Local Authority News
23/7/2014
Trading Standards launch doorstep and distance selling business advice survey
New rules that apply to business activities in an off-premises contract, such online sales, mail order, telephone sales and agreements made in a consumer's home came into force on 13th June 2014. These new Regulations cover sales of goods and digital content and the supply of services and may affect a large proportion of Highland businesses involved home improvements, gardening and trades like plumbing, electrical, joinery, and painting as well as those Highland based businesses who regularly sell goods and services online by telephone or by mail order.18/7/2014
We need a public debate about Policing By Consent in Scotland
From councillor Deirdre Mackay, Highland Council ‘This is Brora not Beverley Hills and it's a classic example of what we are now seeing at family events across Highland. ‘Since I first raised this issue in June the responses from Police Scotland become ever stranger.15/7/2014
New £48.5 million school campus for Wick
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon today broke the ground on the new £48.5 million Wick Community Campus. The facility, which will replace Wick High School, Pulteneytown Academy Primary School, and South Primary School, is part of Scotland's Schools for the Future programme and will receive more than £17 million from the Scottish Government.
8/7/2014
Local rogue builder to appear on BBC How Safe is Your House?
A local Highland builder is to appear in a new BBC rogue trader consumer programme entitled "How Safe is Your House?" Norman Hughes (recently trading as: Caledonian Roofing and Building and Driveline Paving) has been carrying out shoddy paving work at extortionate prices and ignoring warnings from trading standards officers. To alert consumers, Highland Council trading standards officers seized the opportunity to be featured in a primetime slot for BBC One's How safe is your house? programme.7/7/2014
A9 Safety Improvement Works North of Inverness
Clachmore to Latheron. Safety improvement works worth around £200,000 have begun on the A9 between Clashmore to Latheron, north of Inverness.4/7/2014
Corporate Communications Manager appointed
Ruth Cleland, currently Strategic Engagement Manager with Highlands and Islands Enterprise has been appointed as Corporate Communications Manager with The Highland Council. Ruth was, from April 2008 to October 2014, Head of Communications with Northern Constabulary and before that held the roles of Head of Internal Communications with NHS Highland (2005- 2009) and Public Relations and Communications Manager with the Highland Acute Hospitals Trust (1999-2005).3/7/2014
Pledge to improve grass cutting service in Highland
The Highland Council and Contractor ISS have put in place measures to improve standards of grass cutting in public open spaces and cemeteries in the Highlands. The move has come about following recent unprecedented levels of complaints about standards of grass cutting which were received by Elected Members and the Council in the past month.
27/6/2014
Next budget forum to be held in Strathy, Sutherland
The next Highland Council budget forum will be held at 6.30pm on Tuesday 8 July in Strathy Village Hall, Strathy, Sutherland. It is the latest in a series of budget events being held to consult the public over spending priorities between 2015-2019, during which time the Council has to find savings of an estimated £63 million.27/6/2014
Council supports new Manager's post to progress Highland Science Academy
Highland Councillors have approved £20,000 funding towards the appointment of a Project Manager to spearhead the establishment of a Highland Science Academy on the new Inverness Campus at Beechwood. The new post will be responsible for taking forward an action plan to progress the Science Academy project over a 2 year period.23/6/2014
The Highland Council lead the charge for resource efficiency in business
The Highland Council is to take a lead role in helping businesses save money, be more competitive and reduce their environmental impact by using resources more efficiently, by backing the national Resource Efficiency Pledge scheme. The Resource Efficiency Pledge is a new scheme from Resource Efficient Scotland, a programme of Zero Waste Scotland which works with businesses to help them reduce both their running costs and carbon emissions.
20/6/2014
North Kessock toilets on southbound A9 to re-open for Summer
Transport Scotland is to re-open the toilet block at North Kessock on the southbound A9 for the summer period. Alastair Somerville, Area Manager, Transport Scotland said: "We are committed to this facility in the long-term and in the short-term and have asked our contractors BEAR Scotland NW to undertake a review of the facility with an aim of having the toilet block re-opened for the summer period.20/6/2014
Buildings Bill passes Stage 3
Legislation will help local authorities recover costs. A new law that will allow local councils to recover debts they have incurred when taking on enforcement work on dangerous or defective buildings, has been passed by the Scottish Parliament.19/6/2014
Service Point consultation begins on the Council budget blog
The fourth topic on the Council's Budget Blog goes live on Thursday 19 June - how can we organise our customer service provision (Service Points) in the future? The Council engages with customers in a variety of ways and is looking to improve the way customers can access Council services. The blog looks for suggestions on how the Council could reduce costs by delivering more services by telephone and on-line while ensuring that vulnerable groups can still access services.11/6/2014
Highland Council Enforcement Officers Issue Bigger Fines For Littering And Fly Tipping
Enforcement awareness day in Highland. Last Friday was designated as the Litter Day of Action in Highland so the Council's Enforcement Officers stepped up enforcement patrols in Inverness and Dingwall with the aim of tackling the problem of littering, fly tipping and dog fouling.11/6/2014
Budget blog focusses on how to generate income to pay for Council services
The second topic on the Council's Budget Blog goes live on Thursday 12 June - how can we generate income to pay for services? The blog is available from the home page of The Highland Council website www.highland.gov.uk The first topic focussed on how we could reduce some services but the Council is now asking for comments on how to generate income to pay for services. Suggestions include the Council delivering services to other organisations, for example, providing HR services to a local business.6/6/2014
Council budget blog asks - can some services be provided less often?
People in the Highlands are being invited - on a new blog - to have their say on how the Council should meet its savings target of £63.7m over the next 4 years. On Monday (9 June), The Highland Council will launch its 2014 budget blog on the home page of its website: www.highland.gov.uk.4/6/2014
First for the Highlands as Council hosts European Political Bureau
On Friday (6 June 2014) The Highland Council will welcome the Political Bureau of the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime regions (CPMR) to Inverness. This is the first time that the Political Bureau has met in the Highlands and the Council is keen to use the visit to highlight the realities of living and working at the periphery of the European Union.29/5/2014
New website for The Highland Council
Users of The Highland Council's website http://www.highland.gov.uk/ are today (29 May 2014) seeing a fresh new look and experiencing greatly improved on-line services. The council is working with a new supplier, Jadu, to make it easier for customers to find information and book or pay for services.29/5/2014
Local Government Boundary Commission consultation on councillor numbers
The Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland commences its public consultation on councillor numbers as part of its Fifth Reviews of Electoral Arrangements. Issued on behalf of The Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland The Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland commences a 12 week period of public consultation today, on its proposals for the number of councillors on each council.28/5/2014
