the licences or take no action.

He said Brown’s wife had attended the meeting and had asked councillors to take no action because she was using the licences to support herself.

Mr Birt was interrupted by Council Convener Bill Lobban, who warned that he was:

“Verging into discussions about confidential information that could have a profound result.”

Mr Birt continued, saying:

“At no time did I say that Brown was ‘fit and proper’.”

He said he believed councillors were trying to act in the best interests of the Highland population.

He also suggested that someone had leaked a version of the private meeting to the press.

Mr Birt finished by saying he had received correspondence from women “thanking” him for supporting Brown’s wife.

Duncan Macpherson, the leader of the Highland Alliance, said serving on the licensing committee had been a “privilege”.

He said some of the press coverage had been “selective” and that “much of the public discussion has not reflected the complexity of the issues considered.”

Mr Macpherson said he was unable to fully defend himself because the licensing meeting had been quasi-judicial and held in private.

He said:

“The motion was tabled, then an amendment offered. The legal clerk read out the options – revoke or take no action. Therefore the vote was competent and legal.”

He also claimed that those proposing the no confidence motion, including senior council leaders, had their “own motives”.

Ruraidh Stewart said he had not publicly commented on the issue and would not be “drawn into” doing so, but he did say it was to the “shame” of the council that some members had disclosed parts of the private meeting.

Sean Kennedy was also named in the motion but did not speak during the debate.

Criticism from other councillors

The motion was supported by a number of councillors who said the decision had damaged confidence in the licensing process.

Council Convener Bill Lobban opened the debate by accusing the five councillors of a “catastrophic failure of judgement”.

He said they had brought “shame upon this council” and that the message sent to women in the Highlands was that “your safety is of secondary consideration”.

Council leader Raymond Bremner said there was a responsibility on councillors to make the right decisions.

He said it was “difficult to understand how some members of the licensing committee came to the conclusion” that Brown was a fit and proper person to hold the licences.

Mr Bremner said all members had since received licensing training.

The Scottish Liberal Democrat group leader Alasdair Christie said: “An apology doesn’t cut it.”

He said the motion was about rebuilding trust and was not a “witch hunt”.

Mr Christie said the June decision had one outcome:

“To make a young woman suffer even more than she had done.”

Background

The debate also looked beyond the June decision.

Scottish Green councillor Chris Ballance pointed to an earlier Licensing Committee decision in January 2024, when SNP councillor Drew Millar was a member of the committee.

Mr Ballance said Millar’s decision to put forward an amendment allowing Brown to keep his taxi driver’s licence was “just as wrong” and “just as derogatory towards women”.

Millar was no longer on the committee by the time of the June 2026 decision, after Brown’s conviction.

In an exclusive interview with Radio Skye on 3 August, he spoke publicly about his involvement.

Listen to Jamie McDonald’s full interview with Drew Millar here.

In an interview with Radio Skye on 27 August, Councillor Chris Birt defended his actions and said he would make the same decision again.

He said the committee had been protecting Brown’s wife, who was operating the business, rather than Brown himself.

Listen to Jamie McDonald’s full interview with Chris Birt here.

Emotional contributions

Several councillors made emotional contributions during the debate.

Morven Reid of the Highland Independents said she was:

“Astonished by the justifications presented to us this morning.”

She referred to the actions of staff at Tesco in Dingwall, who helped the victim after she had been left outside in freezing conditions.

Ms Reid said:

“Had it not been for the actions of the staff in Tesco in Dingwall, she [the victim] could have perished.”

She said the best case scenario was that the five councillors “failed to understand their remit” and the worst case was that they “had fully understood and chose to disregard the request from Police Scotland to revoke the license.”

Ms Reid said she intended to show the recording of the meeting to her teenage daughters, who she said would be “utterly horrified” by some of the comments.

Glynis Campbell Sinclair, a former chair of Inverness Women’s Aid, said the central issue was that “a young girl has been a victim.”

She said:

“Our first, absolute, and unyielding duty in this chamber should have been to protect her.”

Ms Campbell Sinclair criticised members of the Highland Alliance for defending Duncan Macpherson.

