News Archive
2/12/2015
Teacher time guarantee
Legislation to bring certainty for pupils, parents and teachers. Primary school pupils across Scotland will be guaranteed at least 950 hours a year (equivalent to 25 hours a week) of teaching time the Scottish Government has announced.1/12/2015
Dingwall and Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 1st December 2015
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (December, 1st) sold 54 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (12) averaged 203.1p (-13.8p) and sold to 212p per kg and £1,289.05 gross.1/12/2015
Grant cut to Highland Council budget is anticipated to be severe
FOLLOWING the COSLA Leaders meeting last Friday, the Leader of Highland Council has warned staff that Local Government could be facing a cash reduction in its Grant of 4-5% for 2016-17. Current assumptions for the budget were based on a cut of 1.6% and a 4 or 5% cut would be a significantly worse position.28/11/2015
Highland Trading Standards warns of fraudulent refund emails
Highland Council Trading Standards are warning consumers to be on their guard against phishing emails purporting to be from Apple iTunes following an increase in enquiries. The unsolicited email from fraudsters informs the recipient that they if they did not make the purchase in question, that they should click on the link provided to obtain a refund.27/11/2015
Dounreay contractors innovation awarded
A contractor working on the Shaft and Silo project has been recognised by the prestigious NDA estate Supply Chain Awards. Oxford Technologies Ltd (OTL) won the Ministers Award for their innovative idea to clean out the shaft stub tunnel.
27/11/2015
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership
Week Commencing 23 November 2015 Energy and Business Services: There was an event in Wick this week for local companies interested in opportunities in the offshore wind market. Representatives from DEME Group outlined its companies roles in the development, construction and maintenance of offshore wind farms, and in the rapidly expanding UK offshore wind market.27/11/2015
Benefits of being online could be worth over £1000 per year to individuals
Members of the Highland Council Resources Committee have noted research showing the benefits of being online and the work being done by the Council to promote digital inclusion. Research shows that across the UK 89% of adults have access to the internet at home, however 17.9% of people in the Highlands never use the internet.27/11/2015
Projects approved for capital discretionary funding
Two projects have been approved for capital discretionary funding by the Councils Resources Committee. Members approved a contribution of £100,000 over 2 years towards the Falls of Shin Community Project, subject to full a funding package being in place.27/11/2015
Funding approved for carbon clever projects
The Highland Council has approved funding of over £250,000 for projects across the region that will improve transport links, reduce carbon emissions and save the Council money. The funding comes from Highland Councils Carbon CLEVER capital budget, which has supported a wide range of projects over the past 18 months, including the upgrading of streetlights in Highland to LEDs, improved cycling facilities, the installation of biomass boilers, and a grant fund which has allocated funding to more than ten community projects which reduce carbon emissions.24/11/2015
Contracts awarded for new Dounreay waste store
A new store for higher activity waste at Dounreay is making progress with the award of three contracts. AMEC Foster Wheel has been awarded a 12 month contract for the design and safety case of the store, developing the concept into a fully detailed manufacturing design with a combined safety case submission.
22/11/2015
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership
Weeks Commencing 9th and 16th November 2015 Energy and Business Services: Later this month there will be an event in Wick for local companies interested in opportunities in the offshore wind market. As a leading company in the development, construction and maintenance of offshore wind farms, DEME Group is preparing new projects and contracts in the rapidly expanding UK offshore wind market.21/11/2015
Discover Holy Grass Vodka - A wonder from the wilderness
Hand-crafted in the far North of Scotland, Holy Grass Vodka, is the latest release from the multi-award winning Dunnet Bay Distillery in Caithness. It features the unusual botanical Holy Grass (or Anthoxanthum nitens ), once discovered on the banks of the nearby Thurso River by Robert Dick.
20/11/2015
Council Leader hits out at welfare cuts
The UK Governments ongoing changes to welfare, which began in 2010, will substantially reduce the amount of benefits paid to households and families. The Council continues to voice concerns about the impact that Universal Credit, and in particular the payment of housing costs, is having on Highland tenants and landlords alike.19/11/2015
Inverness Expansion - West Link Tenders Issued
The Highland Council will issue invitations to tender for the construction of West Link Stage 1, (Dores Road to the A82) and Canal Parks Enhancement Project, to eight contractors tomorrow, Friday 20 November 2015. A number of contractors expressed an interest and the eight contractors have been selected to submit tenders following a pre-qualification process.19/11/2015
Licensing of public entertainment activities
The Highland Council is inviting the public to submit written representations to the Council about proposed changes to public entertainment licensing activities. All representations should be made to the Council by Friday 18 December 2015.19/11/2015
50,000 homes pledge
Affordable homes to tackle housing shortage. Housing Minister Margaret Burgess has today pledged to invest £3 billion to deliver 50,000 new affordable homes over the next five years.19/11/2015
Tackling wildlife crime
Review groups report recommends increases to wildlife crime penalties. Scotlands Environment Minister Aileen McLeod today welcomed the publication of a report examining the penalties available for wildlife crime offences.19/11/2015
First Inverness SuDS Conference - SuDS for People and Wildlife
Highland Council graduate research assistant Marcia Rae has been investigating the presence of amphibians in Inverness Sustainable Urban Drainage (SuDS) ponds and the results will be presented at the first ever Inverness SuDS Conference on Friday 27th November 2015. This Conference will be the first of its kind in the Highlands and aims to ensure that urban development is designed for maximum benefit to local residents and wildlife.19/11/2015
Improving our cyber resilience
Scotlands business sector meet to debate bolstering cyber resilience. A new strategy providing a framework to help build a cyber-resilient Scotland has been launched by Deputy First Minister John Swinney at the National Economic Forum in Edinburgh today.19/11/2015
