News
15/5/2021
University forges new links with Icelandic community
The University of the Highlands and Islands has embarked on a new initiative to promote closer connections between communities in the Highlands and Islands and Iceland. The university has signed an agreement with representatives from Múlaþing, a municipality in east Iceland.
13/5/2021
Council calls for a share for Highland in renewable energy profits
Members at today's full meeting of Highland Council agreed a motion from the Leader and Chair of Corporate Resources, which would call for a fairer share of income derived from the development of the region’s natural resources to establish a Highland Renewable Fund. In the motion Highland Council Leader, Cllr Margaret Davidson, highlighted that at a time when private energy companies are making huge profits from the abundance of natural resources of wind and water in the Highlands the region’s roads were suffering.12/5/2021
Anja Johnston From Thurso Becomes The 13th Highland Youth Convenor
Anja Johnston from Thurso will take up the role of Highland Youth Convener early in May 2021 This full-time role is a bursary position that will run for 12 months. The 24-year-old, has previously worked as an Assistant Youth Worker, delivering the YOJO digital youth project with High Life Highland.
12/5/2021
National Mòd Asks Highland Council For A Further £80,000 To Run The Inverness Mòd 2021
At the Highland Council Gaelic committee to beheld on 18th May 2021 the committee will be asked to agree that the National Mòd for Inverness in 2021 should be given a further £80,000. The council has an agreement to pay £40,000 annually that aids the Mod to come to Highland every three years.11/5/2021
Measuring The Unmeasurable: Research Paper Could Help Dounreay Clean Up Plutonium Legacy
Ground-breaking research published in Nature Communications shows that traces of plutonium in the environment can be identified as being from global or local sources. Using soil samples taken from Dounreay, an area near to the site and 2 areas at a distance from the site, the research showed that it was possible to identify whether minute traces of plutonium in the soil came from plutonium ‘bred' in a reactor or from global fallout.
11/5/2021
Positive uptake of the Highland Employment Recruitment Offer (HERO) across region
Since the launch of the Highland Employment Recruitment Offer (HERO) in March 2021, there has been a positive uptake of the grant scheme across Highland as 157 applications have been approved in principle, with 73 recruited/currently being recruited. HERO is funded by The Highland Council and the Scottish Government under the No One Left Behind and Young Person's Guarantee Funding Streams.10/5/2021
Grant award allocated towards delivery of 20 mph programme in Highland
Members of the Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee have agreed to allocate up to £200k of the Council's Cycling, Walking and Safer Routes 2021/22 grant award to the delivery of a new Council 20mph programme, and 10% of this annual budget is to be used in future years. The introduction of more 20 mph speed limits on Highland roads will help the Council to meet the challenging road casualty reduction targets set out in the new Scottish Road Safety Framework launched in February this year.4/5/2021
HIE chief executive to step down in summer
Charlotte Wright, who has led the development agency for the past five years, has announced she plans to step down in the summer for personal reasons. In a message to staff, Ms Wright said she had taken the difficult decision to resign after a great deal of careful thought.
30/4/2021
New Partnership Supports International Credit Union Community
This new project aims to share research and resources with credit unions in the UK and Ireland. Filene Research Institute announced an exclusive partnership with the Dublin, Ireland-based CMutual to expand research and resources available to credit unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland.30/4/2021
UK Credit Unions Has Reached Its Highest Reported Value At £3.98 Billion
The latest quarterly report by the Bank of England shows UK Credit Unions continue to increase in strength. The report published on 30 April 2021 showed - Adult membership of credit unions increased in 2020 Q4 after decreasing in 2020 Q3.
27/4/2021
Highland Council and partners keeping businesses and people safe in the Highlands
With the majority of businesses re-opening this week, Highland Council's Environmental Health team with assistance from Police Scotland will be undertaking joint visits to premises throughout the Highlands. The visits aim to help raise public confidence that businesses are doing all they can to protect public safety as the lockdown restrictions are eased.24/4/2021
Final Visitor Management Plan Approved And Seasonal Access Rangers Appointed For Highland
The Highland Council's Tourism Committee has approved a final draft Visitor Management Plan for 2021 yesterday (Wednesday 21 April) which aims to assist communities and the public during the anticipated busy summer months. Chair of the Tourism Committee, Cllr Gordon Adam said: "Welcoming visitors back to the Highlands from Monday 26 April is a positive sign that the road to recovery can finally commence.24/4/2021
1,000 followers needed on Highland Council YouTube!
The Highland Council is inviting people to follow them on YouTube so that the local authority can broadcast live the Highland constituencies and the Highland and Islands Regional results. Please follow (subscribe to) Highland Council's YouTube at: www.youtube.com/user/TheHighlandCouncil (external link) Constituency and Regional Returning Officer, Donna Manson explained: "Due to COVID-19 restrictions and the need to provide a safe election we are facing new challenges and opportunities in delivering the Scottish Parliamentary Election count and declaration of results.24/4/2021
Caithness Committee Members Approve £310,848 For Twelve Projects
Twelve successful projects have been awarded a share of £409,652 Highland Coastal Communities Fund (HCCF) yesterday (Thursday 22 April 2021) by The Highland Council's Caithness Committee. £98,803 was agreed to be invested in moving forward an economic development project that will benefit the whole of Caithness, with a view to securing match funding for local partners.24/4/2021
Highland sets its sights on multi-million pound transport investment
A bid to fund the design and delivery of over £55 Million of transport infrastructure in Highland was submitted to Transport Scotland today. A partnership including The Highland Council, bus operators and other stakeholders has put together a package of measures to prioritise buses in congested parts of the network.22/4/2021
Inverness Leisure To Become Covid-safe Count Centre
The largest leisure centre in the Highlands will temporarily suspend sporting activities in favour of regional democracy when it becomes one of the locations where votes in the Scottish Parliamentary Elections will be counted. Douglas Wilby, Director of Sport and Leisure with High Life Highland said, "We have been working closely with the Returning Officer and colleagues in The Highland Council to accommodate the substantial changes in the way this count is taking place, in order to offer those involved a COVID-safe environment.24/3/2021
HIE Awards Framework Agreement For Specialist Advice For Businesses
Regional development agency, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has awarded a new framework agreement for the procurement of specialist advise to support its clients. Business advisory firm, Anderson Anderson Brown (AAB), will identify, procure and manage specialist advisors who will support HIE clients as they recover from the pandemic and meet the challenges of Brexit.24/3/2021
Serco NorthLink Ferries reveals passenger numbers for first two months of 2021
Serco NorthLink Ferries recorded more than 8,000 journeys during the start of 2021 as it continues to support essential travel. The service remains aligned to the Scottish Government's Strategic Framework, with NorthLink Ferries providing key worker, essential islander and freight connectivity between the Northern Isles and mainland Scotland.
23/3/2021
Closing date for Taxi Fund extended to 25 March
Highland Council has announced that the closing date for applications to the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Driver Support Fund this scheme has been confirmed as 5pm on Thursday 25 March 2021. The Scottish Government has also now clarified that if you have received a grant through the Taxi Fund this will not now affect any Universal Credit payments you are also receiving.22/3/2021