She said she had “never, ever felt as strongly about an issue as this.”

Emma Knox, one of the four women who voted against allowing Brown to retain his licences, said the vote was about more than the original decision.

She said the fallout had caused “continuing damage to public confidence.”

Ms Knox criticised members who had discussed the case publicly, saying “we knew confidential evidence had been discussed in private” and “we understood the importance of that confidentiality.”

She said every new interview and news report had put the case back in front of the victim.

Ms Knox said the motion was not about punishment but “restoring public confidence”.

Lyndsey Johnston, who was also on the licensing committee, said there had been a “fundamental misunderstanding” by the male members of how to judge whether someone was fit and proper.

She said:

“Six men reached one conclusion, the four women on that committee reached another,” and said the issue was about more than one bad decision.

Margaret Paterson of the Highland Independents described the June decision as a “black day” for Highland Council.

She said:

“People trust councillors, but not now. They have no respect for us as they blame us all.”

Chrissie Gillies, Highland Independent councillor for Skye and Raasay, said she was “utterly disgusted” by some of the comments made during the debate.

She said councillors needed to “stand up for the people”.

Disagreement over the motion

Not all councillors supported the motion.

Sinclair Coghill of the Highland Alliance said he had not attended the June meeting and had not heard the arguments put forward at the time.

He said he “cannot come to a view on the rights and wrongs of the decision on that day.”

He described the motion as having a “flavour of an old score being settled” and said he believed it was a “witch hunt”.

Richard Cross, also of the Highland Alliance, said the June decision was wrong but that this was with the benefit of hindsight.

He said “mistakes can happen” and suggested the leak of information from the private meeting had raised questions about whether councillors could trust each other.

The debate ended with 56 councillors voting in favour of the motion, six against and five abstentions.

Of the six against, they include all five councillors referred to in the motion, as well as Scottish Conservative Councillor Liz Saggers.

17 September 2026

12.58pm

The six who disagree with the motion include the five members it refers to and Councillor Liz Saggers (Scottish Conservatives).

There is now a short break before the Council considers other items on the agenda. Thank you for following this thread.

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12.51pm

The debate finishes with a vote. 56 agree that they have no confidence in councillors Sean Kennedy, Duncan Macpherson, John Grafton, Chris Birt and Ruraidh Stewart. 6 disagree and 5 abstain.

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12.47pm

Thomas MacLennan (Highland Independent) says “sometimes bad decisions are made by good people” but that “this wasn’t a bad decision, this was a catastrophic decision.”

Matthew Reiss of Highland Alliance appears to suggest he is willing to vote against his group leader, Duncan Macpherson, saying he has distilled it down to a simple question: “Was Brown a fit and proper person to hold this licence? The answer is no.”

Lib Dem, Trish Robertson urges members to “get back to basics” and remember the matter at hand.

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12.45pm

Skye Councillor Ruraidh Stewart (Scottish Conservative) says he has not publicly commented on the matter and will not be “drawn into” doing so.

He says it is to the “shame” of the council that some members have disclosed parts of the meeting.

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12.42pm

Another of the five, Duncan Macpherson (Highland Alliance), says serving on the licensing committee has been a “privilege”. He goes on to say some of what the press reported was “selective” and that “much of the public discussion has not reflected the complexity of the issues considered.”

He says he is prevented from defending himself properly as he is unable to share details of the meeting given that it was quasi-judicial.

He says what he can say is that the “motion was tabled, then an amendment offered. The legal clerk read out the options – revoke or take no action. Therefore the vote was competent and legal.”

He finishes by saying those proposing the motion, including the senior council leadership, have their “own motives”.

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12.27pm

Councillor Duncan McDonald of the Highland Alliance questions why none of the notes from the clerks from the June meeting have been disclosed. He says everything has been done “properly” and in accordance with council policy. He then turns to the matter of the leak from the meeting, which he says “ignored proper procedures”. At this point he is heckled by another member. His statement is cut short by Convener Bill Lobban, who says he has had more than five minutes.

Skye Councillor John Finlayson (Highland Independent) says he is “concerned by the attempt made to protect certain members because of loyalty” and that in life, there is “a right, and a wrong”.

