Sutherland Community Partnership

About Sutherland Community Partnership

The Sutherland Community Partnership (SCP) is one of nine Community Partnerships across Highland dedicated to tackling inequalities. Bringing together public sector partners, third sector organisations, and local agencies, SCP serves as a collaborative forum to identify shared local priorities and coordinated actions. Through shared resources, joint initiatives, and collaborative working, the SCP aims to improve service delivery and address community needs. This collective effort reflects a commitment to community engagement and making meaningful, positive changes that benefit everyone in the Sutherland area.

Partners include:

Police Scotland – Chair
Highland Council – Vice Chair
NHS Highland
Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
Voluntary Groups Sutherland
Skills Development Scotland
Highlands and Island Enterprise
High Life Highland

Plans & Priorities

The key themes and priorities that Sutherland Community Partnership are working towards are:

Transport
Employability
Poverty Fuel Poverty Report Food Strategy
Sutherland Cares Sutherland Pathfinder Reports
Homes for People and Infrastructure

For each priority theme there is an active Thematic Sub-Group in place each with an active Action Plan, all sub-groups are chaired by Lead Partners from across the SCP membership.

In addition, the SCP has recently established four Area Forums – North, West, Central and East.

Click on the links below to view our community plans:

Ardgay and District
Assynt
Brora
Dornoch
Durness
Edderton
Golspie
Helmsdale
Kinlochbervie
Lairg
Melness-Tounge-Skerray
North Sutherland
Rogart
Scourie

Area Profiles

Sutherland is situated in the far northern Highlands of Scotland and borders Caithness to the Northeast, Ross-shire to the South. As of 2021, Sutherland has a population of 13,142 people covering 2,300 square miles. (see the Sutherland Partnership Profile Demography and Deprivation report below for further details).

Sutherland is one of the remotest and most sparsely populated counties. Sutherland’s transport and communication links are sporadic. The main A9 trunk road links Sutherland to the South as does the railway line and access to airports is either to Wick or Inverness at a very minimum of an hour’s drive for some residents.

North and West Sutherland remains a largely fragile area, sparsely populated, with the local economy dependent on primary industries supplemented by tourism. It is reported that over 40% of the households in Sutherland are said to be in fuel poverty. The perception of remoteness, shortages of affordable housing and the declining and aging populations present significant challenges in attracting new people to the area

The area covered by the Sutherland Community Partnership is made up of two administrative Highland Council Wards: North, West and Central Sutherland and East Sutherland and Edderton. There are 17 Community Councils in Sutherland.

Below you will find additional reports and important information relevant to the Sutherland area.

Click on the links to view.