Profile – Alex Graham
Alex Graham was born and raised on the West Shore of the Isle of Lewis, where his family have lived for many years. Educated at the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway and University of Edinburgh, he is a fluent native Gaelic speaker and retired Chartered Accountant
Alex served as Liberal councillor for the Kinmylies ward on Inverness District Council from 1980 to 1996. He withdrew from Council service at the 1996 re-organisation of Scottish local government, due to family and work commitments.
Returning to local government in 2007, Alex was elected to Highland Council as one of three members for Inverness West ward. It includes the Kinmylies area which he formerly represented on the District Council. He was re-elected in 2012, 2017 and again in 2022, coming top of the poll in the ward in all three of these elections.
Alex was privileged to serve as Provost of Inverness from 2012 to 2015, having previously served as a Depute Provost from 2008 until 2012. Having been a councillor for more than 33 years, Alex is now the longest serving councillor in the Highland area.
In addition to local government, Alex has a wide variety of interests including local history and the Gaelic language and culture. He is a long-standing supporter of the local Inverness Caledonian Thistle football club, and whilst in Lewis supports local club West Side FC.
Alex’s priorities for our area:
- Better roads and traffic calming ;
- Good schools and education;
- More houses that people can afford
- Protecting parks and green spaces;
Alex is particularly involved in campaigning for the rebuilding of Charleston Academy, where the school building is in poor condition and badly affected by RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete). He also active in supporting community groups, attending to local issues, and helps to organise local activities such as litter picks.
Throughput his service as an elected member, he is committed to representing Inverness West ward effectively and to keeping local residents informed with regular Focus newsletters.
Alex Graham – Committee appointments
- City of Inverness Area Committee
- Communities and Place Committee
- Housing and Property Committee
- South Planning Applications Committee
He is the Highland Council Red Squirrel Champion.
Alex is also a member of the Highland and Western Isles Valuation Joint Board.
Best wishes for Christmas and New Year
Alex Graham would like to wish local residents, Council colleagues, and Council staff a very happy Christmas, and every success in the New Year. I look forward to continuing to work with Cllr Bill Boyd and Cllr Ryan MacKintosh on behalf of the ward and our City in the year ahead.
Thank you for another great election result in May 2022
Sincere thanks to all those who took part in the election, and especially to everyone who voted for me in the Highland Council election on 5th May 2022. I am delighted to be able to serve our community for a fourth successive term as a councillor for Inverness West ward.
Many congratulations to Cllr Bill Boyd, elected for a second term, and to newly elected colleague Cllr Ryan MacKintosh. I look forward to working with them both for the benefit of Inverness West, the City of Inverness, and the wider Highland Council area.
Alex Graham.
First preference votes were as follows:
Alex Graham (Liberal Democrat Focus Team) 1,198 Elected
Bill Boyd (SNP) 1,092 Elected
Ryan MacKintosh (Scottish Green Party) 262 Elected
Ryan Forbes (Conservative) 327
Shaun Alexander Fraser (Labour) 295
Duncan McDonald 173
Helen Smith (Independent) 100
Iain Forsyth (Independence for Scotland Party) 46
David Sansum (Independent) 10
Turnout 41.7%
Quota 876 votes
Highland Council contact arrangements
Service Centre on 01349 886606.
Inverness Service Point at Town House, Castle Street, Inverness is open:
Monday to Friday 10am to 12:30pm and 1:30pm to 4:30pm
Out of hours telephone numbers:
- Health and social care – 08457 697284
- Roads, parks, flooding and street lighting – 01349 886690
- Housing, homelessness, and public buildings – 01349 886691
- Registration – 07818 588 203
Emergency contacts for Trunk Road Maintenance:
- For all trunk roads contact BEAR Scotland – 0800 587 1107
Emergency numbers:
- Gas Freephone – 0800 111 999
- NHS 24 – Call free on 111 if you are ill and it can’t wait until your regular NHS service reopens
- Police Scotland – 101 (for all services)
- Scottish Fire and Rescue Service – 01382 835804 (24 hours)
- Scottish and Southern Electric Freephone – 0800 300 999
- Scottish Water – 0800 0778 778 (24 hours)
- SEPA Floodline – 0345 988 1188
- SEPA Pollution hotline – 0800 807060 (24 hours)
Coronavirus Helpline
Call 0300 303 1362 for support including emergency food for those in crisis including those who must self-isolate and have no other way of getting food supplies.
Online services
Contact the Council anytime online to report a problem, ask for something or make a payment:
Recycling Centres and Bin Collections
For info on recycling centres visit www.highland.gov.uk/recyclingcentres
For bin calendars visit www.highland.gov.uk/bincalendars
School Diary Dates for 2024
- February break – 19 and 20 February
- In-service day – 21 February
- Easter holidays – 29 March to 12 April
- In-service Day – 2 May
- May day – 6 May
- Summer holidays – 28 June to 16 August
- In-service day – 19 August
- In-service day – 16 September and 17 September
- October holidays – 14 October to 25 October
- Christmas and New Year break – 23 December to 3 January
School Diary Dates for 2025
- February break – 17 February and 18 February
- In service day – 19 February
- Easter holidays – 7 April to 21 April
- May Day – 5 May
- In service day – 2 June
- Summer holidays – starts 4 July
- In service day – 18 August
- In service days – 15 September and 16 September
- October holidays – 13 October to 24 October
- Christmas and New Year break – 24 December to 7 January
School Diary Dates for 2026
- February break – 16 February and 17 February
- In service day – 18 February
- Easter holidays – 3 April to 20 April
- May Day – 4 May
- In service day – 7 May
- Summer holidays – starts 3 July
Schools information line
This service gives callers access to the latest pre-recorded message(s) from the Headteacher.The telephone number is 0800 564 2272, followed by the school’s PIN Number when prompted.
