Dornoch Service Point recommended to remain open

But there was no joy for Durness, where the local service point will shut if the plans put forward on Monday are ratified this summer.

Highland Council service points at Brora Library, Helmsdale Community Centre, Lairg Police Station, and Bonar Bridge’s Carnegie Building will also be axed.

Customer advisors in these offices will in some cases be replaced by information kiosks in libraries. It is understood that in other cases, council librarians will take on the additional role.

Service points at Bettyhill, Lochinver and Golspie are not being affected by the cost-cutting move.

The plans drawn up this week in private session are expected to be approved by the full council in August.

It would mean Durness residents would have to drive 45 miles to their nearest service point at Bettyhill for face-to-face contact.

Durness development officer Neil Fuller said: “It’s very sad that another service is being lost from the village. What we are facing is incremental losses that all add up to a very large hole. This is going to have an impact on a lot of people.”

A Highland councillor, who asked not to be named, said it would be hard on the older or less mobile people who are not as capable of getting around or phoning customer service hot lines.

“People come into a service point if they’re needing things like a new bin, or if they need help filling in a housing application form or to report pot holes in the road or a defect in their council house.

“It’s really unfortunate that some will shut but at the end of the day the problem is that they are not being used sufficiently. It’s like everything, use it or lose it.”

However, critics of the cuts said people who have no computer access would be badly affected by the loss of their nearest service point.

There are currently 35 service points across the region that provide a face-to-face service.

In March, the council agreed to look again at levels of usage at some of the 23 service points it was planning to shut.

Members of the customer services board held a discussion on Monday and agreed that 10 should shut.

They are Acharacle, Hilton, Durness, Brora, Lairg, Bonar Bridge, Helmsdale, Ardersier, Mallaig, Muir of Ord.

Sparing Dornoch would be music to the ears of American inward investors Todd and Liz Warnock, who own the town’s luxury golfing hotel Links House, and who want to turn the courthouse – within which the service point is sited – into a high-end “Carnegie themed” visitor centre.

But they have said they would not go ahead with any development unless Highland Council agreed to keep the service point open for five years at least.

The couple have promised to invest £750,000 in the project but want the community to show its support by raising £20,000.

A fundraising drive has already been launched by Dornoch Area Community Interest Company (DACIC).

The spacious building is owned by chartered surveyor Sinclair Mackintosh who confirmed he is in negotiations with the Warnocks.

Plans on the table include a “House of Bruar style” tearoom, specialist whisky shop and delicatessen, plus a spa.

The centre would pay homage to philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, former owner of Skibo Castle.

Jenifer Cameron, of Dornoch Area Community Interest Company, said: “We are absolutely delighted that the service points looks likely to be saved.

“That was one factor in the court project going ahead, although it is more complicated than that.”

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