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The Highland Council has a total of 80 members representing 22 wards, eight of which have three councillors and fourteen with four members. For the first time in Scotland elections are by single transferrable vote. Following the election in May 2007 and changes of party since that time, the Council is made up as follows:

• 33 Independents/non-aligned
• 21 Liberal Democrats
• 17 SNP
• 7 Labour
• 2 non-aligned

41 of the Council members were newly elected in May 2007.

It was announced on Friday 11th May 2007 that the Independents and SNP had reached agreement to form an administration, with Cllr Sandy Park (Ind – Nairn) to be Convenor and Cllr Jean Urquhart (SNP – Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh) to be Vice-Convenor. Councillors Park and Urquhart were elected to these posts at a meeting of the Highland Council on Thursday 17th May.

Subsequently the Administration published its programme for the coming term of office. Given that they stood for election on a non-political platform, the basis on which members of the Independent Group made this agreement is not clear. Subsequently meetings were held to appoint committee members, Chairpersons and Vice-chairs.

The Highland Council Members

Ward 1: North, West and Central Sutherland

• George Farlow (SNP)
• Linda Munro (Ind)
• Robert Rowantree (Lib Dem)

Ward 2: Thurso

• Donald Mackay (—)
• John Rosie (Ind)
• Marion Thurso (Lib Dem)

Ward 3: Wick

• William Fernie (Ind)
• Katrina MacNab (Ind)
• Graeme Smith (Lib Dem)

Ward 4: Landward Caithness

• David Bremner (Non-aligned) ^{[See Note 4]}
• Robert Coghill (Ind)
• David Flear (Lib Dem)
• William MacKay (Ind)

Ward 5: East Sutherland and Edderton

• Deirdre Mackay (Lab)
• James McGillivray (Ind)
• William Ross (Lib Dem)

Ward 6: Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh

• Isabelle Campbell (Lib Dem)
• Richard Greene (Ind)
• Audrey SInclair (Ind)
• Jean Urquhart (SNP)

Ward 7: Cromarty Firth

• Michael Finlayson (Ind)
• Martin Rattray (Lib Dem)
• Maxine Smith (SNP)
• Carolyn Wilson (Ind)

Ward 8: Tain and Easter Ross

• Richard Durham (Ind)
• Alasdair Rhind (Ind) ^{[See Note 2]}
• Alan Torrance (SNP)  ^{[See Note 3]}

Ward 9: Dingwall and Seaforth

• Peter Cairns (SNP)
• David Chisholm (Ind)
• Angela MacLean (Lib Dem)
• Margaret Peterson (Ind)

Ward 10: Black Isle

• David Alston (Lib Dem)
• Billy Barclay (Ind)
• Craig Fraser (SNP)
• Isabella McCallum (Ind)

Ward 11: Eilean a’ Cheo

• James Fraser (Ind)
• John Laing (Ind)
• Andrew Millar (Lib Dem)
• Ian Renwick (SNP)

Ward 12: Caol and Mallaig

• William Clark (Ind)
• Allan Henderson (Ind)
• Edward Hunter (Ind)

Ward 13: Aird and Loch Ness

• Helen Carmichael (Ind)
• Margaret Davidson (—)
• Andrew Hendry (SNP)
• Hamish Wood (Lib Dem)

Ward 14: Inverness West

• Alex Graham (Lib Dem)
• James MacDonald (—)
• Pauline Munro (SNP)

Ward 15: Inverness Central

• Janet Campbell (Lib Dem)
• Peter Corbett (—)
• Donald Kerr (SNP)
• Elizabeth McAllister (Lab)

Ward 16: Inverness Ness-side

• Norman Donald (Ind)
• John Finnie (SNP)
• David Henderson (Lib Dem)
• Fraser Parr (Lab)

Ward 17: Inverness Millburn

• Ian Brown (SNP)
• James Gray (Lab)
• Kenneth MacLeod (Lib Dem)

Ward 18: Culloden and Ardersier

• Roderick Balfour (Ind)
• John Ford (Lab)
• Glynis Sinclair (Lib Dem)
• Robert Wynd (SNP)

Ward 19: Nairn

• Laurie Fraser (Ind)
• Elizabeth MacDonald (SNP)
• Graham Marsden (Lib Dem)
• Alexander Park (Ind)

Ward 20: Inverness South

• James Crawford (Non-aligned) ^{[See Note 5]}
• John Holden (Lab)
• Roy Pedersen (SNP)
• Thomas Parg (Lib Dem)

Ward 21: Badenoch and Strathspey

• Stuart Black (Lib Dem)
• Jacqueline Douglas (Ind)
• David Fallows (SNP)
• Gregor Rimell (Ind) ^{[See Note 1]}

Ward 22: Fort William and Ardnamurchan

• Donald Cameron (—)
• Michael Foxley (Lib Dem)
• Brendon Gormely (SNP)
• Brian Murphy (Lab)

Councillors with (—) chose not to include any description on the election ballot paper.

Note 1.   Gregor Rimmell (Ward 21, Badenoch and Strathspey) contested election as an Independent candidate but joined the Liberal Democrat group in May 2007.

Note 2.  Richard Durham (Ward 8, Tain and Easter Ross) contested election as an Liberal Democrat candidate but joined the Independent group in September 2007.

Note 3.  Alan Torrance (Ward 8, Tain and Easter Ross) contested election as an Independent candidate but joined the SNP group in December 2007.

Note 4.  David Bremner (Ward 4, Landward Caithness) contested election as a Scottish National Party (SNP) candidate but was expelled from the SNP group in March 2008 and has subsequently sat as a non-aligned member of the Council.

Note 5.  James Crawford (Ward 20, Inverness South) contested election as an Independent candidate but resigned from the Independent group in June 2008 and has subsequently sat as a non-aligned member of the Council.