News Archive
1/12/2017
New Private Residential Tenancy Affects Private Landlords and Tenants
Greater security for tenants and safeguards for landlords. The biggest change to the private rental sector in a generation will mean tenants have more security and stability coupled with better safeguards for landlords, lenders and investors.1/12/2017
Why International Trade Is More Important Than Ever
It has never been more important for businesses in the Highlands and Islands to target global markets, writes Martin Johnson, HIE's head of international trade and investment. At the same time global markets have never been more accessible to the region, so we are in a good place.1/12/2017
Regional MSP Rhoda Grant Hits out at 13 Highland Bank Closures
Highlands and Islands Regional MSP, Rhoda Grant has hit out at the decision by RBS to close a further 62 branches in Scotland. Rhoda Grant said "I understand that banks are coming under pressure due to reduced customer footfall with the onset of online banking and telephone banking becoming more popular.1/12/2017
More Firms Welcomed To Marine Science Park
Two more companies have been welcomed on to the European Marine Science Park (EMSP), a development by HIE at Dunstaffnage near Oban. Aquaculture firm, Fusion Marine Ltd, and ALIenergy (Argyll, Lomond and the Isles Energy Agency) have recently moved into the Park's Malin House.1/12/2017
Trade Envoys Appointed
Team will champion Scottish businesses abroad. SCOTLAND is extending its worldwide business reach this St Andrew's Day, with the appointment of a team of trade envoys to champion international trading.1/12/2017
Gender Representation On Public Boards
The Scottish Parliament has approved the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Bill in principle after a stage one debate. The bill sets an objective for public boards that 50% of their non-executive members are women.1/12/2017
Cost Of Clinical Negligence Grew To £1.6 Billion In 2016-17
The annual cost of the clinical negligence for trusts has quadrupled over the last decade—£0.4 billion in 2006-07 to £1.6 billion in 2016-17—taking already scarce resources away from frontline services and patients. Despite long-standing concerns about these predictable rising costs, the government has been disappointingly slow and complacent in its response.30/11/2017
Early final Christmas order dates ‘will shock last-minute shoppers'
Many stores' Christmas final online order dates will be earlier than last year, warns the e-commerce delivery expert ParcelHero. Its retailers' Christmas deadline tool reveals the stores likely to catch last-minute shoppers off guard.
30/11/2017
Co-location Improves Local Access To Services In Wick And Fort William
The Highland Council and Department for Work and Pensions are implementing plans to improve accessibility to their services. This joint venture will see the jobcentre staff co-locating with the Council and other services in the council's new modern office developments in both Fort William and Wick.
29/11/2017
New Members Appointed To NHS Highland Board
NHS Highland has appointed three new non-executive members to its board. Alasdair Christie, James Brander and Sarah Compton-Bishop have each been appointed for four years by the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport Shona Robison.29/11/2017
Ness WiFi is rolled out across Inverness City Centre
City-region deal investment means that Inverness can now be branded a digital city. Ness WiFi, a free WiFi service, which was successfully piloted earlier this year, has now been rolled out across Inverness city centre, extending to and including areas such as the High Street, the Castle, Eden Court, and the bus and railway stations.28/11/2017
Sports, Arts And Community Centres To Keep Rates Relief
Leisure and cultural venues currently run by council arm's-length bodies will continue to benefit from charity relief from non-domestic rates. Following lengthy consultation with stakeholders, Finance Secretary Derek Mackay today confirmed that the Scottish Government will not be accepting the recommendation of the Barclay Review to end this benefit.27/11/2017
"Mind the subscription trap" - Highland Council Trading Standards warn consumers
As part of National Consumer Week 2017 campaign, "Not what you signed up for", Highland Council Trading Standards are keen to warn consumers to be on their guard when signing up to free trials or one-off discounts. Subscription traps are often linked to free trial scams for products such as anti-ageing skin creams or other enticing offers that seek to lock the consumer into costly repeat payments.
25/11/2017
Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd. - Sale 24 November 2017
FORT WILLIAM, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (November, 24th) sold 1031 store sheep of all classes. Lambs (592) sold to £67 gross for a Cheviot from Tign an Uilt, Kilchoan.24/11/2017
Removal of Untaxed Vehicles Underway
Officers from Police Scotland working with a range of partner agencies have worked together to remove a number of abandoned and untaxed vehicles from the roads of the Highlands. Road policing officers have supported the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and Highland Council Environmental Health enforcement officers along with other partners including the Health and Safety Executive, Trading Standards and HM Revenue and Customs in carrying out enforcement action across the north of Scotland.
24/11/2017
Winter plan for Caithness roads confirmed
The priorities by which The Highland Council will grit roads in Caithness this winter have been approved. At the Caithness Committee meeting (Tuesday 21 November 2017) members approved a winter maintenance plan for the area which includes priority road lists and maps showing the priority gritting routes.
24/11/2017
Countrywide Crackdown Continues - 20 Directors Of 16 More Companies Disqualified For Employing Illegal Workers
The directors of restaurants in Antrim, Glasgow, Bognor Regis and Newport, South Wales are amongst the latest company directors to receive lengthy bans for employing illegal workers. In all, 20 directors in 16 separate businesses across the United Kingdom have been disqualified recently, following investigations by the Insolvency Service, all of whom were already fined for employing illegal workers.23/11/2017
Highland Council winter road condition and school closure report for Thursday, 23 November 2017
Road condition reports by The Highland Council's Community Services for the morning of Thursday, 23 November 2017 are as follows: Caithness and North Sutherland: Most of the higher routes in north Sutherland affected with up to 100mm wet snow, some of the lower routes inland up to 50mm wet snow, all routes in Caithness affected by minor flooding. Some of the main routes have major flooding with signage in place.23/11/2017
Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 23 November 2017
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (November, 23rd) sold 1,982 store sheep. Lambs (1,186) averaged £36.04 and sold to £71 gross for a pen of Hebrideans from Bogburn Farm, Duncanston.23/11/2017