Scottish Labour’s Michael Gregson says his daughter and other young women using taxis in Inverness and elsewhere have to hear a “strong message” from the council on women’s safety.

Raasay-based Skye councillor Chrissie Gillies (Highland Independent) says she is “utterly disgusted” by some of the comments made by members and that it is up to councillors to “stand up for the people”.

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12.06pm

Scottish Liberal Democrat Councillor Janet McEwan says she commends the whistleblower who leaked the decision to the press and that to use that as an excuse is “absolutely atrocious”. She says she supports Cllr Willie Mackay, who was one of the six who voted in favour in June. He resigned from the committee and stood down as a councillor altogether.

Michael Green of the Highland Independent group says he wasn’t going to speak but says the contributions from those defending themselves have been “excruciating” and that it is “quite simply, beyond the pale.”

Lib Dem councillor Andrew Baxter, who is also MP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, says he is “beyond anger” and is “saddened”. He says it is “beyond belief” that colleagues have suggested some are voting to settle old scores and that those who made the decision in June have “lost my respect” because of their “continued self-justification.”

He says he received a WhatsApp from a colleague last night suggesting councillors were voting in favour of the motion on party political grounds. He says that is “disingenuous”.

Cllr Baxter finishes by saying his greatest fear is that those involved will continue to “sit amongst us” and think they’ve done nothing wrong.

“Shame on you,” he says.

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11.51am

Highland Independent Morven Reid is emotional as she begins her contribution. She says she is “astonished by the justifications presented to us this morning.”

She says “had it not been for the actions of the staff in Tesco in Dingwall, she [the victim] could have perished.”

She says the best case scenario is that the five councillors “failed to understand their remit” and the worst case is that they “fully understood and chose to disregard the request from Police Scotland to revoke the licence.”

She says she intends to show the recording of today’s meeting to her teenage daughters, who she says were “already disgusted by the decision taken in June” and that they will be “utterly horrified” by what has been said today.

Her Highland Independent colleague, Laura Dundas, says the June decision has had a “significant impact” on the wider taxi industry across the Highlands. She says confidence in the licensing process has been “undermined”.

Scottish Labour councillor Andrew MacKintosh says the conduct of the committee “reflects on all of us” and that the six councillors “overstepped the remit of the committee.”

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11.38am

Cllr Laurie Fraser (Highland Independent) says the conduct of those on the committee is “beyond the pale”. Speaking directly to the five, he says: “You have been here long enough to do any further good. You should be gone from this chamber and not darken its doors again.”

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11.32am

We’re now hearing from the SNP’s Glynis Campbell Sinclair, who is a former chair of Inverness Women’s Aid.

She says at the core of this matter is that “a young girl has been a victim.”

She says “our first, absolute, and unyielding duty in this chamber should have been to protect her.”

She criticises members of the Highland Alliance for defending their group leader, Duncan Macpherson, who is one of the five facing the no confidence vote.

She finishes by saying she has “never, ever felt as strongly about an issue as this.”

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11.30am

Cllr Christie’s Lib Dem colleague David Gregg says he has “never had more contact about an issue in this chamber than this one.”

He goes on to say “every single woman I know asked me about this decision and asked, ‘how did that possibly get made?'”

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11.27am

Councillor Alasdair Christie (Lib Dem) says “an apology doesn’t cut it.”

He criticises councillors Coghill and Cross, saying their remarks were “disgraceful”, going on to ask, “what planet can you be on to make a statement like that?”

Cllr Christie says this decision is what this council term will be remembered for.

He finishes by saying the no confidence motion is about rebuilding trust, and is not a “witch hunt”, as Cllr Coghill said earlier.

He says the decision in June had one outcome: “to make a young woman suffer even more than she had done.”

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11.20am

Another one of the five, Cllr Chris Birt, is speaking now. He says the legal advice he received on 23 June was that he had two options: to revoke the licence or to take no action.

He says it’s not unusual for the holder of a licence not to be an active taxi driver and that with Brown in prison, this was the case.

Birt goes on to say Brown’s wife was present at the meeting and she “implored” the committee to take no action as “she was using it to support herself.”

