New names announced for two local enterprise companies

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has confirmed the names of two new local enterprise companies which have been formed as a result of the agency's network organisational review.

HIE Skye and Wester Ross - HIE An Eilein Sgitheanaich is Taobh Siar Rois - covers Wester Ross as well as the former Skye and Lochalsh Enterprise area.

HIE Inverness and East Highland - HIE Inbhir Nis is Taobh Sear na Gàidhealtachd - is the new name for the LEC combining Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey with Easter Ross and the Black Isle.

HIE announced last month (March) that it was embarking on a programme of organisational change aimed at improving service to customers, efficiency and effectiveness.

The most visible change was a reduction in the number of HIE's local enterprise companies (LECs) from 10 to nine.

This has now been achieved by merging three former LECS - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Enterprise, Ross and Cromarty Enterprise and Skye and Lochalsh Enterprise - into the two new ones.

Each of the existing LEC offices, in Aviemore, Inverness, Invergordon and Portree, is being kept open and will be renamed shortly.  Careers Scotland locality offices in these areas will also merge, in line with LEC boundaries.

The new boundary will follow the watershed between east and west Ross. Inchbae Forest, Aultguish, Gorstan, Lochluichart, Strathconon,and Monar Forest will all be included in HIE Inverness and East Highland area, while, on the other side of the boundary, Strathvaich Forest, Auldearg, Grudie, Achnasheen, Ledgowan Forest and land west of these will be included with HIE Skye and Wester Ross.

The northern boundary with the Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise (CASE) area remains unchanged while areas along the southern Ross-shire boundary such as Muir of Ord and Cabaan Forest become part of the new HIE Inverness and East Highland area.

A map of the new boundaries will appear on the HIE website in due course. HIE Inverness and East Highland area contains 136,500 residents while HIE Skye and Wester Ross serves a population of 18,500.

The changes have been expected since HIE launched its new strategy for the area, A Smart, Successful Highlands and Islands, in June last year. They represent the most significant review of the Network's structures since the organisation was established 15 years ago.