Local Authority News
23/6/2023
New Chief Executive appointed to The Highland Council
The Highland Council has appointed a new Chief Executive. The successful candidate is Derek Brown, currently the Deputy Chief Executive with North Lanarkshire Council.
15/6/2023
Highland Council Prepares To Support Users Of Private Water Supplies That May Run Out Of Water
The Environmental Health team has warned that some private water supplies in the region could run low due to lack of rainfall. Some surface water supplies are particularly at risk and the Council is advising users of private water supplies to take preventative steps to preserve their drinking water.
13/6/2023
Freeze On Cost Of 2023/24 Garden Waste Bin Permits
Highland Council Garden Waste Permits are now available to purchase for the 2023/24 permit season. To help all customers to continue recycling their garden waste, the cost of a garden waste permit for the next season (2023/2024) has not increased and will remain at the same price as last year - £47.75 per permit.12/6/2023
Highlanders Aged 16 to 19 In Education - Applications now being accepted for Education Maintenance Allowance for the new academic year
All eligible young people are being encouraged to apply for a weekly, term time allowance of £30 per week from August 2023. The Highland Council administers Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) in respect of eligible young people from across its 29 secondary schools.
1/6/2023
Redesign Board Approved Funding To Support Council Customers Most In Need
A Highland Council project which aims to better support customers, who need supported the most, will now move to a second stage which includes focussing on the development of the Council's website with a £150,000 allocation of funding to appoint two dedicated web officers. The "My Council" programme is a review of the Council's customer contact experience, and part of this latest phase will prioritise the Council’s website and online customer offering over an 18-month period.30/5/2023
Groups In Thrumster And Wick Get Closer to Taking Over Land and Property from Highland Council
At the meeting of the Caithness Area Committee of Highland council on 29 May 2023 it was agreed to transfer assets at cost of £1 each to two groups. Development in Caithness is no longer totally being left to the cash strapped Highland council as two groups show what potentially can be done on their own.
30/5/2023
Caithness Committee highlights positive impact My Future My Success is having
Caithness Councillors have paid tribute to the work being done to ensure young people in the area are more prepared to enter a ‘positive destination' on leaving school such as higher education, further education, training, employment, and voluntary work. My Future, My Success (MFMS) is a partnership approach to empower young people across the Highlands to think about their future careers and aspirations by connecting them with a network of support, employability and enterprise learning, mentoring and personal skills building, ensuring that their future is determined by potential not by background, barriers, or the postcode that they come from.
27/5/2023
Highland Council Leader Welcomes Proposed Tourist Levy Bill
Leader of the Highland Council, Raymond Bremner (SNP) welcomed the announcement today by the Scottish Government on their intention to introduce a bill to allow local authorities to introduce a local tourist levy. He said: "The Highland Council has long supported the idea of a tourist levy to enable the local authority to invest in local infrastructure and is a commitment in our Council Programme.27/5/2023
Mobile Shredders Among Waste Projects Updates
The use of mobile shredders to treat bulky waste was among several projects that Highland Councillors were updated on today (24 May 2023) at the Communities and Place Committee. Councillors were informed that the Council has agreed to invest in 3 mobile shredders to treat larger domestic items or ‘bulky waste' that are too large to fit into a kerbside bin.24/5/2023
Council Reviews Inflatable Lets Bookings Guidance
The Highland Council has had further discussions about the health and safety requirements of inflatable lets bookings at its properties. The Council's approach seeks to balance the mitigation of risk with acting in a way that does not impact unnecessarily on community activities.23/5/2023
Analysis Reveals What Is Thrown Away In Household Bins In Highland
Recent analysis shows that that over a third of waste in the average household refuse bin could be recycled or composted at home! The Highland Council has conducted a Waste Composition Analysis of the waste that householders put in their refuse and recycling bins. Funded by Zero Waste Scotland as part of a national analysis of the waste in household bins across Scotland, the results will enable the Council to focus on waste prevention and increasing recycling.
23/5/2023
Regeneration Capital Grant Fund Open For Applications In The Highlands
The Highland Council is now accepting expressions of interest for the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund for 2024-2025. The Regeneration Capital Grant Fund is delivered in partnership with the Scottish Government and COSLA.14/5/2023
Wick Community Council AGM
See poster for details..
14/5/2023
Treasurer For Wick Community Council
See poster.
12/5/2023
Committee Agrees To Levelling Up Funding Bid For New Electric Ferry
At a meeting of the Highland Council (Thursday 11 May 2023) members have agreed to put forward a bid for up to £50m of UK government funding towards the cost of providing a new electric ferry to operate across the Corran Narrows in Lochaber. The MV Corran and her replacement the MV Maid of Glencoul are still out of service waiting for parts to be fitted and repairs completed.4/5/2023
Grant funding support helps Highland Businesses remain buoyant
During the last year, over 2000 Highland businesses have been supported to start-up and grow by Highland Council. Supported by the Council's business development service, businesses have secured start-up and growth finance, and have accessed advisory support through the Council's Business Gateway service.
4/5/2023
Highland Community Regeneration Programme To Continue 2023/24
Today (Thursday 4 May 2023), Members of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee agreed to continue to build on the success of the 2022/23 Community Regeneration Programme for 2023/24. Economy and Infrastructure Committee Chair, Cllr Ken Gowans said: "Following a successful first year the new Highland Community Regeneration Programme model has been well received, bringing a streamlined application, grant award and claim processes to project applicants and grant recipients.4/5/2023
Highland Councillors Approves Employability Services Programme That Aims To Tackle Poverty And Barriers To Work
Members of The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee were today (Thursday 4 May) given an overview of the employability services delivered by the Council and its partners, and approved priorities for the coming year. Members heard that during 2022-23 The Council’s Employability team, together with public, private and third-sector partners delivered a suite of activity across Highland, supporting 680 people of whom 257 gained employment as a result.2/5/2023
Council Asked To Approve The Short Term Let Control Area For Ward 20
On Thursday 4 May 2023, Members of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee will be asked to approve the establishment of a Short Term Let Control Area for Badenoch and Strathspey (Ward 20). Ward 20 may be the first area for Short Term Rent controls but is probable that other areas will follow so anyone renting property may want to study this report.2/5/2023
