Local Authority News
3/7/2023
Highland Council approves local authority's Net Zero Strategy
Councillors at yesterday's meeting of Highland Council approved the local authority's Net Zero Strategy which was recommended by members at May's Climate Change Committee. Climate Change Committee Members had reinforced the importance of making progress and agreed several recommendations.30/6/2023
Highland Councillors Over-turn Caithness Committee Decision On Thurso High School Block Replacement
A heated debate ensued at the full meeting of Highland council on 29th June 2023. The highly politicised debate included accusations on both sides of the argument.30/6/2023
Inverness And Cromarty Firth Green Freeport Update Report June 2023
Following a report agreed by Full Council in May 2023 on the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport (ICFGF), Council members have received a further update (Thursday 29 June 2023) on the current Outline Business Case (OBC) stage of the Green Freeport process and the work to date. Leader of the Council, Raymond Bremner said: "Work continues at pace to develop a robust Outline Business Case (OBC).
24/6/2023
Signage For Roll-out Of 20mph Programme Across The Highlands Starts To Be Installed
The Highland Council are pleased to announce that between now and the end of July local communities will notice new 20mph speed limit signage being installed replacing, where relevant, the existing 30mph signage. Councillor Ken Gowans, Chair of the Council Economy and Infrastructure Committee said: "I am delighted so see the signage for this 20mph programme now appearing in our communities.
23/6/2023
New Chief Executive appointed to The Highland Council
The Highland Council has appointed a new Chief Executive. The successful candidate is Derek Brown, currently the Deputy Chief Executive with North Lanarkshire Council.
15/6/2023
Highland Council Prepares To Support Users Of Private Water Supplies That May Run Out Of Water
The Environmental Health team has warned that some private water supplies in the region could run low due to lack of rainfall. Some surface water supplies are particularly at risk and the Council is advising users of private water supplies to take preventative steps to preserve their drinking water.
13/6/2023
Freeze On Cost Of 2023/24 Garden Waste Bin Permits
Highland Council Garden Waste Permits are now available to purchase for the 2023/24 permit season. To help all customers to continue recycling their garden waste, the cost of a garden waste permit for the next season (2023/2024) has not increased and will remain at the same price as last year - £47.75 per permit.12/6/2023
Highlanders Aged 16 to 19 In Education - Applications now being accepted for Education Maintenance Allowance for the new academic year
All eligible young people are being encouraged to apply for a weekly, term time allowance of £30 per week from August 2023. The Highland Council administers Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) in respect of eligible young people from across its 29 secondary schools.
1/6/2023
Redesign Board Approved Funding To Support Council Customers Most In Need
A Highland Council project which aims to better support customers, who need supported the most, will now move to a second stage which includes focussing on the development of the Council's website with a £150,000 allocation of funding to appoint two dedicated web officers. The "My Council" programme is a review of the Council's customer contact experience, and part of this latest phase will prioritise the Council’s website and online customer offering over an 18-month period.30/5/2023
Groups In Thrumster And Wick Get Closer to Taking Over Land and Property from Highland Council
At the meeting of the Caithness Area Committee of Highland council on 29 May 2023 it was agreed to transfer assets at cost of £1 each to two groups. Development in Caithness is no longer totally being left to the cash strapped Highland council as two groups show what potentially can be done on their own.
30/5/2023
Caithness Committee highlights positive impact My Future My Success is having
Caithness Councillors have paid tribute to the work being done to ensure young people in the area are more prepared to enter a ‘positive destination' on leaving school such as higher education, further education, training, employment, and voluntary work. My Future, My Success (MFMS) is a partnership approach to empower young people across the Highlands to think about their future careers and aspirations by connecting them with a network of support, employability and enterprise learning, mentoring and personal skills building, ensuring that their future is determined by potential not by background, barriers, or the postcode that they come from.
27/5/2023
Highland Council Leader Welcomes Proposed Tourist Levy Bill
Leader of the Highland Council, Raymond Bremner (SNP) welcomed the announcement today by the Scottish Government on their intention to introduce a bill to allow local authorities to introduce a local tourist levy. He said: "The Highland Council has long supported the idea of a tourist levy to enable the local authority to invest in local infrastructure and is a commitment in our Council Programme.27/5/2023
Mobile Shredders Among Waste Projects Updates
The use of mobile shredders to treat bulky waste was among several projects that Highland Councillors were updated on today (24 May 2023) at the Communities and Place Committee. Councillors were informed that the Council has agreed to invest in 3 mobile shredders to treat larger domestic items or ‘bulky waste' that are too large to fit into a kerbside bin.24/5/2023
Council Reviews Inflatable Lets Bookings Guidance
The Highland Council has had further discussions about the health and safety requirements of inflatable lets bookings at its properties. The Council's approach seeks to balance the mitigation of risk with acting in a way that does not impact unnecessarily on community activities.23/5/2023
Analysis Reveals What Is Thrown Away In Household Bins In Highland
Recent analysis shows that that over a third of waste in the average household refuse bin could be recycled or composted at home! The Highland Council has conducted a Waste Composition Analysis of the waste that householders put in their refuse and recycling bins. Funded by Zero Waste Scotland as part of a national analysis of the waste in household bins across Scotland, the results will enable the Council to focus on waste prevention and increasing recycling.
23/5/2023
Regeneration Capital Grant Fund Open For Applications In The Highlands
The Highland Council is now accepting expressions of interest for the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund for 2024-2025. The Regeneration Capital Grant Fund is delivered in partnership with the Scottish Government and COSLA.14/5/2023
Wick Community Council AGM
See poster for details..
14/5/2023
Treasurer For Wick Community Council
See poster.
12/5/2023
Committee Agrees To Levelling Up Funding Bid For New Electric Ferry
At a meeting of the Highland Council (Thursday 11 May 2023) members have agreed to put forward a bid for up to £50m of UK government funding towards the cost of providing a new electric ferry to operate across the Corran Narrows in Lochaber. The MV Corran and her replacement the MV Maid of Glencoul are still out of service waiting for parts to be fitted and repairs completed.4/5/2023
