Skye and Lochalsh facts for kids
from 1975 to 1996
shown as one of Scotland's main council areas
Skye and Lochalsh (which in Scottish Gaelic is An t-Eilean Sgitheanach agus Loch Aillse) was a special area in Scotland. It was one of eight "districts" within the larger Highland region. These districts were like smaller local government areas that helped manage things for the people living there. The main office for the Skye and Lochalsh district council was in Portree, a town on the famous Isle of Skye.
Contents
How Local Government Changed
Forming the Skye and Lochalsh District
For a while, from 1975 to 1996, Scotland had a system of local government with two main levels: "regions" and "districts." The Skye and Lochalsh district was created in 1975. It was formed by combining two smaller areas:
- The Skye district, which was part of Inverness-shire and included the Isle of Skye and other nearby islands.
- The South West district of Ross and Cromarty, which was an area around the village of Kyle of Lochalsh.
This change meant that older ways of organizing local areas, like "counties" and "burghs," were replaced with this new system. The main idea was to make local government work better across Scotland.
What Happened Next?
In 1996, the way Scotland was governed locally changed again. The "regions" and "districts" were replaced by 32 larger "unitary council areas." This meant that each new area had just one main council in charge.
The former Skye and Lochalsh district became part of the new, larger Highland Council area. This new Highland Council now manages everything that the old region and its districts used to handle.
How Areas Are Managed Today
Even though the old districts were gone, the new Highland Council decided to keep some of the old district names for how they manage their services. So, the area that used to be Skye and Lochalsh is now part of a bigger management area called "Ross, Skye and Lochaber."
When people vote for their local representatives, called "councillors," they vote in smaller areas called "wards." The Isle of Skye is now its own ward called "Eilean a' Cheò," which elects four councillors. The Lochalsh area is part of the "Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh" ward, which also elects four councillors.
There's also a special area called the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency for the UK Parliament in London. Its boundaries are a bit different from the local council's management area, but it covers a similar part of Scotland.
The District's Coat of Arms
A coat of arms is like a special symbol or shield that represents a family, a town, or even a local council. The Skye and Lochalsh District Council had its own coat of arms, which was officially given to them in 1987.
This special shield had a wavy blue line across the middle. This line represented the Kyle of Lochalsh, which is a narrow stretch of water.
Above the blue line, there were symbols for three important old families from the Isle of Skye:
- The Macleods
- The Macdonalds of Sleat
- The Mackinnons
Below the blue line, there was a stag's (male deer's) head. This came from the symbols of the Mackenzie family of Kintail, representing the Lochalsh area.
At the very top of the shield, there was a gold crown. This crown had a special design just for Scottish district councils, and it was decorated with thistle-heads, which are a symbol of Scotland.