At this stage, Council Convener Bill Lobban interrupts Cllr Birt to say he is “verging into discussions about confidential information that could have a profound result.”

Cllr Birt continues, saying it is “all in the public arena.”

He says there was no risk to the public and at no time did he say that Brown was “fit and proper”.

He goes on: “It is my belief that all members of this council, despite our political differences, seek to take decisions in what we deem to be the best interests of the Highland population.”

He says some other members voted differently to him and he respects that. But he then says he suspects someone at the meeting “leaked a version” later that day.

He finishes by saying he has received correspondence from women “thanking” him for supporting Brown’s wife.

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11.05am

We’re now hearing from the first of the five who are facing today’s no confidence motion. Cllr John Grafton was a Scottish Liberal Democrat until he was expelled by the party in the wake of the June decision.

He says the nature of the allegations people have made against him has made it “very difficult to be direct or to actually defend oneself”.

He says the decision he took in June was “not about the taxi driver being a fit and proper person. That may be wrong, yes, OK, I admit that. But I believe the decision made was about protecting the public and protecting individuals.”

He goes on to say there has been a “deluge” from the press in the last three months” and that there is too much bias to make this a “realistic vote.”

He finishes by saying he “could say a lot more” but he won’t and that he’s happy to talk to members outside of the meeting.

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10.51am

Scottish Greens Councillor Chris Balance says this is part of a wider process.

He says the decision of Skye Councillor Drew Millar (SNP) in January 2024 to put forward an amendment to allow Brown to keep his licence was “just as wrong” and “just as derogatory towards women”.

Millar was part of the Licensing Committee at the time but had stepped down by the time of the decision in June 2026.

Cllr Balance mentions the amendment in 2024 was supported by Councillor John Bruce and that he feels it is “really important to stand up and put their names on the record because I believe they are equally morally and legally wrong in that decision.”

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10.44am

Cllr Richard Cross of Highland Alliance says the decision was wrong but this is with the benefit of hindsight.

He says “mistakes can happen” and that the committee is no exception.

He goes on to suggest an “anonymous individual or group” leaked details to the press and asks if members can trust each other as a result.

He also says there has been “clear collusion between senior elected members” and that the full council meeting on 4 August was “designed to influence the proposed vote” and should be reported to the Standards Commission.

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10.37am

Councillor Sinclair Coghill of the Highland Alliance is the first to indicate he won’t support the motion.

He says he wasn’t at the meeting in June and did not hear the arguments that day and therefore he “cannot come to a view on the rights and wrongs of the decision on that day.”

He says there is a “flavour of an old score being settled which I find unpalatable.”

He goes on to say he feels this is a “witch hunt” and that members might feel unsafe voting against the motion because of party loyalty, bullying and social media abuse.

He says the message to anyone thinking of becoming a councillor is “do something we don’t like and we will publicly humiliate you.”

He closes by saying he will not support the motion.

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10.28am

Highland Independent Councillor Margaret Paterson says the decision in June was a “black day” for Highland Council and describes it as “huge, bad and unbelievable.”

“What were they thinking?” she asks.

“People trust councillors, but not now. They have no respect for us as they blame us all.”

Cllr Paterson says she is “so sad as a mother of five daughters and twelve granddaughters.”

She finishes by saying, “My heart goes out to the young teenage passenger and I admire the staff of Tesco in Dingwall who helped her when she was disorientated and distressed after being dumped on a cold and bitter night.”

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10.23am

Highland Independent Councillor David Fraser says “accountability matters” and that “public confidence relies on elected members being prepared to recognise when mistakes are made and to take appropriate action.”

Cllr Fraser urges members not to forget the victim at the heart of the story.

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10.21am

SNP Councillor Lyndsey Johnston is also on the licensing committee.

She says there was a “fundamental misunderstanding” by the male members of how to judge someone fit and proper.

She says the argument from some members that they took the decision in order to prevent Brown’s wife from being unable to work doesn’t come into it.

“Six men reached one conclusion, the four women on that committee reached another,” she says.

Cllr Johnston says there has been “anger across the Highlands and far beyond it” in response to the decision.

