Local Authority News
27/4/2021
Highland Council and partners keeping businesses and people safe in the Highlands
With the majority of businesses re-opening this week, Highland Council's Environmental Health team with assistance from Police Scotland will be undertaking joint visits to premises throughout the Highlands. The visits aim to help raise public confidence that businesses are doing all they can to protect public safety as the lockdown restrictions are eased.24/4/2021
Final Visitor Management Plan Approved And Seasonal Access Rangers Appointed For Highland
The Highland Council's Tourism Committee has approved a final draft Visitor Management Plan for 2021 yesterday (Wednesday 21 April) which aims to assist communities and the public during the anticipated busy summer months. Chair of the Tourism Committee, Cllr Gordon Adam said: "Welcoming visitors back to the Highlands from Monday 26 April is a positive sign that the road to recovery can finally commence.24/4/2021
Caithness Committee Members Approve £310,848 For Twelve Projects
Twelve successful projects have been awarded a share of £409,652 Highland Coastal Communities Fund (HCCF) yesterday (Thursday 22 April 2021) by The Highland Council's Caithness Committee. £98,803 was agreed to be invested in moving forward an economic development project that will benefit the whole of Caithness, with a view to securing match funding for local partners.24/4/2021
1,000 followers needed on Highland Council YouTube!
The Highland Council is inviting people to follow them on YouTube so that the local authority can broadcast live the Highland constituencies and the Highland and Islands Regional results. Please follow (subscribe to) Highland Council's YouTube at: www.youtube.com/user/TheHighlandCouncil (external link) Constituency and Regional Returning Officer, Donna Manson explained: "Due to COVID-19 restrictions and the need to provide a safe election we are facing new challenges and opportunities in delivering the Scottish Parliamentary Election count and declaration of results.24/4/2021
Highland sets its sights on multi-million pound transport investment
A bid to fund the design and delivery of over £55 Million of transport infrastructure in Highland was submitted to Transport Scotland today. A partnership including The Highland Council, bus operators and other stakeholders has put together a package of measures to prioritise buses in congested parts of the network.22/4/2021
Inverness Leisure To Become Covid-safe Count Centre
The largest leisure centre in the Highlands will temporarily suspend sporting activities in favour of regional democracy when it becomes one of the locations where votes in the Scottish Parliamentary Elections will be counted. Douglas Wilby, Director of Sport and Leisure with High Life Highland said, "We have been working closely with the Returning Officer and colleagues in The Highland Council to accommodate the substantial changes in the way this count is taking place, in order to offer those involved a COVID-safe environment.23/3/2021
Closing date for Taxi Fund extended to 25 March
Highland Council has announced that the closing date for applications to the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Driver Support Fund this scheme has been confirmed as 5pm on Thursday 25 March 2021. The Scottish Government has also now clarified that if you have received a grant through the Taxi Fund this will not now affect any Universal Credit payments you are also receiving.22/3/2021
Visitor Management Plan agreed for Highland
To meet the growth in visitors to the Highlands of Scotland, The Highland Council's Tourism Committee has agreed a Visitor Management Plan for 2021 which will be adapted to provide a 5-year plan for the future. The Council will work with other agencies involved in tourism and visitor management to deliver the plan.18/3/2021
Closing Date Set For Strategic Framework Business Fund Applications
The Scottish Government has just announced that the Strategic Framework Business Fund grant scheme will close to new applicants on 22 March 2021. The Highland Council has already assessed and approved 5178 applications for this grant fund.18/3/2021
Voters Urged To Register In Time To Have Their Say In May
On Thursday 6 May residents in the Highlands and Western Isles can have their say on who represents them in the Scottish Parliament. In order to vote in the election, residents must be on the electoral register.17/3/2021
OPPORTUNITY: Highland Employment Recruitment Offer - grant support up to £6,000 to employers
The Highland Council has opened applications for the Highland Employment Recruitment Offer (HERO), which offers grant support of up to £6,000 to help employers meet the cost of recruiting and employing someone who fits the criteria. Full details of the HERO fund can be found on the Highland Council website , and we have summarised the key eligibility criteria below.13/3/2021
Padlocks to be removed from Coghill Bridge, Wick
The Highland Council will be removing padlocks and any other attachments from the Coghill Bridge at Wick Riverside. These padlocks detract from the historic nature of the bridge as well as causing paint damage and encouraging rust spots to the recently refurbished guard rails.9/3/2021
Highland Council Says Illegal Fly-tipping Is Costing The Tax Payer And Urges People To Report It
Highland Council has said that illegal fly-tipping is costing the region's taxpayers thousands and is encouraging people to report anyone they see doing it. Council operatives were alerted to an incident of fly-tipping at the Attadale Estate on the A890 at Strathcarron, where 153 tyres were dumped at the side of the road.
9/3/2021
Parents Updated Today On Next Phase Of Highland Pupils Return
A letter has been distributed today to update parents and carers on the next phase of the re-opening of schools in Highland. The Scottish Government announced last week that more pupils are to return to school (external link) from Monday 15 March.8/3/2021
Royal Mail Scam Text Message Alert
The Highland Council Trading Standards team have been alerted to a smishing scam that is currently targeting Highland residents. The scam involves a text message claiming to be from Royal Mail advising the recipient that they are holding a piece of mail due to unpaid postage.3/3/2021
Education Chair Welcomes Return Of More Pupils To Highland School Settings
The First Minister announced yesterday (2 March 2021) to the Scottish Parliament that all remaining primary school children are to return to school full-time from 15 March, with all secondary pupils returning in some form from the 15 March and until the 2 April. Welcoming the announcement, Chair of the Education Committee, Cllr John Finlayson said: "I am delighted that we can see the return of more of our pupils to school settings in the next couple of weeks.3/3/2021
£1.5m tourism investment at heart of Highland's budget proposals for Recovery, Health and Prosperity
A visitor management strategy with £1.5 million investments will be at the heart of proposals being considered by Highland Councillors as they decide the local authority's 2021/22 to 2023/24 revenue budget tomorrow (Thursday 4 March 2021). Chair of the Council's Tourism Committee Cllr Gordon Adam said: "Members will be asked to support a long-term Highland Visitor Management Strategy which could provide a range of investment opportunities in roads; parking and visitor management; public toilets; enhanced litter and waste collection services; and provision for motorhomes; and public transport.2/3/2021
Partnership Approach Delivers Vaccines In Highland By Jabbernaut
People in The Highland Council area will soon be receiving coronavirus vaccines in their local communities with the help of a purpose-built mobile vaccination unit coined the ‘Jabbernaut'. Highland Council transport and housing maintenance staff have procured and built a custom-made mobile vaccine unit for NHS Highland to enable health staff to deliver vaccinations across the Highlands.
2/3/2021
More Highland Businesses To Get Grants - Widened Eligibility For Discretionary Business Grant
The Highland Council today (Tuesday 2 March 2021) widened eligibility and extended the deadline for businesses to apply for its Discretionary Business Grant Scheme. The Council's Economy and Regeneration Manager Andy McCann said: "We are pleased to advise, that following extra money being made available to us from the Scottish Government, we have now opened up the grant scheme to allow more businesses to apply.
25/2/2021
