Issued: 19 Aug 2026
Services provided by The Highland Council will be disrupted on Wednesday 20 August as the result of industrial action, which is part of nationwide action by Unite the Union, GMB and Unison members in respect of the National Pay Award. The Council will endeavour to keep disruption to a minimum. However, a number of Council services will be affected. The known disruption is:
Service Points: Closed: Church Street, Inverness; Hilton, Inverness; Tain; Ullapool; Broadford, Kyle, Thurso, Bettyhill, Brora, Dornoch, Lairg, Nairn, Grantown, Kingussie, Fort William.
HQ Cash Office: Closed
Registrars: Closed: Dingwall, Portree, Fort William, Thurso and Wick.
A limited service will be provided at Inverness.
Refuse Collection/bulky uplifts:There will be no refuse collection, kerbside recycling or bulky uplifts on Wednesday. Residents should NOT put their bins out that day. Normal refuse collection will be the following Wednesday. The public is urged to use recycling centres to dispose of surplus waste when they reopen on Thursday 21 August.
Recycling Centres: These will be closed.
Burials/Cremations: There will be no burials or cremations on Wednesday.
Ferry: The Corran Ferry linking Nether Lochaber to Ardgour will not operate on Wednesday.
Schools:
Secondary Schools : (16): Alness Academy; Charleston Academy, Inverness; Culloden Academy, Inverness; Grantown Grammar; Kilchuimen Academy, Kinlochbervie High; Fort Augustus; Kingussie High; Lochaber High; Millburn Academy, Inverness; Nairn Academy; Plockton High; Portree High; Tain Royal Academy; Thurso High S 1-3; Ullapool High; Wick High.
There will be no canteen facilities at Fortrose Academy.
There will be no Additional Support Needs pupils attending Gairloch High.
The new Kinlochleven High is not due to open until Friday.
Primary Schools: (24)
Aviemore; Beauly; Brora; Coulhill, Alness; Cradlehall, Inverness; Dingwall; Dornoch; Golspie; Grantown, Halkirk; Park, Invergordon; Kilchuimen, Fort Augustus; Knockbreck, Tain; Millbank, Nairn; Miller Academy, Thurso; Mount Pleasant, Thurso; Obsdale, Alness; Pennyland, Thurso; Rosebank, Nairn; Smithton, Inverness; South Lodge, Invergordon; South, Wick; St Jospeh~s RC, Inverness; Tarradale.
Ardersier Primary - closing at noon; Central, Inverness is open to P 4-7 only.
Nursery Schools (41):
Bunsgoil Ghaidhlig Inbhir Nis; Arisaig; Auldearn; Ballachulish; Banavie; Bonar Bridge; Bridgend, Alness; Caol; Carbost; Cauldeen; Central; Conon Bridge; Cradlehall; Deshar, Boat of Garten; Duncan Forbes, Inverness; Elgol, Skye; Fort William RC; Gairloch; Gledfield, Ardgay; Helmsdale; Hilton, Inverness; Hilton, East Ross; Inshes, Inverness; Inverlochy; Kyle; Kyleakin; Macdiarmid, Skye; Mallaig; Marybank; Maryburgh; Newtonmore; North Kessock; North, Wick; Poolewe; Pulteneytown Academy, Wick; St Bride~s, Onich; Strathdearn; Struan, Skye; Tomnacross; Ullapool; Upper Achintore, Fort William.
Other ECS Facilities Closed:
Libraries: Alness; Badenoch; Bettyhill; Glenurquhart; Housebound Library; Invergordon Mobile Library; Inverness; Moray Firth Mobile Library; Nairn; Thurso.
Swimming Pools: Lochaber Leisure, Fort William; Nairn Leisure; Thurso; Wick.
Community Facilities: Charleston Community Complex, Inverness; Culloden Community Complex, Inverness; Golspie Youth Centre; James Cameron Community Complex, Inverness.
Limited service at Inverness Leisure.
Social Work: Residential care will be maintained and home care will be provided to the most vulnerable but it is likely that domestic home care and domestic day care services will be affected on Wednesday. Some offices normally open to the public may also be affected.
Housing: Enquiries regarding emergency repairs to council houses and emergency homelessness should be directed to 0845 700 2026.