Local News – 15th January 2026

Highland Council

The Highland Council has issued a heartfelt “thank you” to staff and volunteers following a gruelling start to 2026.

Since New Year’s Day, gritting teams have clocked over twenty-five thousand hours, battling temperatures as low as minus eleven to keep Scotland’s longest road network moving. More than two hundred operatives and one hundred and twenty gritters worked tirelessly through amber weather warnings that saw widespread school and road closures.

Convener Bill Lobban praised the “skill and courage” of the crews and the resilience of local communities. The focus now shifts to replenishing grit bins and assessing the network for damage caused by the rapid freeze and thaw.

Angus MacDonald

Local MP Angus MacDonald has hit out at the SNP’s defence record during a Westminster debate on Arctic security.

The member for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire warned that independence would undermine NATO’s resilience in the vital “GIUK Gap.” Defence Minister Alistair Carns backed the concerns, claiming a split would weaken the entire European security architecture. Mr. MacDonald also criticized the SNP for a lack of attendance, calling their absence from the debate “utterly apathetic.”

Scottish Land and Estates

Scottish Land and Estates has warned that today’s Scottish Budget fails to provide long-term confidence for the rural economy.

Policy Director Stephen Young described the measures as a “sticking plaster,” highlighting a real-terms cut to the rural affairs portfolio. While the group welcomed a twenty-six-million-pound boost for agricultural modernization and increased forestry grants, they cautioned that rising business rates remain a major threat to rural jobs and investment.

A landmark report on the future of crofting has been unveiled at Holyrood, following an extensive fact-finding mission to the Isle of Skye.

Convener Finlay Carson MSP presented the Stage 1 findings of the Crofting Bill, thanking Skye crofters for their vital input during the Committee’s visit to the island. The report backs new measures to allow “environmental use” of crofts—but warns that robust enforcement is needed to ensure this isn’t used as a cover for land neglect.

Key wins for the community include a new fast-track process for transferring crofts to family members and a crackdown on the accidental separation of grazing shares from croft land. While the Bill stops short of fundamental reform, the Committee has formally recommended that the next Scottish Government carries out a full-scale review of crofting law to protect the “vital contribution” the sector makes to Skye’s economy and culture.

Gaelic Week

World Gaelic Week is set for its biggest year yet, with record-breaking demand for its annual events program.

Applications for the small grants scheme have jumped by twenty percent, funding unique projects like the “Beul ri Beul” intergenerational walks in Lewis. Running from the 23rd of February, the week-long celebration aims to get all generations speaking the language together. Organizers say the surge in interest shows Gaelic culture is more vibrant than ever across the Islands.

NatureScot

Europe’s largest skate is making a major comeback in Scottish waters. A new study by NatureScot and Heriot-Watt University reveals that flapper skates are recovering, with fishers around Skye and Rum reporting daily sightings. Experts say the growth is a direct result of protected marine areas and a 2009 ban on commercial landings. While the species remains critically endangered, the data suggests the “giant of the sea” is finally on the path to restoration.

SEALL

Literary royalty is coming to the Misty Isle! SEALL has announced that Captain Corelli’s Mandolin author Louis de Bernières will appear at An Crùbh in Sleat on March 20th. He’ll be in conversation with Roger Hutchinson to discuss a career spanning poetry, music, and international bestsellers. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Tuesday at 7:00 PM, via the SEALL “What’s On” page. Don’t miss this rare, intimate evening with one of the UK’s greatest storytellers.

Ice Skating

And ice skating is coming to Portree this weekend. The Light Up Portree team have secured Wonder Ice for the community centre from this Saturday onwards, organiser