Echoing previous speakers, she says this is about “more than one bad decision” and that it is about judgement.

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10.12am

SNP Councillor Emma Knox, who was one of the four women who voted against Brown keeping his licences, is speaking now.

She says the vote today is about much more than the decision in June.

She says the fallout has caused “continuing damage to public confidence.”

She is critical of members who discussed the case publicly, saying “we knew confidential evidence had been discussed in private” and that “we understood the importance of that confidentiality.”

She acknowledges that Councillors Stewart and Mackay did not speak publicly but says the rest gave “repeated media interventions, public statements and made ongoing attempts to justify their decision.”

Cllr Knox thanks Convener Lobban for “repeatedly reminding us that at the centre of this case is a young woman who was raped.”

She goes on to say: “Every fresh interview, every renewed news cycle, put this case back in front of her. Another headline, another front page image of the man who raped her.”

She says it is “absolutely astonishing” that Councillor Chris Birt has not stood down from the committee.

She finishes by saying the motion is not about punishment, it is about “restoring public confidence”.

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09.59am

Council leader Raymond Bremner (SNP) says there is “little more to be added” to Convener Lobban’s statement.

He says members of the community have been “terribly affected” by the decision in June.

He urges members to accept that there is a “responsibility” on councillors to make the right decisions.

Cllr Bremner says “going forward, we cannot ever again even consider that the processes within the quasi-judicial system of this council can fail members of our community in such a way”.

He points out that all members have now received licensing training. On that point he says it is “difficult to understand how some members of the licensing committee came to the conclusion” and says that those who considered David Brown to be a “fit and proper person” were wrong.

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09.52am

Council Convener Bill Lobban (Highland Independent) starts the meeting by saying the five councillors are responsible for a “catastrophic failure of judgement”.

He says they’ve brought “shame upon this council”.

Cllr Lobban says members of the licensing committee have “time and time again made decisions that are questionable to say the least”.

He says the message sent to women in the Highlands is that “your safety is of secondary consideration”.

The Convener says there have been “pathetic excuses” from the five councillors in recent weeks and that he has “lost faith” in them to go about their duties.

Concluding, Cllr Lobban urges the local authority to “rebuild the trust that has been shattered” and calls for members to back the motion of no confidence in Councillors Kennedy, Macpherson, Grafton, Birt and Stewart.

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09.40am

The full council meeting is underway. Members are registering their attendance after a problem with the IT system.

Of the five, Councillors Kennedy and Stewart have joined the meeting online. Macpherson, Grafton and Birt are all in the chamber.

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08.35am

Councillors Sean Kennedy, Duncan Macpherson, John Grafton, Chris Birt and Ruraidh Stewart are facing a vote of no confidence at Thursday’s full council meeting.

In June, six members of the Licensing Committee voted to allow convicted rapist David Brown to keep his taxi operator’s licence.

The move prompted public anger. A meeting was held on 4 August to review the decision, but Brown surrendered his licence the night before. Instead, the meeting saw Convener Bill Lobban announce that those councillors who voted for Brown to keep the licence would face a confidence vote.

The meeting is due to start at 9.35am.

Follow for updates.

Domestic abuse charges in Skye rise by 163 percent

Domestic abuse related charges reported to the Procurator Fiscal in Portree have risen by 163 percent in a year, according to new figures from the Crown Office.

The figures show 71 charges were reported in the area in the year to March 2026, compared with 27 the previous year.

The increase is considerably higher than the national rise.

Across Scotland, 34,586 domestic abuse related charges were reported, an increase of 14 percent on the previous year.

It is the highest annual total recorded in more than a decade.

COPFS says 91% of the charges reported across Scotland resulted in court proceedings.

The figures are based on charges rather than individual people. A single case can involve more than one charge.

Lord Advocate ‘concerned’ by increase

Lord Advocate Ruth Charteris KC has described the national increase as “concerning for all of us”.

She says protecting women and girls from abusive men will be a priority during her time in office.

The Lord Advocate said every charge reported to prosecutors reflects the suffering of a victim, with the overwhelming majority involving a woman harmed by a man.

She said prevention was essential, but that victims also needed the protection of the justice system.

