Local Authority News
23/10/2015
Highland Council to hold a series of Facebook chats on budget issues
Highland Council is to hold a series of Facebook chats on budget issues, starting with a discussion on the council tax. For the eighth successive year, the Council has frozen the Council Tax.22/10/2015
Highland Council backs calls over maritime safety deficit
The Highland Council Leader, Cllr Margaret Davidson welcomed the call for reinstatement of ETVs by Highland MPs. She said: "The provision of Emergency Towing Vessels (ETVs) has been a vital issue for the Highland Council ever since the ETV in the Minch was withdrawn some years ago.22/10/2015
Reduced price parking gives boost for city businesses
Two city centre car parks are to offer reduced-price parking for shoppers and visitors to Inverness City centre in the run up to Christmas. Highland Council and Eastgate Centre Management have been working with Inverness BID and partners to provide a much needed boost for city centre businesses.21/10/2015
Planning Portal for Consultation On Planning Policies
Views sought on Highland Planning Policies through new consultation portal. The Highland Council has today launched three online consultations on planning and housing issues across the area, including a review of its main planning policy document the Highland-wide Local Development Plan.19/10/2015
Highland businesses snap up chance to be part of Broadband Voucher Scheme
In excess of 60 businesses in Highland have now successfully applied for free Broadband Connection Vouchers, providing a boost to their broadband so they can now benefit from new IT opportunities and better productivity. The UK-wide scheme, which provides grants of up to £3,000 to help small businesses and charities on a first come, first served basis, has proved to be popular.17/10/2015
Highland Leader's response to business rates announcement
Commenting on today's announcement by the Deputy First Minister John Swinney, that Local authorities will be able to lower business rates in their area from 31 October 2015, Cllr Margaret Davidson, Leader of The Highland Council said: "Our ambition for Highland is to see much greater responsibility passed to the Council, as we believe decisions over local services are best taken at a local level. "While I welcome this announcement, what local government needs is the freedom to be able to vary business rates up and down.15/10/2015
Work on new link road for Dingwall starts next week
Work on the first stage of the Kinnairdie Link Road Scheme in Dingwall will begin on Monday when contractor, Pat Munro (Alness) Ltd will be on site to carry out improvements to the junction of the A862 Newton Road and the A834 Burn Place near to the Council Offices. The A862 will be widened to provide additional stacking length on the approach to the junction from the South.14/10/2015
£520,000 RESURFACING IMPROVEMENTS - A9 Badacreamh Southbound and A9 South of Slochd
Works start Friday 16 October 2015. Two locations on the A9 near Inverness are soon to be upgraded following an investment of £520,000 from Transport Scotland.12/10/2015
Have your say on Highland Council transport services
The Highland Council is seeking public opinion on the future provision of school, public and dial-a-bus transport services across the region. A series of consultation meetings will be held across the Highlands to discuss with communities their required needs and views on future Council transport services.8/10/2015
Community Council Nominations
Following the recent call for candidates wishing to serve on Highland Community Councils to come forward a total of 109 Councils attracted sufficient interest to form a new Council. The new Community Councils will form following Election Day on 18 November.8/10/2015
Transport providers invited to find out "How to supply Highland Council"
The Highland Council is inviting transport providers large and small to a series of events being held throughout the Highlands to find out how they can tender to supply transport services for the local authority. Representatives from the Council's Transport and Procurement Units will be holding the events throughout October 2015 in Thurso (22nd), Ullapool (23rd), Portree (26th), Fort William (27th), Aviemore (29th), Inverness (30th) and on the 2nd November in Lairg and Auchtertyre, Kyle.8/10/2015
Dialogue in support of Highland Head Teachers
The Highland Council is to hold further dialogue with Head Teachers and stakeholders on proposals to enhance support for Head Teachers and create sustained management support in Highland schools. The Council's programme, Highland First, includes a commitment to work collaboratively with Head Teachers to provide them with the best opportunity to maintain standards, reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and to drive further improvement.8/10/2015
Members support promoting Power of Attorney
Members of The Highland Council's Education, Children and Adult Services Committee have agreed to support the role of Health and Social Care professionals in making people in the Highlands aware of the importance of making arrangements for Power of Attorney when they are still capable. The Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 provides a legal framework for safeguarding the welfare and managing the finances of adults who lack capacity due to mental disorder or inability to communicate.5/10/2015
Highland Council asks are you ready for winter?
The unseasonably good weather of late has not put The Highland Council off their preparations for snow and frost as they ask people in the Highlands - ‘Are you ready for winter?' The Highland Council is supporting the Scottish Government's Ready Scotland campaign at www.readyscotland.org and urges people in the Highlands to take some time to get ready for winter and all kinds of severe weather. Councillor Allan Henderson, Highland Council’s Chair of Community Services Committee, said: "It’s been a mild autumn so far and frosty days seem a far off prospect but we all know that conditions can change in the Highlands rapidly.5/10/2015
Highland Council asks are you ready for winter?
The unseasonably good weather of late has not put The Highland Council off their preparations for snow and frost as they ask people in the Highlands - ‘Are you ready for winter?' The Highland Council is supporting the Scottish Government's Ready Scotland campaign at www.readyscotland.org and urges people in the Highlands to take some time to get ready for winter and all kinds of severe weather. Councillor Allan Henderson, Highland Council’s Chair of Community Services Committee, said: "It’s been a mild autumn so far and frosty days seem a far off prospect but we all know that conditions can change in the Highlands rapidly.5/10/2015
Highland supports digital roll-out
Leader of The Highland Council, Councillor Margaret Davidson has welcomed the opportunity at the Convention of the Highlands and Islands held in Elgin today (5 October 2015) to discuss how to improve broadband and mobile phone connectivity across the Highlands. Commenting at the convention Cllr Davidson said: "There has been good progress today.1/10/2015
Twenty-second year and still new things to discover and enjoy about highland past 
The twenty-second Highland Archaeology Festival gets underway at the end of this week (Friday 2nd October) with another packed programme of events across the Highlands. The fortnight-long Festival, which is co-ordinated by The Highland Council's Development and Infrastructure Service in partnership with dozens of local event organiser across the Highland Council area and in Moray, runs from Friday 2nd October to Sunday 18th October.
1/10/2015
Trading Standards to help Highland businesses provide new consumer rights
On 1 October 2015 the law changes as new consumer rights come into force. The Highland Council's Trading Standards team is offering advice and assistance to Highland businesses to ensure that they continue to give their customers a good and fair deal.1/10/2015
Highland Council continues to consult on budget savings
Significant energy is being spent on work to plan ahead and identify savings to address the anticipated budget gap. The Council meeting in June 2015 considered a report which estimated a forecast budget deficit for the next three financial years of £46.28 million.29/9/2015
