Highland Council will lose six councillors after the Scottish Government approved proposals by the Local Government Boundary Commission.
Four members – one each from Inverness Central, Ness-side, Culloden and Ardersier and the Black Isle – will be lost and another two will go due to boundary changes in Caithness.
Currently there are three members representing both the Thurso and Wick wards and another four for Landward Caithness. But the boundaries will be changed to represent Thurso and Northwest Caithness and Wick and East Caithness and there will be four members representing each.
The recommendations have come following a Scotland-wide local authorities boundary review.
Council leader Margaret Davidson wrote to the minister to advise of “widespread unease” locally over how the commission had undertaken its review.
She added: “It is very disappointing that these concerns have not been taken on board.
“In Highland we raised a number of issues of concern and suggested changes which were based on the rationale of maintaining current community ties, which would provide for better recognisable boundaries; insufficient weight being given to those wards with areas of deprivation; and the special geographical factors of the Highlands. Most of these proposals were not accepted by the Local Government Boundary Commission.
“This will have a significant impact on how effectively communities will be represented across Highland and is a real erosion of democracy.”
Argyll and Bute Council’s leader, Dick Walsh, praised a decision by the Scottish Government not to accept the recommendations of the boundary commission to reduce the number of councillors in his area.
