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News Archive


14/12/2017
Scotland's Budget - 14 December 2017
The 2018-19 Draft Budget will protect the NHS and public services, support low earners and unlock Scotland's economic potential, according to Finance Secretary Derek Mackay.   Setting out plans to invest an additional £400 million in Scotland’s health service, protect public services, lift the public sector pay cap and provide a package of investment in growing the economy and supporting small businesses, Mr Mackay said the budget would "invest in our public services and support business to thrive".  
14/12/2017
Highland Council discusses education governance
Highland Councillors considered Scottish Government's proposals for changes to the management of schools at today's meeting of the Council.   The Scottish Government is proposing new legislation on education, which would include a Headteachers Charter, placing even more responsibility and accountability for the running of schools on Headteachers, with other responsibilities passing to a new collaborative organisation covering Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Shetland, Orkney, Western Isles, Argyll and Bute as well as Highland.  
14/12/2017
Local Government Funding Settlement In Scotland
Local authorities will receive more than £10.5 billion in 2018-19, Finance Secretary Derek Mackay has announced, as he unveiled a range of measures to protect public services and generate economic growth.   Mr Mackay said despite a cut of over £200 million to Scotland's block grant by the UK Government, the 2018-19 Draft Budget delivers a fair funding settlement for local authorities.  
14/12/2017
Scotland's Economic And Fiscal Forecasts December 2017Thumbnail for article : Scotland's Economic And Fiscal Forecasts December 2017
The newly created Scottish Fiscal Commission published its first major report to coincide with the Scottish Budget today.   You can read it at - http://www.fiscalcommission.scot/publications/scotlands-economic-and-fiscal-forecasts/scotlands-economic-and-fiscal-forecasts-december-2017/.  
14/12/2017
Fragile outlook sets challenging backdrop for Scottish Budget
From Fraser of Allandar Institute published on 12 December 2017.   Tax increases may alleviate some budget pressure, but cannot hide difficult choices ahead This week's Scottish Budget comes at a crucial time for Scotland's economy, with the Scottish Government needing to set out a clear plan for how it intends to support growth and productivity in Scotland, according to the Fraser of Allander Institute (FAI).  
13/12/2017
Highland Council winter road condition and school closure report for Wednesday, 13 December 2017
Maps of the Council's gritting routes by priority and policy are available online at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting .   The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time.  
13/12/2017
West Link Road, Inverness OpenedThumbnail for article : West Link Road, Inverness Opened
THE West Link distributor road has fully opened to traffic on, Monday 11th December 2017.   The completion of the first phase of Inverness's West Link road was marked by an opening ceremony and convoy of vehicles at 09:30am which opened the link between the A82 and the Dores Road.  
13/12/2017
Developing Crafts Skills For A New Business? - Come To A Coffee MorningThumbnail for article : Developing Crafts Skills For A New Business? - Come To A Coffee Morning
Coffee Morning For Anyone Starting a Craft Business.   Friday 15th December 10:00am - 1:00pm.  
Kp Technology Wins Rural Business Of The Year At The Amazon Growing Business Awards 2017
KP Technology was awarded "Rural Business of the Year" at the Amazon Growing Business Awards Ceremony last night in London recognising our 'truly global business'.   Professor Baikie, Founder and CEO of KP Technology, speaking from the Materials Research Society Conference in Boston USA, said "We are very proud to win this national award against stiff competition.  
Brakes Are Off As Reactor Clean-up Moves ForwardThumbnail for article : Brakes Are Off As Reactor Clean-up Moves Forward
Engineers at Dounreay have raided a scrap car and a kitchen can opener to help decommission one of the site's reactors.   The handbrake from a vintage 1968 Ford Cortina has been used to help steer a camera, attached to wheels taken from can openers, into the Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) where a detailed survey inside the plant was completed.  
11/12/2017
New West Link Road, Inverness Opens To Traffic TodayThumbnail for article : New West Link Road, Inverness Opens To Traffic Today
THE West Link distributor road will be fully open to traffic from noon on Monday 11th December 2017.   The completion of the first phase of Inverness's West Link road will be marked by an opening ceremony at 09:30am, followed by the road, which links the A82 to Dores Road, being fully opened to traffic at noon.  
11/12/2017
Screen Sector Benefits From Major FilmThumbnail for article : Screen Sector Benefits From Major Film
Principal photography for Outlaw King, the new feature film from Scottish director David Mackenzie and one of the biggest productions ever made in Scotland, has completed.   Based on the story of Robert the Bruce, Outlaw King is produced by Glasgow-based Sigma Films, backed by Netflix and funded by the Scottish Government and National Lottery.  
11/12/2017
Footage Shows Dounreay Fast Reactor Element RemovalThumbnail for article : Footage Shows Dounreay Fast Reactor Element Removal
Never seen before footage of Dounreay workers removing the last remaining radioactive fuel elements from one of the site's iconic reactors has been made available in a new film.   Work started earlier this year to remove material which has been stuck inside Dounreay Fast Reactor for several decades.  
11/12/2017
Scottish rural businesses see digital technology as key to growth
Scottish rural businesses see digital technology as key to growth but face skills and training barriers.   · New research by Scotland's Rural College and Rural England finds nearly four in five rural businesses say digital technologies like cloud computing, 5G, Internet of Things and artificial intelligence are important to their growth.  
11/12/2017
Sales Of Million Pound Houses In Scotland Fall By A ThirdThumbnail for article : Sales Of Million Pound Houses In Scotland Fall By A Third
Scottish million pound property sales fell by over a third (35%) in the first half of 2017 compared to last year.   Million pound property sales suffered the most in Scotland compared to the rest of Great Britain.  
11/12/2017
Scottish Exports Continue To GrowThumbnail for article : Scottish Exports Continue To Grow
Overseas Scottish food and drink exports were worth £4.3 billion in the first nine months of 2017, an increase of almost £500 million compared to the same period last year.   Food exports were valued at about £1.2 billion increasing by 20% - around £200 million more than the same period in 2016.  
11/12/2017
Organisations Unite In Life Sciences Collaboration
Three organisations from across the Highlands and Islands have teamed up in a new collaboration to boost life sciences in the region.   Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the University of the Highlands and Islands, and NHS Highland have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) as they progress joint initiatives on Inverness Campus.  
11/12/2017
Building Scotland's Future - Scottish Budget Day Thursday 14th December
Budget will prioritise growth and innovation.   Finance Secretary Derek Mackay has said his priority is to build Scotland's future as he prepares to present his second Draft Budget to Parliament.  
11/12/2017
Community ownership is increasing in Scotland
Scotland's Chief Statistician has published the Estimate of Community Owned Land in Scotland 2017 publication.  The publication presents the area of land in community ownership, the number of land parcels/assets in community ownership and the number of community groups that own land parcels/assets.  
10/12/2017
Spittal Substation ProgressThumbnail for article : Spittal Substation Progress
Spittal is a new electricity convertor station and is part of the £1.1bn Caithness-Moray project which represents the largest investment in the north of Scotland's electricity network since the hydro development era of the 1950s and is the largest capital investment project undertaken by the SSE Group to date.  It is also the largest Living Wage contract ever awarded in the UK, demonstrating SSEN's strong commitment to ensure all employees working on its sites get a fair day's pay for a fair day's work.