Local Authority News
26/5/2014
Highland result of 2014 European Parliamentary Election count
There were 65,307votes cast in Highland in the five-yearly European Parliamentary Elections, a turnout of 36.3%. This included 20,204 postal votes.20/5/2014
"X" to mark the vote in Thursday’s Euro Elections
On Thursday (22 May 2014) polling stations across the Highlands will be open from 7am to 10 pm for people to cast their vote in the European Elections. Already more than 18,000 people have returned postal votes.19/5/2014
Date set for Council budget consultation in Caithness
A date has been set for a budget event being held in Caithness by The Highland Council to consult with the public over spending priorities between 2015 - 2019 during which time the Council has to find savings of an estimated £63 million. The forum is being held on Tuesday 27 May at 6:30pm in Wick Assembly Rooms.
15/5/2014
Plan that will shape development of Inner Moray Firth for next 20 years
Step forward for Plan that will shape development of Inner Moray Firth for next 20 years. The new Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan took a major step forward yesterday (Wednesday 14 May 2014) when members of the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee confirmed the Council’s position on issues raised during consultation.15/5/2014
Public consultation on infrastructure and development for Inshes and Raigmore area of Inverness
The Highland Council is to consult on future land use opportunities and local infrastructure improvements at Inshes and Raigmore in a shared consultation with Transport Scotland that will shape the future development of this key area of Inverness. Feedback from the consultation will help to create an Inshes and Raigmore Development Brief that will guide future development and look in detail at the challenges and opportunities in this busy part of the city.15/5/2014
More council houses to be built in Highland
At yesterday’s Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee members have agreed an amended programme of new build housing in the Highlands which will increase the number of Council houses built from the 392 agreed by the Council in January this year to 512. The amended house building programme agreed yesterday will see the revised number of new council houses added to the 126 within previous programmes, making a total of 664 against a target by 2017 of 688.14/5/2014
Dates set for Council budget consultation
Dates have been set for a series of 13 budget events being held by The Highland Council to consult with the public over spending priorities between 2015-2019 during which time the Council has to find savings of an estimated £63 million. The forums will also include the first stage of public consultation on the Customer Service Review (including Service Points) agreed at the Council meeting in March.13/5/2014
Cumulative landscape and visual assessment of wind energy in Caithness
Members of The Highland Council’s Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee will be updated on the draft findings of recent research into the cumulative effect of wind energy developments in Caithness at their meeting on Wednesday (14 May 2014). This follows The Highland Council’s successful joint bid with Argyll and Bute Council for Scottish Government funding to undertake such studies in parts of the two council areas.
10/5/2014
Changes In Committee Structures At Highland Council
At its meeting on Thursday 8th May 2014 Highland council made several changes to the committee structure and a number of councillor positions. The changes are part of the moves to cut costs and make more efficiencies.5/5/2014
Surfacing works to begin on Kessock Bridge using specialist material
Motorists are set to see further progress being made on the Kessock Bridge as carriageway surfacing works using a state-of-the-art material which started on Sunday 4th May 2014 The £13.2m improvement programme which is about to enter into week 13, - the first day of surfacing took place on Sunday 4th May. The second layer will be put down on Tuesday 6th May.
3/5/2014
Council Leader welcomes Nigg funding boost
The Highland Council Leader Drew Hendry has warmly welcomed news that the Scottish Government has announced funding of £6.5 million towards the costs of developing a major new quayside at Nigg Energy Park to accommodate new trade oil and gas trade, including renewable energy developments. He has also welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Moray Offshore Renewables Ltd (MORL), who have consent to build the Moray Firth Offshore Wind Farm, and Global Energy Group, who run the Nigg facility.2/5/2014
Independent Candidate wins Caol and Mallaig by-election For Highland Council
The by-election for a councillor to serve the Caol and Mallaig ward on The Highland Council has been won by Ben Thompson, Independent. Mr Thomson was one of five candidates, who contested the vacancy, created by the retiral of Eddie Hunter in February.
1/5/2014
Spot Scams, Stop Scams – Scam Awareness Month 2014
Partners in consumer education and crime prevention are jointly spearheading a national Scam Awareness Campaign which will run throughout May 2014. The Highland Consumer Partnership (Highland Council Trading Standards, Citizens Advice Scotland and Highland Citizens Advice Bureaux) have prepared joint activities and scam prevention information for consumers across the Highlands and Islands.25/4/2014
Introduction of the Care and Learning Service at The Highland Council
A new Service within The Highland Council is introduced on Monday 28 April, with the creation of the Care and Learning Service, which is a merger of Education Culture & Sport and Health & Social Care. This fulfils the Council's commitment to better integrating education, health and social care services to promote improved outcomes for children, families and communities.25/4/2014
Councils' procurement improves but room for better value from £5.4 billion spend
Councils have improved how they manage procurement but they can achieve further benefits and savings, says the Accounts Commission. Every year Scotland's councils spend £5.4 billion (around £1010 for every person) on procurement - buying goods and services they need, ranging from construction materials to IT and social care.
23/4/2014
Highland recruitment drive for nursery staff
The Highland Council is this week launching a recruitment drive for 140 extra nursery staff as it prepares to implement an increase in childcare provision from August 2014. As part of the implementation of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, all three and four year olds in Scotland will be entitled to 600 hours per year of early learning and childcare from August.22/4/2014
New operating rules at Highland Recycling Centres
From 28th April 2014, The Highland Council’s Recycling Centres will no longer accept waste associated with commercial or trade activities (i.e. work carried out for business or profit) such as household clearances, furniture removals and handyman or gardening services.11/4/2014
End of the road for long-serving Highland civil engineer
Sam MacNaughton, The Highland Council’s Head of Transport and Infrastructure today (Friday) retires after 44 years service in local government during which time he has secured many millions of pounds of investment in the Highlands to improve the Highland transport network. Sam, who hails from Lochaber, is married to Anne and they have three daughters, Mairi, Sarah and Chirsty.
7/4/2014
Cross party support for Young and Novice Drivers and Graduated Driver Licensing
Highland Councillors are united in their support for proposed new legislation aimed at cutting accidents on our roads involving young drivers. Leaders of all political groupings on the Council back the introduction of a Graduated Driver Licensing system for new drivers in Scotland, which would restrict their permissions in driving unsupervised until they have gained adequate experience.7/4/2014
