Local Authority News

New Street Art To Complement Flood Scheme In Inverness

Double boost for River Ness Flood and Streetscape Scheme The Highland Council's City of Inverness Area Committee has given a double boost to the River Ness Flood Alleviation and Streetscape Scheme.  The Committee has approved �1 million towards the cost of the streetscape element of the major works and �250,000 towards the cost of a public art programme to complement the streetscape works.  

Roll out of the Food Hygiene Information Scheme

More consumers in Highland will have a new way to find out how well local food caterers and retailers are performing thanks to more food businesses being covered by the Food Hygiene Information scheme.   The Highland Council is one of the 32 Scottish local authorities taking part in the Scheme.  

Taxi Fare Review In Highland

The Highland Licensing Committee is recommending one change to existing taxi fares following an annual review.   The proposed change, which would take effect from Monday 21 January next year, is to permit Tariff 2 to be charged from 9.00pm until 7.00am instead of from 10.00pm to 7.00am as at present.  

Living Wage For Highland Council Employees By April 2013

The lowest paid employees of The Highland Council will benefit from the introduction of a �7.20 an hour wage from April next year.   The national UK minimum wage from 1st October is �6.16 per hour (see below for details of age rules and amounts) Members of the Council's Finance, Housing and Resources Committee today agreed to introduce the Scottish Living Wage by applying a living wage supplement to all employees currently paid less than �7.20 per hour to bring them up to �7.20 per hour from 1 April 2013.  

Special meeting date set to discuss midnight door entry policy

The Highland Licensing Board has agreed to hold a special meeting on Tuesday 6 November at 2:30pm to consider consultation responses received on its door entry policy for premises with late night opening hours, which requires admission by midnight.   A report presented to the Licensing Board today (2 October) said the special meeting will allow more time for members to read and consider all responses and invite a number of parties from each of the "for/against" sides of the argument to make a presentation to the Board on their position.  

Get Bids In Fast for Play Parks

Community groups to benefit from Landfill Community Fund.   Highland community groups are being invited to make a bid for a new tranche of �100,000 of funding, to develop or enhance children's play areas.  

Big Council Office Reductions Proposed For Inverness and Dingwall

Office review in Inverness and Dingwall identifies scope for rationalisation.   Highland Councillors have been advised that reducing the number of Council offices in Inverness and Dingwall from 22 to 4 by 2020 has the greatest potential to deliver significant benefits and improved value to the Council when compared to retaining the current office estate.  

Contracts awarded for early design work on A9 dualling programme

A9 dualling Perth to Inverness "Work to dual the A9 by 2025 is gathering pace with the award of two major contracts this week" said Transport Minister Keith Brown today.   The Minister was speaking as he announced details of two consultants appointed to undertake preparatory work for dualling 80 miles of the A9 between Perth and Inverness.  

Consultation on Shaping Scotland's Court Services Launched

With the Scottish legal system about to embark on the most significant changes in over a century, The Scottish Court Service (SCS) has today launched a three month consultation on its proposals for court services in the High Court, sheriff courts and justice of the peace courts.   Civil and criminal justice will be reformed in the coming years following the recommendations arising from the reviews by Lord Gill, Lord Carloway, Sheriff Principal Bowen and the forthcoming Victims and Witnesses Bill.  

Caithness District Partnership Meeting

The new Caithness District Partnership will meet in full for the second time on Friday 28 September, as part of the new arrangements under the Planning for Integration (P4i) partnership between the NHS and The Highland Council.   Partners will consider a report from the NHS steering group, who are recommending a Stakeholder Engagement Plan.