Local Authority News
5/9/2017
The Scottish Police Authority Accused Of Breaking Assurances To People Of The Highlands
Chair of Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee questions Police Control Room decisions Chair of the Council's Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee, Cllr Bill Lobban (Independent), has questioned Police Scotland's proposals for closing the Inverness Control Room and establishing two National Database Enquiry Units (NDEUs). His comments follow a presentation by Police Scotland to members at the local Committee today, Tuesday 5 September.1/9/2017
Caithness Councillors Updated On Wick Schools
Members of The Highland Council's Caithness Committee recently welcomed an update of the Wick Associated School Group (ASG) to their committee by the Council's Education Quality Improvement Manager, Barry Northedge. The Wick ASG serves around 1,678 pupils in its area including 986 Primary pupils and 692 Secondary pupils.1/9/2017
Local Voices, Highland Choices
The Highland Council's ruling coalition Administration will be presenting its five-year Programme at the Council meeting next week (7 September). The Programme sets out a number of strategic goals delivered through 5 themes: a place to live, a place to learn, a place to thrive, a welcoming place and a redesigned council.30/8/2017
Reductions And Removal Of More Council Services Likely 2018 - 2023
Council to consider long-term financial planning. The Highland Council will consider and agree its strategic approach to an uncertain and challenging financial outlook over the next five years, at its meeting on 7 September 2017.29/8/2017
Working Towards Safer Streets In Inverness - 20mph speed limits
The Highland Council is working with a national charity to promote safer streets in the city of Inverness. Other towns in Highland including places in Thurso and wick are in preparation.24/8/2017
New Care Model Not Yet Achieving Its Full Potential
New ways of offering people more choice and control over their social care can make a real difference but further work is needed to ensure everyone can benefit, says a report out today. Since 2014 councils have been responsible for implementing Self-directed Support (SDS), which offers people more choices around their support and how it is managed.
23/8/2017
Disruption to Highland Council School Transport - Update
Highland Council is reassuring all pupils, parents and carers this morning (23 August) that all school transport routes have been covered in Caithness and East Ross following the loss of the contractor Andrew's (Shetland) Ltd. who ceased trading last night (22 August).23/8/2017
North Coast Leisure Centre to join High Life Highland management portfolio
Members of The Highland Council's People Committee have agreed to transfer funding from its third sector grants budget to High Life Highland to manage the North Coast Leisure Centre at Bettyhill in Sutherland. Members have agreed that the budget of £39,309 for Tongue and Farr Sports Association (North Coast Leisure Centre, Bettyhill) from the Council's third sector grants budget will be moved to the budget for services commissioned from High Life Highland, and that the service delivery contract with High Life Highland be amended accordingly.
23/8/2017
Investment in hydraulic bollards to help protect Inverness city centre pedestrians
Following on from the introduction of decriminalised parking in Highland, The Highland Council has invested £50k to help protect pedestrians in Inverness city centre. Cllr Allan Henderson, Chair of the Council's Places Committee said: "I am very pleased that the new parking enforcement service has delivered these improvement works funded from the Council’s Traffic Management and Control budget.22/8/2017
Disruption to Highland Council School Transport
Parents and carers of pupils using Andrew's (Shetland) Ltd coaches for Thurso, Wick, Dornoch, Golspie and Invergordon High Schools and some of their associated Primaries are warned for possible disruption to transport arrangements from tomorrow morning Wednesday 23 August 2017. Highland Council has been notified that its school transport contractor Andrew's (Shetland) Ltd has ceased trading as of this evening (Tuesday 22 August 2017).18/8/2017
Planning Performance Framework Highlights Excellent Work In Highland
The Highland Council's Planning Performance Framework has been agreed for submission to the Scottish Government. All Planning Authorities in Scotland are required to submit an annual Planning Performance Framework to the Scottish Government, setting out how they have performed over the previous financial year.17/8/2017
Leader Expresses Disappointment Following Police Meeting - Centralisation Goes Ahead
Leader of the Highland Council Margaret Davidson commented following her meeting with Police Scotland on 16 August 2017, saying: "I am very grateful to ACC Hawkins and other officers for a very candid and useful meeting and for providing the information which we requested. "I remain, however, extremely disappointed in the recommendation going to the SPA and the poor governance in that decision making process.16/8/2017
Temporary Road Closure Killimster Moss: A876 Reiss - Castletown Road From 28th August
Motorists are advised of a temporary road closure in Caithness to allow repairs to be carried out to approximately 1km of the B876 at Killimster Moss. The road will be closed from 8am on Monday 28 August 2017 until 6pm on Saturday 30 September 2017.16/8/2017
Free public Wi-Fi to be rolled-out across the Highlands
Members have today approved proposals to expand the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal funded free open public Wi-Fi system to 14 towns across the Highland. Towns recommended for the free Wi-Fi programme are Alness, Aviemore, Dingwall, Dornoch, Drumnadrochit, Fort Augustus, Fort William, Invergordon, Nairn, Portree, Tain, Thurso, Ullapool and Wick.16/8/2017
Scottish Government urged to use new benefit powers
The Leader of the Highland Council, Margaret Davidson, has urged the Scottish Government to start using devolved powers to mitigate the impact of benefit changes in the Highlands. The call follows a meeting with Inverness MP, Drew Hendry, where she discussed the problems created by the introduction of Universal Credit.16/8/2017
New Developer Contributions for Education Infrastructure agreed
The Council has agreed to updated developer contributions for the delivery of new schools in the Inverness area. Taking account of the forecasted phasing of housing sites, school roll forecasts indicate that 13 Primary Schools in Inverness will be under pressure within the next 5 years.14/8/2017
A Warm Highland Welcome For Probationer Teachers
One hundred and forty two probationer teachers who are on the Teacher Induction Scheme and a few probationer teachers on the Flexible Route were recently welcomed to the Highlands (on Friday 11 August 2017) at an induction course held in Smithton Free Church Hall. Bill Alexander, Highland Council's Director of Care and Learning welcomed the probationers saying: "It's really good to see so many young people starting their careers in education here in the Highland and I wish them all well.
14/8/2017
Developer Contributions for Schools to be reviewed
The Council is to review developer contributions for schools in the Inverness area. Taking account of the forecasted phasing of housing sites, school roll forecasts indicate that Primary Schools in Inverness are under pressure and require significant additional capacity to support growth.11/8/2017
Highland Council assurance on Concerns About Wick Campus
Highland Council has written to the Wick Stakeholder Group, Wick High School Parent Council and Newton Park Primary School Parent Council to provide a statement of assurance regarding the new Wick Campus facility. The letter states: We refer to discussion at recent Wick stakeholder group meetings, at which a request was made for the Council to provide a statement of assurance regarding the new Campus facility, and to address media reporting and local concerns over recent months.
10/8/2017
