Tribute Paid to Home Safety Expert on Retiral

Long serving environmental health officer, Mike Smith, who has been prominent in promoting home safety initiatives at a Highland and Scottish level, is retiring on Friday (6 October) after 41 years service to local government, 31 years in the Highlands.

Mike, who works for The Highland Council TEC Services in Dornoch, has received recognition from the Scottish Accident Prevention Council; the Scottish Home Safety Officers' Group and the Safe Highlanders and Islanders' Group for his service over the years to these organisations.

Mike moved to the Highlands in 1976 from his native Wakefield in West Yorkshire.  He set up home in Alness and worked with Ross and Cromarty District Council as an environmental health officer.

In 1996, he joined The Highland Council and specialised as a health and safety enforcement officer, inspecting shops and restaurants.

He was a founder member of Safe Highlanders in 1996 and has served on a number of home safety committees in the Highlands and Scotland-wide.

For his retirement, he has bought a motor home and he and his wife Marjorie, who recently retired from working with Harry Gow's in Alness, intend travelling as far and as often as possible. Alness will remain his home.

Councillor John Ford, Chairman of the Highland Home Safety Liaison Group, said: "Mike has dedicated tremendous service to the council and to the home safety cause in the Highlands and beyond.  We thank him for everything he has achieved on the home safety front and wish him health and happiness for the future. He will be a hard act to follow."