Skye and Lochalsh

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Skye and Lochalsh is a committee area of Highland council area, in Scotland. It was formerly (1975-96) one of eight local government districts in the Highland region of Scotland.

Coat of arms of Skye and Lochalsh District Council

The district was formed by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 from the areas of the District of Skye, Inverness-shire and the South-West District of the county of Ross and Cromarty. The area included the islands of Skye, Raasay, and a mainland area heading inland from Kyle of Lochalsh. The council had its base in Portree in Skye.

The district council's coat of arms, granted by Lord Lyon King of Arms in 1987 featured a wavy blue fess across the centre of the shield for the Kyle of Lochalsh. Above this were emblems for the three main historic families of the Isle of Skye (Macleod of Macleod, Macdonald of Sleat and Mackinnon) and below it a stag's head from the arms of Mackenzie of Kintail for the Lochalsh area. The gold coronet above the arms was a special pattern reserved for the arms of Scottish district councils, and was topped by thistle-heads.^[1]

In 1996 the district was abolished by the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, with its area forming part of the Highland unitary authority area.

The committee area consists of six out of the 80 Highland Council wards. Each ward elects one councillor by the first past the post system of election. The area is represented by four independent councillors and two Liberal Democrat councillors.