News Archive
15/6/2017
IT Project For Rural Payments Ends But Significant Issues Remain
The legacy of an IT programme set up to deliver financial support to rural businesses still presents significant risks and costs for the Scottish Government. Audit Scotland has reviewed the progress made in resolving serious issues with the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Futures programme, created to enable the Scottish Government to provide financial support to farmers and rural businesses in line with European Commission (EC) reforms.
15/6/2017
Farm Tenants Improvements Amnesty - Use It Or Lose It
Changes in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 - Tenants' Improvements Amnesty: Farm Advisory Services events will say "use it or lose it" Event: Use it or lose it - FAS Tenants' Improvements Amnesty. Date: 17.45 - 21.00, Tuesday 11 July 2017 Location: Jurys Inn, Millburn Road Inverness, IV2 3TR The Scottish Government's Farm Advisory Service (FAS) is holding a series of events across Scotland this summer to inform tenant farmers and landowners about important changes to tenancy legislation including the current Tenants’ Improvements Amnesty.15/6/2017
Fire Safety in Council housing
The Highland Council has moved to reassure Council tenants on the fire safety of the Council's housing stock, following the tragic fire in London. The Council owns a number of multi-storey flatted properties but does not have any high rise buildings (above 5 storeys), including schools, & council homes.15/6/2017
Committee Approves To Transfer Council Ranger Service
Members of The Highland Council's Places Committee have today (Thursday 15 June 2017) agreed proposals to transfer the Highland Council Ranger service to High Life Highland. The Council's Ranger Service is one of the largest local authority ranger services in Scotland with staff running many events and guided to raise awareness and encourage the appreciation of the scenery, wildlife and heritage of the Highlands.15/6/2017
Welfare Support Helps Highland People To £4.651 Million
Welfare Support provided by The Highland Council helped customers to a record financial gain of £4.651 million over the past year (2016-17). Over this period, the Welfare Support team supported 1,560 customers to maximise their benefits.15/6/2017
Major Changes To Scottish Education Involving Teachers, Parents And Communities
Sweeping new powers for schools have been announced by Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, John Swinney. In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, Mr Swinney announced reforms to put schools in charge of key decisions about a child's education, including: Responsibility for raising attainment and closing the poverty-related gap in their school Choosing school staff and management structure Deciding curriculum content, within a broad national framework Directly controlling more school funding, with a consultation on fair funding launched today The new powers will be guaranteed in a statutory charter for headteachers, and young people and parents will also have a stronger voice in schools.
15/6/2017
Andrew Flanagan To Stand Down As Chair Of SPA
The Chair of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), Andrew Flanagan, has announced his intention to stand down from his role. Citing recent media and Parliamentary attention on his disagreement with a former board member and perceptions around SPA transparency, Mr Flanagan has concluded that debate on these issues risks distracting policing from important work underway on strategy and finance and that it is in the best interests of policing in Scotland that he stand down.14/6/2017
Thinking of a career in teaching?
People living in the Highlands who are thinking of a career change to Primary teaching are being urged by The Highland Council to consider a distance learning course (DLITE) with the University of Aberdeen. Training for the Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Education DLITE (Distance Learning ITE) starts on 20 January 2018 and the deadline for applications is 21 August 2017.14/6/2017
Consultation commences on The Highland Council's third iteration Gaelic Language Plan
The Highland Council is pleased to introduce the third, iteration draft Gaelic Language Plan 2017-2022 which is being submitted for a 6 week public consultation. The Highland Council draft Gaelic Language Plan has been prepared as a statutory document for submission to Bòrd na Gàidhlig in response to the formal notice of requirement to prepare a Gaelic Language Plan and with regard to the requirements set out in Section 3 of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005.14/6/2017
First Subsea HVDC Cable Installation Complete For Caithness-Moray
The purpose-built NKT Victoria cable-laying vessel has successfully laid the first HVDC cables in the Moray Firth as part of Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks' £1.1bn Caithness-Moray transmission project. The state-of-the-art vessel completed its first campaign from Noss Head in Caithness to the midpoint of the cable route this week.
13/6/2017
£1.42M for six sustainable timber transport road projects in Highland
SIX timber transport projects that benefit communities and the environment on rural roads in Highland are to receive £1.42 million of funding announced today. These projects will improve rural infrastructure and greatly reduce the impact of timber haulage on local communities.13/6/2017
UK Barley Crops Threatened By Fungicide Resistant Ramularia Infection - Check Your Spraying Programme
Scottish barley growers have been urged to check their spraying programmes after trials by Scotland's Rural College confirmed signs of fungicide resistance in a key crop disease. Early this year crop protection company Bayer announced that in Germany and Denmark crops infected with the Ramularia collo-cygni fungus were not responding to normal fungicide treatments containing triazole and SDHI fungicides.11/6/2017
Hate Crime Reporting Encouraged
10% decrease in racial hate crime charges brought by police. People affected by hate crime have been encouraged to come forward to police to ensure perpetrators can be properly dealt with.9/6/2017
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update Weeks commencing 3 April to 5 June 2017
Following the end of the two recent election periods, congratulations to all our new and returning Highland Councillors, and to our new MP. This is a short message to update you on activities relating to the Caithness & North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership (CNSRP) during the two election periods.9/6/2017
Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross constituency - UK Parliamentary General Election result
Jamie Stone has been elected as the Member of Parliament for the Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross constituency at the UK Parliamentary election on 8 June 2017. The election count was held overnight at the Highland Football Academy, Victoria Park in Dingwall.
9/6/2017
Highland Council Leader Congratulates Winners For Westminster In Highland
Speaking following the results of the general election Cllr Margaret Davidson , Leader Highland Council said,"Congratulations to all our newly elected MPs, I am looking forward to working with them to make sure the Highlands has a stronger voice in Westminster. With two MP's having served as Highland councillors, we have MPs acutely aware of the challenges facing the Highland Council and the residents it represents.8/6/2017
Rock Works On The A890 Stromeferry Bypass
The Highland Council has appointed Geo-Rope Ltd to undertake planned maintenance works to the rock face above the A890 Stromeferry Bypass. Works are programmed to begin on the 10th of July for approximately 8 weeks.8/6/2017
Social Security Benefits - Changes By Scottish Government
Increased Carer's Allowance to be delivered next summer. The first social security payments to be delivered by the Scottish Government have been outlined to parliament by Social Security Secretary Angela Constance.8/6/2017
Roads Opening On M8, M73 And M74
Keith Brown has announced the opening of the M8, M73 and M74 as part of the £500m M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project. The Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair work said all daytime lane restrictions on the M8, M73 and M74 will be removed progressively, freeing up capacity on the key part of Central Scotland's motorway network.8/6/2017