04 1720 Charleston Academy
04 2400 Kinmylies Primary
04 2670 Muirtown Primary
04 1090 Inverness High School
04 1710 Central Primary
04 1830 Dalneigh Primary
Thank you for a tremendous by-election result!
Sincere thanks to everyone who voted for Colin Aitken in the Highland Council by-election on 12th August 2021. This follows the retirement of Graham Ross who served as a councillor for 9 years from 2012 to 2021 (and for many years before that as community education worker in Charleston Academy Community Complex.)
Many congratulations to Colin, elected for a second term, and I look forward to working with him and Bill Boyd for the benefit of Inverness West.
Council Roads and Street Lighting Helpline
The Highland Council has a roads and street lighting helpline -01349 886601. Staff at the Council’s Service Centre will be on hand to respond to calls between 8 am – 6 pm – Monday – Friday and 9 am – noon on a Saturday. The helpline, which also deals with enquiries about street lighting, is a bid to make it easier for the public to contact the Council and relieve pressure on area offices, where staff are directly involved in dealing with flooding, gritting and snow clearing.
Drop-in Surgeries
[SURGERIES CURRENTLY SUSPENDED DUE TO COVID-19]
Alex Graham holds surgeries in the ward to enable members of the public to discuss any Council matters or local issues with him. These are advertised locally and in Focus. No appointment is needed – once they re-start just come along at the times stated.
Thank you for a great election result – May 2017!
Sincere thanks to everyone who voted for me in the Highland Council election on 4th May 2017. I am delighted to be back for a third term as a councillor for Inverness West.
Many congratulations to Cllr Graham Ross, elected for a second term, and to newly elected colleague Cllr Bill Boyd. I look forward to working with them both for the benefit of Inverness West.
Alex Graham.
The Result:
Alex Graham (Liberal Democrat Focus Team) 964 Elected
Bill Boyd (SNP) 722 Elected
Graham Ross (Independent) 719 Elected
Fergus Mackenzie (Conservative) 416
Cath MacInnes (SNP) 300
Addie Eghtedar (Labour) 94
Allan Duffy (Independent) 130
Turnout 42.6%
Quota 812 votes
Alex Graham serves as Provost of Inverness
In August 2012 Alex Graham was appointed as Provost of Inverness by the Inverness City Committee. He served as Provost until June 2015, when there was a change in the political control of Highland Council.
The Provostship is an historic office dating back to at least 1556. The Provost is the Civic Head of the City of Inverness, being the formal representative of the City at ceremonial, civic and other significant occasions. This is in addition to the Provost’s own role as a member of the Highland Council.
Speaking after his election Alex said: “It is an enormous honour and privilege, and I will endeavour to fulfil the duties of the office to the utmost of my abilities. As well as traditions to nurture and develop, we also need to look forward to promoting our City and continuing our strong sense of community in Inverness. I want to work with everyone, on all sides of the City Committee, to make Inverness a better place to live.”
About Councillor Alex Graham
Alex Graham is a Liberal Democrat Focus Team councillor for Inverness West with a strong track record in local government. Regarded as a keen ward representative he is one of the most experienced councillors in the north with over 29 years’ service in total. In his first period in local government he served from 1980 to 1996 as Inverness District councillor for the Kinmylies ward, standing down due to family and work commitments when Scottish local government was re-organised in 1996.
After a break, Alex was elected to the Highland Council in May 2007. He was re-elected in May 2012 at the top of the poll with 610 first preference votes (24.6%) and again in May 2017 when he led the count with 964 first preference votes (27.7%).
As well as being a ward councillor, he was chosen to be Provost of the City of Inverness in August 2012 and served in that role until June 2015 when there was a change in the political control of the Council.
Alex was born and raised in the Isle of Lewis and is a Chartered Accountant. As well as being a councillor, he works at the language development agency Bòrd na Gàidhlig. He has lived in Inverness for over 30 years, always on the west side of the River Ness.
You can read more about Alex on his profile page.
Where is Inverness West ward?
The Inverness West ward is one of 21 wards within the Highland Council area. It is small in area, covering just 5.5 square miles (14 sq km), and lies on the western side of the City of Inverness. It comprises the residential areas of Scorguie, Kinmylies, Muirtown, Clachnaharry village, the Bught/Springfield/Ballifeary area, and a rural area on the Leachkin. In 2017 the ward was extended to include part of Dalneigh and an area of the city centre around Kenneth Street.
A more in-depth profile of West Inverness, as well as some interesting facts, can be found on the Ward Profile page on this site. The Highland Council website also has a page covering the area.
Ward colleagues
Inverness West is a 3 member ward, served by Alex Graham and two other councillors Bill Boyd (SNP) and Graham Ross (Independent).
Bill Boyd (SNP) was elected in May 2017. Further information about Bill can be found at his Highland Council page: Cllr Bill Boyd.
Graham Ross (Independent) was elected in May 2012 and re-elected in May 2017. Further information about Graham can be found at his Highland Council page: Cllr Graham Ross.
Alex, Bill and Graham work closely together on behalf of the ward, and hold regular ward business meetings.
Alex Graham – Contact Details:
26 Duncraig Street,
Inverness
IV3 5DJ
Tel: (01463) 241148
Mobile: 07774 337710
Both numbers have an answering service.
Email: Alex.Graham.cllr@highland.gov.uk