News Archive
23/8/2020
£27billion Roads Investment To Support 64,000 Jobs In England
Highways England has today unveiled the details of plans for £27.4 billion investment in the strategic road network across the country. Highways England will deliver £14 billion of projects improving the quality, capacity and safety of the motorways and major A roads that have helped keep the country going during the Covid-19 pandemic.22/8/2020
New A9 Improvement At Berriedale Opens
The £9.6 million Berriedale Braes Improvement project which at its peak supported over 50 jobs during construction, has begun to deliver benefits for road users and local communities. The road opened on Friday 21 August 2020 The improved road alignment, which involved removing an existing hairpin bend, will improve journey times and enhance road safety by removing the need for vehicles to slow down or stop to negotiate the bend.
22/8/2020
Driving Scotland's Green - Low carbon investment fast-tracked to support COVID-19 recovery
Funding to deploy low carbon heat in existing social housing has been fast-tracked to support Scotland's economic recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The vast majority of the investment made through the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund will be made in the coming year to support the start of construction on shovel-ready projects.22/8/2020
£11.6 Million For Looked After Children
Programmes to help raise the attainment of care experienced young people are to benefit from £11.6 million of funding. Projects as diverse as mentoring programmes and outdoor and play-based education were supported through the Care Experienced Children and Young People fund last year.21/8/2020
NDA Calls For People To Have Their Say On Its Strategy
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has today published its fourth Draft Strategy and begun a 12-week public consultation. The NDA regularly reviews its Strategy to ensure it has the right approach to decommissioning its 17 nuclear sites and benefits from the latest learning, best practice and can continue to deliver value for the taxpayer.
21/8/2020
Innovate Uk Launches Four-year Design Strategy
The UK's innovation agency, Innovate UK, today publishes a strategy that seeks to encourage and support excellent design in innovation. The document, ‘Design in Innovation strategy, 2020-2024', recognises that the UK is a world-leader in design excellence and there are great opportunities for business to realise more value by tapping into that capability and embedding design within their processes and culture.
21/8/2020
Scotland Remains In Phase 3 - Close Monitoring Of Outbreaks Ongoing
Scotland will remain in Phase 3 of the route map out of lockdown because COVID-19 remains a significant threat to public health, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said. In a statement to the Scottish Parliament the First Minister announced an earlier date for the re-opening of gyms, swimming pools and indoor sports courts, including dance studios.21/8/2020
Driving Lessons And Driving Tests To Restart In Scotland
Driver training will restart in Scotland on Monday 24 August 2020, with driving tests restarting from Monday 14 September 2020. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and Scottish Government have announced that: learner drivers can resume training in Scotland from Monday 24 August.
21/8/2020
Foreign Travel Health Rules Extended - Quarantine measures for further countries
A significant rise in the number of cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Austria, Croatia, Switzerland and Trinidad and Tobago means travellers from these countries will have to self-isolate at home or another specified address for 14 days on arrival in Scotland from 4am this Saturday. At the same time Portugal will be added to the list of destinations where travellers will be exempt from the requirement to quarantine.21/8/2020
Revenge Of The High Street: Store Sales Boom As Online Growth Falters
Retail sales bounced back to pre-Covid levels in July while online slumped 7%, reveal July's ONS retail figures. Longer term, ParcelHero warns the rise of online is still unstoppable.
21/8/2020
Student Loans Company Ready To Handle Changes In Circumstances And Late Applications
Over the coming weeks, we will distribute in the region of £2 billion in maintenance loans to students across the UK, and over £5 billion in tuition fee payments to their universities and colleges. Payments will be made to over one million students and we want to reassure everyone who has received their student finance assessment that they will receive their funds at the start of term, and that their tuition fee loan payments will be made on their behalf to their university or college.
21/8/2020
Action To Tackle Child Poverty - Scottish Child Payment to start in February
Low-income families with a child under six will be able to apply for £10 per child, per week to assist with living costs from November, with payments to start from the end of February. Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell announced the update as part of a statement to Parliament on the Child Poverty Second Year Progress Report.21/8/2020
Action agreed to support students into preferred universities
Students have been given reassurances on university places and the Government is lifting the cap on medical courses for the coming academic year. The Government and higher education sector have together agreed that all students who achieved the required grades will be offered a place at their first choice university.20/8/2020
Caithness Chamber Of Commerce To Launch Free Test & Protect Service For North Highland Businesses
Caithness Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce that, thanks to the generous support of Highlands & Islands Enterprise, it will be launching a free, simple online service to allow hospitality businesses across the North Highlands to safely collect and store customer data in line with official guidelines to support the Scottish Government's Test & Protect Programme. This new service, #ProtectNorthHighlands, will be launching on 26 August and will be free for any business in Caithness and Sutherland to access.20/8/2020
Scottish Chamber of Commerce Respond To Scottish Government Gdp Statistics For Q2 2020
Commenting on the publication of Scottish Government GDP statistics for Q2 2020, Dr Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce said: "The collapse in Scotland's GDP in the second quarter sets alarm bells ringing even if the fall was expected. The 19.7% decline from April to June makes Scotland’s and the UK’s economies among the worst performing in Europe.20/8/2020
Highland Council Community and Places Committee Deficit Reduced But £4.84 Million Gap Means More Cuts May Be Required
Committee examines measures in place to manage revenue budget shortfall and thanks staff for their Covid-19 response. At a meeting of the Communities and Place Committee on Wednesday 19th August 2020 councillors had the opportunity to review the arrangements being put in place by the service to manage a forecasted budget gap of £4.84m.20/8/2020
High Life Highland Is Ready To Welcome Customers Back To Pools And Gyms
High Life Highland have expressed delight at today's announcement from the First Minister that gyms and swimming pools can reopen from Monday 31st August 2020. Steve Walsh Chief Executive of High life Highland said, "I am absolutely delighted with the news that we are able to welcome our customers back earlier than we had first thought.
20/8/2020
Praise for Volunteers and Staff On Improving Burial Grounds in Caithness
Committee discusses capacity pressure for Council burial grounds and excellent work of Caithness volunteers flagged up. The Highland Council is responsible for 268 burial grounds across the Highlands and a report discussed at the Communities and Place Committee on 19th August 2020 highlighted that 33 of the sites have an estimated capacity of less than 6 years.20/8/2020
Over 1000 Cars Bought By Hi-Scot Credit Union Loans
A Hi-Scot credit union loan is now easier than ever to arrange for members. Cars are a popular reason to borrow but loans can be arranged for a wide range of things.
20/8/2020
