Highland Politics in 2022: A year in review sees the Council hammered over education, the Ironworks and strip clubs
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A slow start to the council calendar after the election saw little done despite the emerging cost of living crisis while opposition parties sought to increase the heat on those in charge.
Rock bottom attainment figures for primary pupils saw the council administration – now led by the SNP and Independents – at loggerheads with the opposition.
A move to ban strip clubs in the region sparked a heated row as dancers who rubbished claims made by the NHS and other statutory agencies.
While in a major move, Opportunity Cromarty Firth gets up and running as it bids for a green freeport and thousands of jobs.
So from April to June here are some of the political stories dominating our pages online and in print.
Investment in the Highlands has always lagged behind but now it is clearer by how much:
The push to register potential voters ahead of May's election continues:
The first female Provost of Inverness retires:
Calls for Highland Council to work better with the private sector
Cost of living crisis concerns mount with increasing speeed
The long-awaited barrier system at Raigmore will have to wait a bit longer:
A move to ban strip clubs falls flat while the debate on the issue took an unexpected turn:
The skyline of Inverness changed with the loss of this:
...and the addition of this:
Results confirmed: The SNP come out on top in the local government elections:
The result of coalition talks which began at the count became inevitable:
But they will not go unchallenged by the Lib Dems:
Or the Conservatives:
Scotrail's unbelievably unpopular temporary timetable saw the Scottish Government come under severe criticism:
The green freeport bid starts to heat up with the promise of a jobs boom:
Councillor's expenses showed what some of the big bills were for members:
UN World Heritage bids are seen as one way to protect the Highlands from voracious developers
The Queen marked her Platinum Jubilee:
The first Ukrainian refugees arrive in the north:
First sparks fly at Highland Council after the election:
More trouble for the council as it is rated very low:
One of the big stories of the year was the saga about the end of Ironworks:
For a while it was far from certain it would be pass:
The public certainly wanted to retain the venue:
Pressure on the council bosses over education ramps up:
But the move was eventually rebuffed by the administration:
