Highlands and Islands Enterprise is to create a new senior development post for the Uists and Barra.

The initiative will provide a dedicated focus to strengthen and diversify the communities’ future development.

Based in Benbecula, the Head of Business and Community Development (Uists and Barra) will work closely with key businesses, social enterprises and other organisations to explore and encourage opportunities for the local economy to grow.

Specific duties will include promoting the area both locally and nationally and seeking additional investment prospects.

Playing a senior role within HIE's Innse Gall team, the post will also contribute to the work of the multi-partner Hebrides Range Task Force.

The announcement came as a high-level group from the development agency visited Benbecula and South Uist on Tuesday 25 May.

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Chair of HIE William Roe, Acting Chief Executive Sandy Brady and Outer Hebrides Area Manager Archie Macdonald held talks with a number of local business and community leaders, including members of Stòras Uibhist, the community company which owns South Uist Estate.

Mr Roe said: "Sustaining our more fragile communities is a vital part of what Highlands and Islands Enterprise does, and achieving economic progress in the Outer Hebrides in particular is one of our core ambitions.

"When we decided in January that we needed to reduce HIE's overall workforce, we also said we would take the opportunity to strengthen some key areas of our work with additional funding and staff resources.

"This new post for the Uists and Barra is a direct result of that commitment to target our resources as effectively as possible to meet present-day needs and opportunities throughout the Highlands and Islands."

Mr Roe added that the meeting with South Uist community and business leaders in Daliburgh had been "positive and forward-looking".

"The community buy out of South Uist Estate in 2006 has presented many challenges and opportunities, from which the community has spearheaded initiatives in tourism and renewable energy in particular.

"HIE is very pleased to have been able to work with the community in their efforts to regenerate these islands, and we look forward to playing a significant role in future developments."

Recruitment for the new development manager will get under way shortly and HIE expects to fill the post this summer.

(GK)