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News Archive


10/6/2015
Thurso Swimming Pool Contract Awarded For Major Upgrade
High Life Highland has today announced that the contract to provide new improved facilities at Thurso Swimming Pool has been awarded to local contractor O'Brien Construction Ltd.   The project jointly funded by The Highland Council and sportscotland will see a total investment of £2.7M in the facility providing a new gym/fitness suite, a new dance studio, steam room , sauna, new changing village and replacement of the roof.  
Social enterprise boosts equality and economy, summit told
Social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands are helping Scotland tackle social issues, promote equality and achieve economic growth, a major summit on the sector heard today (Wednesday 10 June).   Social enterprises trade like any other business, but at their heart they have a social purpose; trading for social, community and environmental benefits and reinvesting their profits to deliver their social purpose.  
10/6/2015
Farm Safety Foundation - Supporting Scotland's Young Farmers
The Farm Safety Foundation is delighted to announce a new partnership with the Scottish Association of Young Farmers (SAYFC).   The Farm Safety Foundation was established by NFU Mutual in 2014 as a charity to engage the farmers of the future and help raise awareness of farm safety, change attitudes towards farming safely and reduce the toll of injuries and fatalities which bring a catalogue of heartbreak and misery to numerous families and rural communities every year.  
9/6/2015
Short listing takes place for Caithness Flag Competition
The competition to design a flag for Caithness attracted 327 entries and on Friday (5 June) the judging panel met in Wick Town Hall to draw up a short-list.  The winning flag will be announced after a public vote.  
9/6/2015
Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 9th June 2015
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (June, 9th) sold 47 prime cattle.   Prime bullocks (25) averaged 195.7p (-6.1p) and sold to 220p per kg and £1,390.50 gross.  
7/6/2015
Consumers unable to name staple home grown foodsThumbnail for article : Consumers unable to name staple home grown foods
One in three people don't know we grow potatoes or apples in Britain Four in ten people don't realise we grow oats Findings come ahead of the agriculture industry's annual open day - Open Farm Sunday (7 June 2015) Despite British farmers producing 60% of the food we eat in this country, many consumers are unsure of what we actually grow in Britain according to a new survey released today, with many unaware we grow staple foods like potatoes, apples and oats.   The survey, commissioned by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) ahead of this weekend's Open Farm Sunday revealed that one in three (33 per cent) people do not know that we grow apples, which have been farmed in this country since Roman times.  
Move On With Summer Employability Programme At North Highland CollegeThumbnail for article : Move On With Summer Employability Programme At North Highland College
The North Highland College UHI summer employability programme was run last year for the first time and proved very successful, with every candidate finding a positive destination, either in an apprenticeship, employment or education.   This year the programme will also include construction skills as well as engineering.  
7/6/2015
Work on Smart Cities projects to continue while funding application is considered
Following a submission to apply for European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to support "Scotland's 8th City - the Smart City" Strategic Intervention, members have approved in principle, for the council to continued engagement with the Scottish Cities Alliance and Highland partners to progress a number of projects while the application is being considered.   £1.8million of the £10m applied for has been ring-fenced for Inverness and the Highlands for projects that use data and technology to enhance the delivery of services, promote economic growth, increase sustainability, provide open data and engage more actively with people and communities.  
7/6/2015
SRUC to Consult on Veterinary Disease Surveillance
www.sruc.ac.uk/news Scotland's Rural College has announced proposals for changes to the network of Veterinary Disease Surveillance Centres (DSCs) it runs in Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government.   The DSCs are operated by SRUC's SAC Consulting Veterinary Services.  
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Week Commencing 1st June 2015 Energy & Business Services Great to see news this week that a new company is being set up with bases in Aberdeen and Lybster, creating 16 jobs between the two areas - 5 of those being planned in Caithness.  Enerquip is Chaired by Andrew Polson, the Caithness native who set up AMC Engineering before its purchase by Forum Energy Technologies.  
6/6/2015
Out of hours call handling partnership reviewed
The Highland Council has reviewed its current arrangements for out of hours call handling.   An alternative arrangement to the current partnership with Police Scotland has been identified, as the service was to be moved from the Inverness Force Operations Centre to a virtual service centre between Edinburgh and Glasgow, at a higher cost.  
6/6/2015
£250,000 to be spent to protect road users from hazards
£250,000 is to be spent to protect road users from hazards such as large embankments, railways, water and rock slopes.   The Community Services Committee agreed the use of the money to spend on Road Restraint Systems such as safety fencing and barriers at a number of sites across the Highlands.  
6/6/2015
Allocation of additional funding for Highland roads, bridges and flood alleviation schemes
On Wednesday 3 June 2015 Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee members agreed the final allocation of capital funds for road improvements, bridges and flood prevention schemes for the next three years.   The additional funding is over and above that currently allocated for named major projects including the Westlink, Inshes Junction, Stromeferry and the Kinnairdie Link Road in Dingwall.  
6/6/2015
Electricity Transmission Caithness To MorayThumbnail for article : Electricity Transmission Caithness To Moray
Next week will see further activity on the A9 - this time just south of Thurso at the site of the new Substation to be built by Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission as the latest part of the £1.1 billion Caithness-Moray programme of grid enhancements (a video of what the programmed improvements will look like is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CfMqy_GP20) .   Next Monday (8th June 2015) work will start at Geiselittle to create access junction into the site, and the main A9 will therefore be limited to a single-carriageway for a short distance, with traffic lights controlling movement.  
6/6/2015
"Getting involved" - new strategy to engage Council tenants
"Getting involved" is a strategy developed in partnership with tenant volunteers and sets out how the Council seeks to improve information and provide opportunities for tenants to get involved in services.   The strategy was developed by a review group consisting of volunteer tenants and housing staff over the past year.  
6/6/2015
Engineering Course with fees paid and Small Weekly Allowance
North Highland College has announced the return of its "Engineering & Construction Employability Skills" course.  Following the success of last year's six-week summer programme - where every candidate entered employment, apprenticeship or further education - this year's programme will again offer a course aimed at equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and certification to help them into employment.  
Council appoints Head Teacher for Keiss primary
The new Head Teacher of Keiss Primary School in Caithness is Kathryn Laidlaw.  She takes up her post in August 2015.  
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Week Commencing 25th May 2015 Energy & Business Services Catching up this week with June Love and Roy Kirk of HIE, who continue to meet companies with an interest in establishing operations in the area.  Several discussions have re-opened following an understandably quieter period for companies in the oil & gas industry.  
1/6/2015
Consumers claim farming is stuck in the past
* Only 5 percent of people believe a farmer is tech savvy.   * Less than 10 percent of people realise that many farmers are degree educated.  
28/5/2015
Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - sale 27 May 2015
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (May, 27th) sold 226 store cattle and 31 OTM cattle.  Bullocks (106) averaged 239.4p and sold to 287p per kg for a pen of 270kg Romagnola crosses from Calrossie Mains, Nigg Station, and £1,180 gross for a 525kg Charolais cross from Glenbrittle, Isle of Skye.