Garry Coutts

Garry Coutts has been appointed by Scottish Ministers from 1 August 2025. 

He has been interested in social housing for many years and considers secure, affordable housing within flourishing communities as one of the most important elements for the health and wealth of people in Scotland.

Garry Coutts was elected as a councillor to represent the Niddrie Ward of Edinburgh Council in 1984 and, amongst other things, played a key role in the creation of Hunters Hall Housing Co-operative (now part of Hillcrest Homes), the first such development in the East of Scotland.

He moved to the Highlands in 1996, where he was elected to Highland Council and chaired its Housing and Social Work Committee, before he became chair of NHS Highland, a role he held for 12 years.

In 2004, he became chair of the Scottish Social Services Council and in 2014 took over the role of chair of Children’s Hearings Scotland. He was delighted to play a part in ensuring Children’s Hearings were focused on delivering the Promise.

Garry Coutts has also chaired the Court of the University of the Highlands and Islands and is presently the chair of Highland Housing Alliance, which delivers mid-market rent homes across the Highlands. He helps to run a tourism business in the Highlands with his family. He is absolutely thrilled to be appointed to the role of chair of SHR and feels he has returned to his first love – social housing.