News Archive
12/2/2019
Planning application submitted for Materials Recovery Facility
A planning application has been submitted to construct a new centralised waste management facility (Materials Recovery Facility) to recover recyclates and produce Refuse Derived Fuel, as the Council's preferred interim arrangements for meeting the requirements of the ban on landfilling which commences in January 2021. The site is located at the Longman, Inverness (previously the landfill site).
12/2/2019
The Longman Materials Recovery Facility Planned
A planning application for the new facility has been lodged with Highland council. The facility if approved wil be sited a the old Longman Landfill site, Inverness.
12/2/2019
A9 Tain South Junction Closure Times 10th - 15th March
BEAR Scotland, acting on behalf of Transport Scotland, are planning to carry out essential resurfacing works on a section of the A9 Trunk Road, on the Tain Bypass. The works will require the Tain South junction with the A9 to remain closed between the hours of 1900hrs and 0700hrs from Sunday 10th March to Friday 15th March and traffic will be diverted onto the B9174 via the Tain North Junction.12/2/2019
Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund
A £10 million fund will target support to achieving commercial deployment of tidal energy generation in Scottish waters through driving innovation and reduction in the cost of electricity generated. This concentrated support for tidal energy sits alongside the parallel £30 million committed to date by the Scottish Government to Wave Energy Scotland (WES), and a further £10 million proposed for WES in 2019/20.11/2/2019
Couple banned after duping businesses to sponsor ‘educational' materials
Husband and wife team received directorship disqualifications totalling 20 years after they duped small businesses to sponsor unnecessary educational material. In a two-year period, the pair from Congleton, Cheshire, secured more than £1.7 million from businesses who were led to believe they were investing in books and DVDs about substance abuse in return for advertising in the books.11/2/2019
Health And Safety Risks From Inflatable Play Equipment
Following the tragic fatality last year in Norfolk involving a child and an inflatable Bouncy Castle, and a further incident on an inflatable slide at Woking where ten children were injured and taken to hospital, The Highland Council's Environmental Health Service is responding to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advice and raising awareness of the risks associated with such equipment. HSE has recently revised their guidance for Bouncy Castles and other play inflatables which is now available to operators and members of the public on their website.
11/2/2019
Contractor appointed for refurbishment works at Nairn Courthouse
The contract for refurbishment works including the removal and replacement of the existing viewing tower at Nairn Courthouse has been awarded by The Highland Council to Laing Traditional Masonry Group (LTM Group). The £809,000 project at the Category B listed Court House involves the renovation of the two-stage steeple, which is in poor condition, as well as internal and external works required.
11/2/2019
The outlook for the 2019 Spending Review
At some point in 2019, the Chancellor will need to publish the outcome of HM Treasury's forthcoming Spending Review. At a minimum, this will set detailed departmental allocations for the 2020−21 financial year, and possibly beyond.
11/2/2019
GDP first quarterly estimate, UK: October to December 2018
"GDP slowed in the last three months of the year with the manufacturing of cars and steel products seeing steep falls and construction also declining. However, services continued to grow with the health sector, management consultants and IT all doing well.10/2/2019
Moray Spaceflight Centre Welcomed
The arrival in Moray of spaceflight company, Orbex, which is expected to bring more than 130 jobs to the region, has been welcomed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). Orbex has set up a new Scottish base at the Enterprise Park Forres, which opened this week (7 February).
10/2/2019
Caithness And North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Weekly update from CNSRP - week commencing 4th February 2019. SpaceHub Sutherland: The SHS team were in the Kyle Community Centre in Tongue for the first of a planned weekly presence in the area on Wednesdays between 1000 to 1300 hrs to allow people to meet with the project team.9/2/2019
Highland Council Proposals For A Three-year Budget.
The proposals are based on themes which emerged from weeks of consultation with staff, communities, groups and partners. The themes focus on Efficiencies, Income generation, Redesign and a flexible Workforce.9/2/2019
HMRC Employers Bulletin For February 2019
HMRC publishes the employer bulletin 6 times a year, giving employers and agents the latest information on topics and issues that may affect them. You can download and read the employer bulletin on screen or print it off.9/2/2019
GMB welcomes withdrawal of ‘pay-cut proposals' for ambulance and NHS staff
GMB Scotland yesterday Friday 8 February 2019 welcomed the withdrawal of planned reforms which would have resulted in cuts to terms and conditions of Scottish Ambulance Service and NHS staff. Proposals by the NHS Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee (STAC) to the utilisation and application of Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) would have seen the value of accrued TOIL not taken automatically after three months devalued from time and half to plain time.8/2/2019
Jobs and How To Get Them
North Highland College. Saturday 9th February 2019..
8/2/2019
Council clarifies concerns surrounding Export Health Certificates
The Highland Council's Environmental Health team currently allocates significant resource to facilitate Highland based food manufacturer's trade with EU and non-EU countries. This work can be split into two categories; statutory and non-statutory.8/2/2019
Strengthening Ties With Canada - Scottish Office In Ottawa Opens
Growing economic links between Canada and Scotland will be strengthened through a new Scottish Government office in Ottawa. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hosted a Scotland is Now reception in Canada's capital city to officially launch the new office and to launch the global marketing campaign to a Canadian audience for the first time.
8/2/2019
Stalling life expectancy is a warning light for public health in Scotland
Two reports out today show that the increase in life expectancy that has shown steady progress in Scotland since the Second World War, has now stalled and that health inequalities have worsened. In the past seven years, Scotland has seen the slowest growth in life expectancy, since at least the late 1970s and death rates have now begun to rise for people living in our poorest areas.8/2/2019
Government has shunted reduced train journey time into the sidings
Labour MSP Rhoda Grant is warning train passengers not to expect a two hour and 45 minute journey time on the Highland Main Line anytime soon. Scottish Government Transport Minister, Michael Matheson, has stated the quicker journey time is now ‘a long-term aspiration' despite a commitment made by Alex Salmond, the then First Minister, in August 2008, to reduce train journey times between Inverness and Edinburgh to at least two hours 45 minutes by 2012.7/2/2019
