Local Authority News
29/9/2013
Top Euro post for Highland Leader
Leader of The Highland Council, Councillor Drew Hendry has been elected Vice-President of the Conference of Maritime Peripheral Regions (CPMR). He is the first Scots to hold the post.25/9/2013
Application for £14 million primary school north of the river in Wick submitted 
A planning application for the construction of new £14 million primary school and community facility amalgamating Hillhead Primary School and North Primary School upon the site of the existing Wick North Primary School has been submitted this to The Highland Council this week. The proposed development site is located on Girnigoe Street, Wick, Caithness.
23/9/2013
Improvements to winter maintenance service
Improvements to the winter maintenance service provided by The Highland Council were confirmed by the Transport Environmental and Community Service Committee at its meeting today (Thursday). A review of priority routes has resulted in a 76-mile increase in the length of Priority One routes to 1,319 miles (31% of the network).22/9/2013
Proposed plan for Inner Moray Firth area to go out to consultation
The creation of a new Local Development Plan for the Inner Moray Firth area has taken a step closer following a decision by The Highland Council’s Planning, Environment and Development Committee to approve the proposed plan which shows how and where the Council thinks the area should be developed over the next 20 years. The go ahead means the Council will now launch a 6 week consultation to allow the public, developers and local businesses to feed back their comments on the future plan.22/9/2013
New way to report alleged breaches of planning control
The Highland Council’s Planning and Development Service is pleased to announce that members of the public now have the ability to report alleged breaches of planning control online as well as over the telephone. Customers from across the Highlands can use the on-line form to report any potential enforcement cases they may come across.19/9/2013
Council requests more time for rural fuel duty responses
The Leader of The Highland Council and Chairman of the Council’s Planning, Environment and Development Committee have written to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to welcome the proposed extension of the rural fuel duty to the Highland mainland. They have also highlighted the need to extend the deadline for submissions from operators to ensure none of the eligible filling stations miss out on the rebate.17/9/2013
Assessors At Wick Town Hall Still Open For Business During Rennovations
Assessor & ERO’s Office at 3A Bridge Street, Wick remains open for business as usual during the renovations at the Town Hall. The works will take around 8 months to complete but the Assessor’s Office will be open as usual during office hours; 9am-1pm & 2-5pm Monday to Friday.17/9/2013
Council Leader highlights “staggering potential” of tidal energy project
Leader of The Highland Council Drew Hendry has spoken of the “staggering potential” of the largest tidal energy project in Europe which is planned off the shores of Caithness. In welcoming guests at the Scottish Renewables Marine Conference at Eden Court, Inverness, on Monday evening, he focused on an announcement made earlier in the day by Scottish Government Energy Minister Fergus Ewing granting consent to MeyGen Ltd to “develop the largest tidal turbine array in Europe and the first commercial project off these shores”.15/9/2013
Highland Licensing Board - Extension to public consultation on overprovision policy statement
The Highland Licensing Board has included a third option to the current on-line consultation currently underway on the options for proposals for the Licensing Board's Overprovision Policy Statement 2013-16. Launched at the start of this month, the consultation invites members of the public to have their say on whether there is an overprovision of licensed premises in any locality within the area of Highland Licensing Board.15/9/2013
New online business advice and information facility launched by Highland Trading Standards
Highland Council’s Trading Standards has today launched a new information website service specifically designed for Highland business and trade users. Gordon Robb, Highland Trading Standards Manager explains: “We receive a considerable amount of calls to our free ‘Business Advice Line” service which covers the whole of the Highland area.12/9/2013
River Ness Flood Scheme work starts in earnest 
The Inverness public is being advised that work will start in earnest from Monday 16 September on the construction of flood walls along the River Ness between the Ness Bridge and Friars Bridge. Every attempt is being made to minimise disruption by maintaining at all times pedestrian access to shops and businesses, which will continue to trade as normal.
12/9/2013
Council holds Industry Day for potential ICT suppliers
Over 100 business representatives will be attending an ICT suppliers “Industry Day” hosted by The Highland Council in the Thistle Hotel, Inverness on Monday 16 September. The council has arranged the event to provide information about how it will ensure the supply of ICT Services is continued when an existing contract comes to its end in March 2015.9/9/2013
Council Publishes Planning Notices Online
The Highland Council has started publishing planning notices on a national website to complement the current system of placing adverts in the local press. Along with other Scottish Councils, The Highland Council is using the Tell Me Scotland (Public Information Notification Scotland – PINS) website to publish planning notices.2/9/2013
New Chief Executive Of Highland Council Takes Up Job
The Highland Council’s new Chief Executive, Steve Barron, took over at the helm of the organisation on Monday 2nd September 2013. He replaces Alistair Dodds, who has retired after 22 years with the Council, the last six as Chief Executive.
2/9/2013
Council to press for exemption from spare room subsidy provisions
The Highland Council is to write to Highland MPs to seek their support for a change to the spare room subsidy which would see all communities with a population of 3,000 or less excluded from the provisions in recognition of the absence of the appropriate housing stock to accommodate tenants who wish to move to a smaller house. Councillors have been encouraged by concessions being made by the UK Government on Welfare Reform in the wake of strong representations highlighting flaws in the legislation and are seeking the continuing support of Highland MPs to press the case on the spare room subsidy in Westminster with Lord Freud, Minister for Welfare Reform.21/8/2013
Temporary road closure during Feshie Bridge works
Road users are being advised by The Highland Council that from Monday 2nd September until Saturday 21st September 2013 essential maintenance works will be carried out to Feshie Bridge which will require a temporary road closure on a short length of the B970 Kingussie – Speybridge Road over Feshie Bridge. The length of road affected will be from the U2094 Achlean Road junction with the B970 road.20/8/2013
Council reminds rural petrol stations of proposed extension to rural fuel rebate scheme
The Highland Council has written to rural petrol filling station operators throughout the Highlands who do not currently receive rural fuel rebate, to remind them that they have until 4 September 2013 to respond to the HM Treasury Call for information on the “Proposed extension of the rural fuel rebate scheme”. Councillor Drew Millar, Highland Council’s Campaign Lead on Fuel Prices said: “The Highland Council’s programme is committed to working with partners to secure fair fuel prices across the area.20/8/2013
Council Calls For Sites In Caithness & Sutherland
The Highland Council is calling for people to submit suggestions for inclusion in the new plan for the future of Caithness and Sutherland. Work has begun on the forthcoming Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan (CaSPlan).19/8/2013
Ward Forums across Highland focus on Police and Fire Services
A series of 19 Highland Council Ward forums are being held across the Highlands to seek the views of the public on local police and fire services. The first meetings are being held at Portree and Golspie on Monday 2 September and they run until 30 October.19/8/2013
