Note changes at your council service point

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Council's review means service point changes

FOLLOWING a review of customer services, two service points run by Highland Council will close on Thursday 31 March.
The council is withdrawing its presence from Drumnadrochit and Dunvegan, where the customer service is shared with VisitScotland. The nearest service points to Drumnadrochit, are located at Inverness and Fort Augustus and the nearest service points to Dunvegan, are located at Portree and Broadford.
Any member of the public seeking information or advice on council services should telephone the council’s service centre on 01349 886606.
At Durness, where the Council has a presence in premises, owned by VisitScotland,, opening hours will be reduced to five hours per week. This will take effect from 1 April.
The review of customer services involves greater sharing of front counter services to avoid a duplication of running and maintenance costs.
From 1 April, the council and Northern Constabulary will be sharing front counter services at Bettyhill and Broadford. This will see the police moving to the service points at the two locations.
By 31 August, this year, the council intends to complete the introduction of changes which result from the review.
The council currently has a network of 37 service points, which offers a face-to-face customer service to the public. A customer services centre at Alness deals with all general telephony enquiries from the public as well as operating a telephone payment line service for all council bills. This number is 01349 886605.
The public is also reminded that from 1 April, the council will be stopping all cash and cheque collections at service points, directing the public to 300 shops and facilities with Paypoint and Payzone payment facilities as well as the existing service available at post offices.
The public will still be able to pay bills by debit or credit cards in service points and also pay online via the council’s website or via the Payment Line 01348 886605.
As a result of the move away from cash and cheque handling at council offices, the cash office at council headquarters, Inverness, will close on 31 March next year.