Local Authority News
23/2/2015
Your Chance To Design A Caithness Flag
Following a successful meeting with the Lord Lyon and The Flag Institute with local community and Highland Council representatives, a competition for the design of a new flag for Caithness is launched today. Caithness Civic Leader, Councillor Gail Ross said: "This is a great chance for people to get creative and design an eye catching flag that will become the public symbol for Caithness.
23/2/2015
Highland Council Website Review Reveals Positive Results
A six month review of the Highland Council website, which was launched in 2014, reveals high satisfaction levels amongst Highland residents. The majority of people visit the website to access services or to find information on Council meetings.
20/2/2015
New way to view onshore wind activity across the Highlands
The Highland Council has launched a new interactive map on its website showing the location of windfarms and wind turbines in the Highlands. The user friendly Windfarm Activity Map covers all scales of wind energy development and provides detailed information such as turbine sizes and planning reference numbers to make it easy for people to get further information.19/2/2015
Supporting Sustainable Aquaculture and Marine Protection under spotlight at Council Committee
The importance of supporting environmentally, economically and socially sustainable aquaculture development in the Highlands was under the spotlight at yesterday's Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee. Members agreed a pre-consultation draft supplementary guidance on Aquaculture which, will eventually be used to determine future planning applications.19/2/2015
New street lighting toolkit gives Scotland's councils power to save millions
Councils using toolkit and investing in LED lighting will pay less for electricity in 25 years time than they do now. As the cost of electricity is set to double over the next ten years, an easy-to-use toolkit has been launched to give Scotland's local authorities real-time information on how many millions they would save by phasing in energy efficient LED street lights.19/2/2015
Economic and Social value of Gaelic is highlighted
An independent report commissioned by the Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and other partners has highlighted that 60% of businesses surveyed felt that their use of Gaelic enhanced the value of the language within the community and Gaelic is an asset in particular when used to promote the creative industries, tourism, food and drink. At Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee (Wednesday 18 February 2015) , Councillors had a chance to discuss the report and the Council's strategic approach to supporting the Gaelic language and culture to bring both economic and social benefits to the Highlands.17/2/2015
Public thanked for their involvement in recent CaSPlan consultation
The consultation on the Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan Main Issues Report (CaSPlan MIR) drew to a close on Friday 6 February 2015 after 14 weeks which saw members of the public take part in a series of drop in sessions and evening workshops held around the plan area. The consultation sought people's views on the main issues affecting people and places and potential development sites across the plan area.14/2/2015
Council implements new technology for road repairs
The Highland Council has been trialling new technological means of repairing and maintaining roads, according to a report into the Roads Innovation Fund by the Director of Community Services. Techniques to be used for the repair of potholes include use of "Jetpatcher" equipment, a process by which a high velocity air stream is used to clear any debris in the pothole and also to lay and compact new asphalt, filling it.
14/2/2015
Highland Council officials and Convener meet with Chief Secretary to the Treasury to discuss potential City Deal
Highland Council Director of Development and Infrastructure Stuart Black and Convener Jimmy Gray have met with Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, to discuss the potential of a City Deal for Inverness. The meeting comes a result of recent correspondence between Chair of the Development and Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Thomas Prag and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.5/2/2015
Highland Council is to be asked to revisit pre-treatment budget savings
The Community Services Committee has supported a move to ask the Highland Council to revisit the budget saving of £120,000 for pre-treatment from next winter. The Highland Council agreed as part of its budget savings in December 2014, to reduce the pre-treatment of some roads with low traffic volumes from next winter, based on experiential evidence and allowing savings of £120,000.3/2/2015
MÒD 2014 GENERATES MORE THAN £3.5 MILLION
A study has shown that the 2014 Royal National Mòd generated £3,547,661 to the business community in Inverness - over a £1million more than the event target. The report, delivered by ‘The Market Specialists' shows the nine day festival, which took place from 10-18 October 2014 in Inverness, entertained over 9000 unique visitors, 78% of which came from outside the host city.1/2/2015
Social Media Workshops for Local Food and Drink Businesses
Early in February the first two in a series of workshops specifically for anyone working in the local food and drink sector will take place to highlight how social media can be best used to increase profit, support other local businesses and promote the area. The workshops follow on from the project The Highland Council ran last year across the Highlands to investigate the potential and appetite for developing an industry-led local food and drink network that could co-ordinate and drive future activities to support the local food and drink sector in the region.27/1/2015
Pilot of choice based lettings to be launched in Caithness
Next Wednesday (4 February) the four housing partners of the Highland Housing Register in Caithness will be hosting special sessions in Wick and Thurso to let people know about an exciting new way of allocating some of its properties, giving applicants much more choice about the housing they will be offered. For a period from 16 February 2015 onwards, vacancies will be advertised to promote choice.
25/1/2015
Paper and Can Banks to be removed from Recycling Points
Paper and can banks are to be phased out of The Highland Council's network of Recycling Points during February and March. The decision was taken at a meeting of The Highland Council on the 18th December, at which the budget for 2015/16 and the indicative budget for the following 3 years was agreed, a package of savings totaling £42.8 million.
22/1/2015
Highland Council begins consultation on future of public service points
PROPOSALS for changing customer service provision in 22 locations across Highland are being considered as part of a public consultation. Council staff and members of the public are being asked for their views on proposed changes to how services are currently provided.20/1/2015
Social Media Workshops for Local Food and Drink Businesses
Early in February the first two in a series of workshops specifically for anyone working in the local food and drink sector will take place to highlight how social media can be best used to increase profit, support other local businesses and promote the area. The workshops follow on from the project The Highland Council ran last year across the Highlands to investigate the potential and appetite for developing an industry-led local food and drink network that could co-ordinate and drive future activities to support the local food and drink sector in the region.20/1/2015
Highland Council ranked one of top councils for online presence
The Highland Council's new website has risen to the top 6% of UK Local Government websites, according to an independent survey into online presence. The website, launched in July 2014, aims to focus more on the needs of the customer and provides a platform to deliver more services online.19/1/2015
Council clarifies Winter Maintenance Policy
The Highland Council wishes to clarify that if anyone is seeking information on their Winter Maintenance Policy and gritting maps then this information can be found on the Highland Council website. The Highland Council Winter Maintenance Policy states: "The treatment of roads will be carried out based on a hierarchical system dependant on route priority".16/1/2015
Praise for council staff following week of severe weather
LEADER of The Highland Council, Drew Hendry and Chief Executive Steve Barron praised council workers following a week of severe weather affecting the region. Storm force winds caused havoc, leaving thousands of homes and businesses without power for days, bringing trees and branches down across roads and railway lines, damaging buildings and causing network and telecommunications problems across the area.15/1/2015
