Council continues to make strong progress on major transformation programme

The latest update, covering progress up to December 2025, highlights significant steps forward across a wide range of projects designed to support communities, improve local services and create a more modern and efficient council. 

Key achievements include: 

• Libraries and heritage services: Councillors have agreed a new, four tier operating model to protect and modernise library, learning and heritage services.

• School estate improvements: Engagement with school communities is well underway, and major projects such as Forres Academy and Buckie High School are progressing. Essential condition upgrades are taking place at several primary schools.  

• Smarter Working: The council’s move to more modern, flexible working arrangements has reached green status, with key moves completed and the closure of a further surplus property planned next.  

• Support for schools: A new business support model for primary schools has been approved and is now being rolled out.  

• Raising Attainment – ASN Wellbeing: This project has now been completed and will be formally reported in early 2026.  

• Plan for Neighbourhoods: Community engagement has been completed and proposals for local projects have been set out to the Council.  

• Moray Growth Deal: Momentum increased significantly through 2025, including the soft launch of MICM and STEM Starts, construction work at Elgin Town Hall, and successful bids for external funding to support Grant Lodge and neighbourhood investment.  

These projects support the Council’s long-term priorities of tackling poverty and inequality, supporting a greener local economy and building strong, empowered communities.

Council officers will now continue to develop future stages of the Transformation Strategy, strengthen innovation and digital opportunities, and work with elected members to create a new reporting framework ahead of the next major update in September 2026.  

Chair of Moray Council’s Corporate Committee, Cllr Marc Macrae, said: 

“I’m very pleased to see the real and meaningful progress being made across the council’s transformation programme. These projects are already helping us modernise how we work, improve services for local people and make sure we can remain sustainable for the future. 

“None of this happens overnight, but the progress in areas such as our school estate work, smarter ways of working and the Growth Deal shows what can be achieved when colleagues, communities and partners pull together. 

“We’re committed to building a council that is efficient, innovative and focused on the needs of Moray’s communities, both now and in the years ahead.”