She has promised a firm response from prosecutors, with cases pursued in a way that reflects the seriousness of the offending.

Calls for action

Scottish Women’s Aid says it cannot pinpoint the exact reason for the rise in the figures.

Its chief executive, Dr Marsha Scott, says increased awareness of domestic abuse and greater confidence in reporting are possible explanations.

But she says “any report of a domestic abuse offence is a cause for concern”, and that the figures are a stark reminder of the level of harm taking place every day.

She says urgent and consistent action is needed across services to ensure survivors and their children receive a response that maximises their safety.

Scottish Women’s Aid also says the majority of women never report their experiences.

More people seeking support

There has also been a significant increase in people contacting Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline.

Scottish Women’s Aid says contacts increased by 48 percent between 2024/25 and 2025/26, following a targeted awareness campaign.

Anyone experiencing domestic abuse, or concerned about someone else, can contact Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline on 0800 027 1234.

Local support is available through Ross-shire Women’s Aid via www.rosswa.co.uk or by calling 01349 863 568.

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Interview: Si Riddell on mental health, endurance and wet plate photography

A Portree RNLI and Coastguard volunteer is speaking out about PTSD. Si Riddell lost his father in 2016 and was diagnosed with the condition as a result.

He’s charted his recovery in a new documentary, which also focusses on his love of analogue photography. The film explores themes of endurance, the mind and creativity.

Si is one of only around 1,000 people worldwide to shoot regularly using wet plate. The technique dates back to the 19th century and uses glass or metal plate which is coated, exposed and developed.

‘Peak Perseverance’ will premiere on YouTube on Saturday 12th September at 8pm on Si’s channel – @SRfilmphotography4480

He’s been speaking to Radio Skye’s Jamie McDonald about his mental health journey, getting into photography and the importance of speaking about PTSD. Listen to the full interview below.

Photo credit – Si Riddell and Isaac Riddell

Get in touch if you’ve got a story you’d like us to look into. Send a WhatsApp or send an email.

Skye councillor says £1m teacher recruitment fund is not enough

A Highland councillor says a new Scottish Government fund aimed at tackling teacher shortages in rural and island communities does not go far enough.

The £1 million Teacher Recruitment Assistance Fund (TRAF) will help teachers taking up posts with relocation and housing costs.

The Scottish Government says the fund is a pilot, with its impact to be monitored before decisions are made on future funding. It is part of wider measures to address teacher recruitment and reduce class contact time.

Skye councillor John Finlayson says the funding will not meet the scale of the challenge facing rural authorities.

He said:

“While I am delighted that finally consideration is being given by the Scottish Government to the unique and widespread challenges that rural authorities face, with the recruitment and retention of teachers for some subjects, £1 million pounds shared amongst the many councils who will be eligible to receive funding is not going to make the difference required.”

Teachers are also due to receive a further 90 minute reduction in weekly class contact time from August 2027 for primary teachers and from August 2029 for secondary teachers.

Councillor Finlayson says that could increase pressure on rural councils because more teachers will be needed to cover the same amount of classroom teaching.

He said:

“The added pressures that are also associated with a further reduction in class contact time for all teachers which will see a further 90minute reduction to 21 hours maximum class contact time, means more teachers will be needed across the whole country which I believe, will mean it will be even harder for rural authorities to recruit staff.”

He says the situation could eventually force councils to consider changes to how schools operate, including a shorter school week.

The Scottish Government says the recruitment fund is part of a wider programme of measures, including a minimum three year job guarantee for newly qualified teachers and plans to help established primary teachers gain additional registration.

Education Secretary Màiri McAllan said the Government must “continue our work to cut the costs of the school day for families” and that she would work with “young people, their families, the workforce, trade unions and local government to ensure every child receives the highest standard of education.”

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Why aren’t Coastguard rescue helicopters using Portree’s helipad?

Coastguard rescue helicopters have not used a purpose built helipad in Portree for three years.

The facility continues to be used by other emergency helicopter operators, including the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Former paramedic and health campaigner Neil Campbell says Coastguard helicopters have instead been using alternative landing sites in Portree.

