Councillors for the Dingwall and Seaforth ward have signed off their winter maintenance plans, welcomed record-low turnaround times for council house repairs, and highlighted fresh funding for accessibility improvements and local groups.

At the Area Committee, members approved the 2026/27 Winter Service Plan. The plan confirms priority gritting routes, gritter deployment schedules and local salt stockpiles to help keep the road network resilient during periods of severe weather.

A central focus this year is promoting the Council’s Winter Resilience Scheme, which enables communities, via their Community Councils, to carry out footway gritting in agreed areas. The Highland Council supports volunteers by providing salt, grit, grit bins, scrapers and reflective safety vests, offering a partnership that enhances local service provision. Further details are available on the Council’s website.

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Housing performance figures for the first quarter of 2026/27 (1 April to 30 June 2026) show the average time to complete non-emergency council housing repairs in Dingwall and Seaforth has fallen to 6.4 days. This comfortably beats the Council’s target of 8.9 days and is ahead of the national Scottish Housing Network benchmark of 8.6 days.

Accessibility has also received a boost, with £75,443 approved under the Scheme of Assistance Housing Grants to help residents live independently through home adaptations, including stairlifts, level-access showers and access ramps.

Since the last meeting, £2,949 has been awarded from the Ward Discretionary Budget to grassroots organisations: £1,000 to Dingwall Community Council for the “Dingwall in Bloom” floral plantings; £999 to Dingwall Youth Forum to upgrade dedicated spaces for young people in Dingwall Town Hall; £500 to the Jame Support Group to promote monthly mental health support meetings in Dingwall; and £450 to Maryburgh Community Council for local 'Maryburgh in Bloom' projects.

Members also noted that the Dingwall Common Good Fund continues to be managed responsibly, remains in a stable and encouraging position, and is well placed to meet planned commitments while supporting the long-term care and management of community assets.