Other Public Services News
23/1/2014
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Week Commencing 20th January 2014 Energy & Business Services: HIE colleagues have returned to Aberdeen this week for a further series of meetings with companies and agencies. As previously reported interest in Caithness as a place from which to do business is strong, with new companies showing interest in energy sector opportunities.17/1/2014
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Week Commencing 12 January 2014 Energy & Business Services: There is further evidence of progress with the programme of upgrades to the electricity transmission network in the north with this week’s announcement that Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission has received final planning consent from Scottish Government for the reinforcement of the electricity transmission network between Caithness and Moray. This will involve a new overhead line between the new Dounreay sub-station and Mybster (on the Causeymire), as part of the wider £1.2bn programme, which includes a subsea link from the east coast of Caithness to the Moray coast.17/1/2014
Warning to Retailers - Ringing The Changes Fraud On The Go Again
Police renew warning to retailers following reports of 'ringing the changes' frauds. Police Scotland are renewing previous warnings about deception thefts targeting businesses across the Highlands and Grampian after receiving two reports of 'ringing the changes' frauds at retail outlets in the Aberdeen and Inverness area on Saturday 11 of January 2014.10/1/2014
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Week Commencing 6 Januatry 2014 Energy & Business Services: I met today (Friday) with representatives from Financial & Business Services teams in HIE and Scottish Development International to discuss opportunities to attract new business to this area. We have companies in the north providing excellent business process operations (eg Escape Technologies, Aon Hewitt, BT, the Dental Plan) and we discussed forthcoming plans to raise awareness of our area’s skills in national and international markets.9/1/2014
Youths to be reported to the Reporter to the Children's Panel in connection with incidents in the Wick area
Following intensive inquiries three youths, aged 14, 14 and 15 years are to be reported to the Reporter to the Children's Panel following break-ins at the Highland Council yards at River Street, Wick and Albert Street, Wick and also JMS Express, Wick. The youths are also to be reported in relation to damage at Wick High School over the festive period.8/1/2014
Supply chain briefing on opportunities at Dounreay to be held
DSRL will be holding a supply chain briefing to give an update on future procurement opportunities at Dounreay. This event will be held on Wednesday February 12, 2014 in The Weigh Inn Hotel, Thurso, starting at 14:00 hours.7/1/2014
More Drink Drivers Caught In Last Week Of Campaign
Highland and Islands Police report an increase in drink drivers following the final week of national campaign. Police in the Highlands and Islands are reporting an increase in the number of people detected drink driving during the 2013 festive drink drive campaign compared to the 2012 campaign.20/12/2013
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Week Commencing 16th December 2013 Energy & Business Services: As apprentices on the North Highland College engineering programme go out into work placements during Year 2 of their course, the attached video highlights student views on the course and the lessons they have learned to date from their experiences in the workplace. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3vgSxfzJFQ Tourism, Food & Drink: Caithness Horizons in Thurso celebrates its 5th birthday this month, and it was good to meet this week with directors, staff and local stakeholders to commemorate this milestone.15/12/2013
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Week Commencing 9th December 2013 Energy & Business Services: Partnership representatives held a business breakfast event in Aberdeen this week. HIE’s Roy Kirk and June Love, together with Stephen Sutherland (JGC Engineering Services), Willie Watt (Subsea 7) and Debbie Gray (North Highland College), met a group of business leaders to promote the area as an attractive place from which to do business.7/12/2013
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Week commencing 2nd December 2013 Energy & Business Services: Partnership representatives were once again in Aberdeen this week. A CNSRP-sponsored business influencers’ event was held in association with the Scottish Council for Development & Industry (SCDI), and attracted around 70 attendees, with key guest speaker Fergus Ewing MSP, the Scottish Government Minister for Energy, Enterprise & Tourism.4/12/2013
Dounreay camera innovation wins NDA award
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority recognised the role played by a Wick-based manufacturer at Dounreay in its national awards for the UK supply chain. Kongsberg Maritime Ltd supplied a camera capable of working in the harsh radiation environment inside the Dounreay Fast Reactor.
4/12/2013
Creative thinking helps reactor demolition
Another pioneering in-house invention has allowed the PFR reactor dismantling team to complete one of the final phases of the reactor dismantling ready for final demolition. The centre guide tube was successfully raised from the reactor core, demonstrating that internal fixtures can be safely removed.
30/11/2013
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Enabling Activities: Today (Friday 29th November 2013) was the AGM of the North Highland Regeneration Fund, the loan fund established with support from the NDA. Afterwards guest speakers Rob Arthur of Thurso Cinema and Andrew Mackay of Norseman and Castletown Hotels talked about what inspired them to get involved in business.25/11/2013
New national road policing unit launched in Fort William
Local Police Commander for Fort William is, with the Highland and Islands Roads Policing Inspector, welcoming a new national roads policing unit to Fort William, which is a first for a specialist resource of this type. The divisionally-based national Trunk Road Patrol Group will focus on Keeping People Safe on the main arterial routes in the Highlands, but it is the first time a roads policing unit have been based in the Fort William area.
22/11/2013
Hazardous liquid waste cementation reaches milestone
The last batch of higher activity liquid waste produced during Dounreay’s Materials Test Reactor (MTR) research reactor reprocessing history was cemented into a drum on 7 November 2013. It is an important milestone in the processing of the historic liquid waste created during the operation of Dounreay’s three reactors.
16/11/2013
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Week Commencing 11 November 2013 Energy/ Business Services: I met today with members of Wick Harbour Authority and representatives from Highland Council, HIE, NDA, Dounreay, Caithness Chamber to hear an update on exciting future plans for the harbour, and to discuss how support can be prioritised to help realise some of the plans. Of particular interest is the opportunity presented by the potential development of two Offshore Windfarm sites in the Moray Firth.14/11/2013
Feedback sought on updated planning framework for Dounreay
Tomorrow (15 November 2013) The Highland Council launches a public consultation on the Dounreay Planning Framework 2: Draft Supplementary Guidance. The Highland Council approved the existing Dounreay Planning Framework in January 2006, as a land use development brief against which to regulate and control future decommissioning and restoration works proposed at the former nuclear power research site at Dounreay, near Thurso in Caithness.
9/11/2013
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Week Commencing 4th November 2013 Energy/ Business Services: I met this week with colleagues from HIE and NDA as we discussed with a local business its exciting growth plans. As part of our ongoing focus on key projects it was good to be able to offer a joined-up approach to potential support, and I look forward to helping bring the project forward over the coming months.7/11/2013
Enhanced inspection to continue until hazards reduce further
A report published on Tuesday 5th November 2013 underlines how much work remains to be done at Dounreay before the site can be left in a safe condition for future generations. The Office for Nuclear Regulation Chief Nuclear Inspector's annual report says its inspection of the site will be at an “enhanced level” because of the continuing presence of major radiological hazards.
6/11/2013
