News Archive
10/11/2017
The Winter fleet for Scotland's trunk roads has been expanded to help make it more responsive to weather conditions. As well as more than two hundred traditional gritters located at 42 depots across the country, Transport Scotland has procured a new recovery vehicle which will help mitigate the impacts of flooding.
Recent news of electric cars and energy storage has made life a lot more exciting for AGM Batteries Ltd. Since acquiring the business in 2014 the management has significantly grown the business and this is set to accelerate on the back of 2 major automotive projects with more exciting Government and commercial projects in the pipeline.
9/11/2017
Highlands & Islands Regional MSP and long time road safety campaigner, David Stewart issues a warning about driving at night to motorists. "Obviously the distance you can see ahead in terms of the far, middle and near distance utilised in daytime driving, is restricted to an area ahead of the driver in the near distance only at night time" .
9/11/2017
Scotland's public sector will be better protected against cyber attacks following the publication of a new action plan. The Public Sector Action Plan on Cyber Resilience will encourage all public bodies to implement the same baseline standards of cyber security in their organisations.
9/11/2017
The number of businesses in Scotland is at the highest level since records began. Official statistics show there were 365,600 private sector businesses (registered & unregistered) operating in Scotland as at March 2017 - up by more than 50% since 2000 - providing more than 2 million jobs in Scotland.
8/11/2017
Last week NHS Highland moved to further reassure the public that no decisions have been made about health and social care services in Caithness. And the board apologised for the fears and concerns raised by the current review it had initiated into how best to provide sustainable healthcare for the future.
The Highland Council have reviewed and updated the administrative procedures around miscellaneous and animal establishment licensing making it easier for people to access information and provide feedback. An online register of all applications is now published on the Council's website and the procedures are clear on how individuals or groups can raise concerns or object to applications for these types of licence.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (November, 8th) sold 337 weaned calves, store & breeding cattle including 98 Highland and Highland crosses. Bullocks (112) averaged 191.9p and sold to 247.2p per kilo and £1,115 gross for a pen of 451kg Limousin crosses from Towerhill, Thurso.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (November, 7th) sold 20 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (3) averaged 211.7 (-4.9p) and sold to 214.0p per kg and £1,112.80 gross.
Parent representatives from 206 Parent Councils across the Highland region have been invited to attend the Highland Parent Council Partnership conference which will be held on Saturday 18 Nov 2017 from 9:30am to 3:30pm. Guest speaker at the conference - to be held at Highland Council, Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness - will be John Swinney MSP, Deputy First Minister of Scotland and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills.
The Highland Council remains on track to provide much-needed affordable homes for a growing population with a pledge in its Strategic Housing Plan 2018-2023 to approve 500 units each year of which 70% will be for affordable rent and 30% for low cost home ownership. Members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee today (Wednesday 8 November) had the opportunity to discuss the Housing Investment Plan for 2018-2023 and to reaffirm the council's commitment to deliver new homes in the Highlands.
7/11/2017
Labour's Rhoda Grant says the Scottish Government needs to sit up and take notice as public unrest about the rural health service sweeps across the Highlands and Islands. Two public health protests are being held at the weekend, one organised by CHAT in Caithness supporting Thurso's Dunbar Hospital and Wick Town and County Hospital and the other by SOSNHS Skye.
Following the collapse of a 15 metre section of road at Soldiers Rock on the Knoydart peninsula late on Tuesday 24 October, work is progressing on repairing the landslip on the single track road. A full inspection of the affected road has been carried out and a Highland Council engineer will be on site on Wednesday this week to carry out preliminary work before detailed survey work is carried out on Friday.
7/11/2017
The next stage in plans for reducing train journey times between Scotland and England have been announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Addressing an audience of business leaders in Newcastle, the First Minister confirmed that feasibility studies were being commissioned to identify options to help improve train journey times, capacity, resilience and reliability on services between Scotland and England.
7/11/2017
Pressure on pay packets leaves workers open to Yuletide crime. Theft and fraud in the workplace rises in December as workers turn to crime to help fund their seasonal celebrations.
7/11/2017
Crown Estate Scotland has committed to launch a new scheme that will enable local authorities, development trusts and other bodies to apply to manage assets in their local area. The business, which manages land and property including seabed, foreshore, rural estates and more, has appointed Argyll-based Sarah Brown to develop new ways of giving local communities more control over decisions regarding Crown Estate Scotland assets.
7/11/2017
The Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards 2017 Winners were announced at the Drumossie Hotel on Friday 3rd November. 55 finalists were vying for the awards, which celebrate and recognise the best places to eat, drink and enjoy the area's scenery, hospitality, wildlife, history and culture.
7/11/2017
Scotland's Chief Statistician today published statistics on school pupils and college students supported under the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) programme in the academic year 2015-16. EMA provides financial support for young people from low-income households to overcome financial barriers to participate in appropriate school or college courses or an Activity Agreement.
7/11/2017
Crown Estate Scotland - the body that manages leasing of the seabed - is to start discussions with industry, government and interested organisations to prepare for potential new offshore wind leasing. A range of agencies, NGOs and marine sectors will be involved in informing the approach to leasing, with a view to ensuring new projects can start to operate from the late 2020s and beyond.
Week commencing 30th October 2017 Energy & business services: The operators of the Moray (East) Offshore Windfarm development (also known as "Moray 1") have announced this week that MHI Vestas has been awarded the contract to supply and install up to one hundred 9.5MW turbines for the development. The Vestas brand will be familiar to many through its use in onshore wind turbines: as previously highlighted here, the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm consortium will be using Siemens turbines.