Mr Campbell says it has been difficult to establish what needs to be done for the problem to be fixed.

He says one incident brought the issue into sharp focus.

A local woman suffering a heart attack needed to be flown to Raigmore Hospital, but Mr Campbell says the Coastguard helicopter did not land on the helipad.

Instead, he says, it landed on rough ground near Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Phort Rìgh and the patient had to walk across it to reach the aircraft.

He said:

“She had a heart attack which is time critical. So speed is very important to get her into Raigmore to get her treated.”

Mr Campbell says landing on rough ground also requires the pilot to find and assess an appropriate site.

He said:

“You’ve got to find a suitable patch of ground, then the pilot has to assess it, is it hard enough, is it soft enough, is it going to take the weight of the helicopter, is it level enough, is it safe enough?”

He says the alternative King George V playing field is not always available and is not rated for the weight of the Coastguard helicopter.

He argues the purpose built helipad provides a safer and more controlled location for emergency transfers, including at night.

Scottish Ambulance Service helicopter takes off from the Portree helipad

The background

The issue follows concerns raised after an incident involving a Coastguard S-92 helicopter at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth in 2023.

Two elderly women were blown over by the helicopter’s downwash as it landed. One of the women died.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch subsequently made recommendations about the safety of helicopter landing sites.

Mr Campbell says the incident led to Coastguard helicopters no longer using helipads such as Portree.

He initially approached HM Coastguard about the situation, before involving local MSP and MP offices.

He says a senior Scottish Government civil servant was then appointed to lead discussions between the organisations involved.

What does Bristow say?

Bristow operates the Coastguard search and rescue helicopters.

The company says safety is its first priority and that it has assessed the Portree helipad.

A spokesperson told Radio Skye:

“Safety of the public and our crews and those we are called on to assist is always our first priority.

“Operations to Helicopter Landing Sites are governed by Civil Aviation Authority guidelines and the Portree helipad is used by a variety of operators. However, following our assessment against the CAA requirements applicable to HM Coastguard Search and Rescue operations, we currently operate to alternative approved landing locations in the area.

“We continue to engage with the parties responsible for the Portree helipad regarding the requirements for its future use.”

Bristow has not specified what changes are required before its helicopters can use the helipad again, or given a timetable for that to happen.

Other use of the helipad

The Scottish Ambulance Service says it considers the Portree helipad suitable for its own operations.

A spokesperson told Radio Skye:

“Both SAS and the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance consider the Portree helipad to be a suitable landing site and can access it as required. It should be noted that each organisation makes its own assessment of a landing site’s suitability based on a range of factors, including weather conditions, equipment and the type of aircraft being used.”

NHS Highland says its Director of Estates has provided professional advice to Portree and Braes Community Trust, which owns the helipad, based on the health board’s experience of managing the helipad at Raigmore.

The health board says it does not manage or operate community helipads.

What is being done?

The Scottish Government says it has helped bring the organisations together to try to resolve the issue.

A spokesperson told Radio Skye:

“The Scottish Government helped facilitate bringing the organisations together to discuss and move forward with developing protocols for Search and Rescue Helicopters using the community helipad. This is a matter for Portree & Braes Community Trust, Bristow and HM Coastguard.”

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said:

“Safety is paramount at helicopter landing sites. Where sites require compliance work, contingency plans will ensure HM Coastguard helicopters can deliver people safely into the appropriate onward medical care.”

A specialist company, GreenDeck Solutions, has prepared a helicopter operations manual for the Community Trust at no charge.

Mr Campbell says the manual is ready to go, and that the company has also offered to return to Portree and carry out another survey free of charge.

Mr Campbell says the situation remains unresolved.

He said:

“Not a single coastguard helicopter has landed on the Portree helipad [in three years]. The difficulty was finding out first of all, that there was a problem. Secondly, what do we have to do?”

For now, Bristow says its helicopters are using alternative approved landing locations in the area while it continues to engage with those responsible for the Portree helipad.

3 SEPTEMBER 2026

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Home Farm to remain open after Care Inspectorate signs off improvements

Home Farm Care Home is to stay open after meeting all the required improvements set out by the Care Inspectorate.

