Local Authority News
5/3/2013
Grants For Employers To Take On Unemployed People
Businesses urged to find out if they can benefit from Highland Council Employment Grant. Highland businesses are being invited to find out if a Council funding scheme can help their business grow while assisting unemployed people to return to work.28/2/2013
Public thanked for input into new vision for Thurso and Wick
Members of the Thurso and Wick communities have helped to develop a new vision for the towns by participating in events known as Charrettes. The Charrettes included well attended workshops held over two days in both Thurso and Wick and culminated in report back sessions in Wick on Tuesday and Thurso on Wednesday.27/2/2013
Scottish switching scheme launched in Highland
Households across Highland have an opportunity to save hundreds of pounds on their energy bills as part of a collective buying initiative. Highland residents have until Sunday 17 March to join in to secure a better deal from energy companies by buying energy together.
26/2/2013
Council welcomes ground investigation works for start of A9 dualling
The Highland Council welcomes Transport Scotland’s announcement today that a £1.3 million ground investigation contract is expected to be awarded early next month, for the dualling of the A9 Perth – Inverness road. Leader of the Highland Council, Councillor Drew Hendry said: “We are delighted that this early sign of delivery on dualling of the A9 has been announced.24/2/2013
Welfare Reform briefing for Highland MPs
The Highland’s three MPs - Danny Alexander (Inverness Nairn Badenoch and Strathspey), Charles Kennedy, (Ross Skye and Lochaber) and John Thurso (Caithness Sutherland and East Ross) - attended a meeting of The Highland Council’s Welfare Reform Working Group today (Friday) to hear the Council’s concerns about welfare reform and ideas for action that may reduce the impact of change. Councillor Alasdair Christie, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Welfare Reform Working Group welcomed the opportunity of a face-to-face briefing with the MPs.22/2/2013
Council's Reassurance Over Provenance Of School Meals
Staff, parents and pupils in the Highlands are being reassured about the quality and safe consumption of the fresh meat and processed food used in school meals in the Highlands. Council Catering and Cleaning Manager Norma Murray has written to the head teachers of the Council's 177 primary schools, 29 secondary schools and three special schools in response to the national debate and general concerns surrounding the presence of horsemeat in some UK food products.21/2/2013
Caithness Councillor To Step Down
Highland Councillor Robert Coghill, who represents Landward Caithness, has given notice of his intention to resign, with effect from Thursday 28 February. Councillor Coghill, who helps run a farm at Halkirk, is standing down on medical advice.
21/2/2013
Six groups invited to progress Community Challenge Fund bids
Six Highland community groups have been selected to progress bids for funding from The Highland Council’s new Community Challenge Fund, which will provide £1 million for community projects exploring new ways of delivering services at a local level. The groups are Nairn Cricket Club, Kinlochleven Community Trust, Lochalsh Sports Association, Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust, Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston Community Company and Lochaber Sports Association.
[Training]
19/2/2013Boost for Pultneytown Advice Centre
At today’s Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee members awarded Pulteneytown People’s project £90,506 from the Deprived Area Fund which will be used to provide services to local people through the Advice Centre. This will be used to support the work of the one-stop shop to provide local people help and advice with benefits, staying on at school, re-training, housing issues and applying for jobs.14/2/2013
Timespan to host Area Committee with tourism top of the agenda
The Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee will take place at Timespan in Helmsdale next Monday and top of the agenda, is a Highland Council key Programme priority for the economy, tourism. Area Leader Councillor Deirdre Mackay said: “Tourism is one of the main sectors of employment in the Highlands and it is with this in mind that I felt it would be meaningful to hold the committee in Timespan.8/2/2013
Council Tax freeze for sixth year in a row
At a special meeting on Thursday 7th February 2013 The Highland Council has agreed to freeze the Council Tax for a sixth successive year and confirmed a budget of £548.436 million for 2013-14. The Council Tax bands will remain: Band A: £775.33; Band B: £904.56; Band C: £1,033.78; Band D: £1,163.00; Band E: £1,421.44; Band F: £1,679.89; Band G: £1,938.33; Band H: £2,326.00.5/2/2013
A9 Kessock Bridge – Introduction of permanent route changes 
The commissioning process of the new traffic management arrangements to reduce delays as the result of the resurfacing of the Kessock Bridge from 11 February is now underway. The introduction of the traffic signals will be phased to reduce the immediate impact of the change on road users.
4/2/2013
Council warns Highland businesses – don’t be caught out by scammers
Highland Council’s Trading Standards are warning all Highland businesses to be on their guard against rogue ‘charity’ publishers and operatives that use deliberately misleading sales talk to sell advertising space over the phone or by email or text. Publications may include advertising space in charity leaflets, wall-planners, crime prevention diaries and the old favourite of business directories.
4/2/2013
Last chance to submit nominations for Scottish Education Awards 2013
People in the Highlands are being urged to enter local schools, nurseries or individuals into the Scottish Education Awards 2013 before the deadline for submissions on Friday 22 February 2013. The awards, which celebrate the achievements of schools and teachers across Scotland, have attracted hundreds of nominations so far but many more schools and individuals are worthy of acknowledgment.4/2/2013
Milestone reached in delivering advice to support major developments in Highland
A pioneering advice service from The Highland Council planners has proved to be popular with the developers in Highland. The Pre-Application Advice Service for Major Developments, a cross Council and public agency project led by the Planning and Development Service, continues to go from strength to strength and has reached the milestone of 100 pre-application advice packs issued to the development industry.1/2/2013
A9 Kessock Bridge – Route changes in advance of Major Works
Issued by Scotland Transerv Work starts on the major refurbishment of the A9 Kessock Bridge on Monday 11th February 2013 for 17 weeks. The installation of the traffic management will start at 10pm on Saturday 9th February to be in place for the commencement of the works.
31/1/2013
Average council house rent increase pegged at 2%
For the third year in succession, The Highland Council is recommending a council house rent increase below the rate of inflation. The Finance Housing and Resources Committee agreed to contain the average weekly rent increase to £1.35, the rent rising from £67.60 to £68.95.31/1/2013
A new approach in Highland to tackling homelessness
Highland Councillors have agreed in principle to a “radical” new way of providing temporary accommodation for people who find themselves unintentionally homeless. The Council has a statutory duty in relation to homeless households and one of its key duties is to provide temporary accommodation until settled accommodation can be offered.31/1/2013
Council Tax freeze recommended for sixth year in a row
The Highland Council is being recommended to freeze the Council Tax for a sixth successive year and confirm a budget of £548.436 million for 2013-14 when it meets on Thursday 7 February. The Council Tax bands will remain: Band A: £775.33: Band B: £904.56; Band C: £1,033.78; Band D: £1,163.00: Band E: £1,421.44; Band F: £1,679.89; Band G: £1,938.33; Band H: £2,326.00.30/1/2013