NHS Highland confirmed to Radio Skye that the home was subject to an unannounced inspection between 26 and 29 August.

The Care Inspectorate has now confirmed that it is satisfied that the necessary changes have been made and has lifted the Improvement Notice issued earlier this year. A full report from the regulator is expected to follow.

Arlene Johnstone, Chief Officer of the Highland Health and Social Care Partnership, said:

“The Care Inspectorate issued NHS Highland with an extension to the Improvement Notice for Home Farm Care Home in July.

“Since then, NHS Highland has taken extensive action to strengthen leadership, governance, staffing oversight, clinical support and quality assurance within the home. The appointment of an Interim Registered Manager has made a significant contribution to this work, providing strong day-to-day leadership for staff and helping to coordinate improvement activity across the home.

“Following an unannounced inspection between 26 and 29 August, the Care Inspectorate has now confirmed that it is satisfied all required improvements have been met and has lifted the Improvement Notice.

“The Care Inspectorate has advised that a full inspection report will be issued in due course. Once received, we will share the findings with residents, families and other stakeholders.

“I would like to thank residents, families, staff and partner organisations for their patience, support and commitment throughout this period. I would also like to recognise the considerable effort of everyone involved in delivering these improvements and supporting positive change within the home.”

The care home had previously been given an Improvement Notice by the Care Inspectorate following a report earlier this year.

The report highlighted a “toxic workplace culture” and problems with staffing.

Concerns were also raised about the maintenance of the building and the keeping of patient records.

The deadline for the required changes was initially July, but this was later extended to 25 August.

Radio Skye has contacted the Care Inspectorate for comment.

Home Farm’s history

The care home was at the centre of a major Covid outbreak in 2020, during which 11 residents died.

It was subsequently taken over by NHS Highland.

A series of inspections this summer raised concerns locally.

The SOS Skye campaign group held a meeting at the beginning of August to discuss the situation.

There has also been political pressure on NHS Highland throughout the process.

Following the SOS Skye meeting, local MSP Andrew Baxter told Radio Skye he would call for senior NHS Highland resignations if the health board had failed to meet the Care Inspectorate’s requirements.

NHS Highland declined to respond to Mr Baxter’s comments at the time.

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Badenoch and Kinlochshiel set for Women’s shinty final showdown

Badenoch will be looking to retain the WCA MOWI Valerie Fraser Camanachd Cup when they face Kinlochshiel in the headline fixture of the Women’s Shinty Finals Day at Newtonmore on Saturday.

The two sides will meet at The Eilan at 4.05pm in a repeat of a fixture that has featured several times during the season.

The Badenoch team with the WCA Premier Cup. Credit – NEIL G PATERSON

Badenoch booked their place in the final with a 3-0 victory over Lochaber in Beauly in July.

Kinlochshiel also won 3-0 in their semi-final, defeating Glasgow Mid Argyll in Yoker.

Kinlochshiel | Credit – NEIL G PATERSON

The game will be broadcast live on BBC Alba.

WCA president Karen Williamson said the match will be a fitting finale.

“These teams have met numerous times already this season, but who will be crowned the winners on Saturday? It’s set to be another exciting game.”

The final is one of three fixtures taking place at The Eilan, with the WCA MOWI Challenge Cup and MOWI National Primary Girls Cup also up for grabs.

Aberdour | Credit – JOHN FULLERTON

First up at 1pm is the Challenge Cup between Aberdour and Dunadd.

Williamson said: “These teams scored plenty of goals in the semi-finals and it will be exciting to see who will gain the most points in the final!”

Dunadd | Credit – NEIL G PATERSON

The middle fixture will see the next generation of players take centre stage, with Beauly Primary and Glasgow Gaels Primary contesting the MOWI National Primary Girls Cup at 3pm.

“It’s been a great addition to the day, with Beauly representing the North and Glasgow Gaels representing the South,” Williamson said. “I can almost feel the excitement and nerves already! The girls will be giving everything to be crowned the National Champions.”

The finals day will also feature family activities, including bouncy castles, face painting and balloon modelling.

The Women’s Camanachd Association is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026.