News Archive
1/4/2014
Highland Police Commander Delighted with first Year Of Police Scotland
Highland and Islands Divisional Commander delighted with progress made during first year of Police Scotland. The Divisional Commander for the Highlands and Islands, Chief Superintendent Julian Innes is delighted with the positive progress made during the first year of Police Scotland and has confirmed that crime continues to decrease.1/4/2014
International oil and gas company expanding to Scotland
110 new jobs to be created. Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister, today announced the investment of £1.5 million Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) and the creation of 110 new jobs by a global oil and gas contractor, Clough in Glasgow.
1/4/2014
Rhoda Grant MSP Welcomes Living Wage Increase
North Scottish Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has welcomed the increase of the living wage for public workers across the Highlands and Islands and Scotland, but has demanded that the Scottish Government close the low pay loophole so that it can be extended to more workers. The living wage is now set at £7.65 and hour, which represents to a full time minimum wage worker the Highlands and Islands an increase of over £2,500 a year.1/4/2014
£1 billion jobs boost
Thousands of jobs to be created through investment in building projects. The Scottish Government Infrastructure Investment plan – which delivers housing, hospitals, schools and transport infrastructure projects – is set to see a further £1 billion worth of investment.1/4/2014
CFP named as preferred bidder in £multi-billion nuclear decommissioning contract
CFP (Cavendish Fluor Partnership) named as preferred bidder in £multi-billion nuclear decommissioning contract. (This does not include Dounreay and the new contract refers only to the Magnox sites) Savings of at least £1 billion in the decommissioning programme of 12 nuclear sites are anticipated after the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) today named the Cavendish Fluor Partnership as the Preferred Bidder in the competition to take ownership of Magnox Ltd and Research Sites Restoration Ltd (RSRL).30/3/2014
Gills Harbour Works Repair Storm Damage
Works have been going on at the Inner Basin of Gills Harbour, on the North coast of Caithness, during the past few weeks. The project, which is being undertaken mostly using large back-hoe excavators, is mainly aimed at removing boulders and loose jagged rocks from the Basin's sea-floor.
30/3/2014
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Week commencing 24th March 2014 Energy & Business Services: Following last week’s news of consents given to the two offshore wind developments in the Moray Firth, SSE has this week announced its major review of offshore wind commitments in the UK. Whilst the company has announced plans to scale back investment in renewables, the good news is that investment in a 375MW Beatrice project will continue, with further key project decision points expected at the end of 2014 and in early 2016.28/3/2014
NHS Highland to take on Riverbank Medical Practice on permanent basis
From April, Riverbank Medical Practice in Thurso will become a salaried practice run by NHS Highland. The practice, which has a patient list of 6000, has been managed by NHS Highland since December 2012 but advertising for an individual or group to take over the practice was not successful so the Board will now take on responsibility for the practice on a permanent basis.26/3/2014
Dingwall & Highland Marts - Sale 26 March 2014
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts, (March, 26th) sold 2,177 sheep of all classes. Lambs (652) averaged £57.60 and sold to £90 gross for Texel crosses from Heathmount, Tain.26/3/2014
Council Leader praises "stunning" homeless prevention results
The Leader of The Highland Council Councillor Drew Hendry has praised the “stunning” success of the Council’s Homeless Prevention team in achieving a 53% reduction in homeless presentations and a 33% reduction in the use of temporary accommodation since their creation in June 2011. Speaking at the Highland Homelessness conference in Nairn today (Wednesday) Councillor Hendry revealed that the team has worked with 4,269 households, recording a 65% "success" rate in terms of homeless presentations prevented.26/3/2014
Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 25th March 2014
INGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (March, 25th) sold 51 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (33) averaged 219.1p (+5.8p) and sold to 237p per kg and £1,545.75 gross.26/3/2014
Notice of Pre-Planning Application Community Consultation Event for proposals by JOG 2 Ltd
Notice of Pre-Planning Application Community Consultation Event for proposals by JOG 2 Ltd: John O’ Groats mixed use development, application for planning consent in principal for land between A836 and John O’Groats Harbour. Dates: Wednesday 2nd & Thursday 3rd April 2014 Times: 10am – 7pm Wednesday 10am – 3pm Thursday Venue: Corporate Residence, Natural Retreats Residences Further information and comments on the proposal can be made by post up to 10th April 2014 to: GLM Building Surveyors & Architects, 58 Castle St., Edinburgh EH2 3LU Please Note: Any comments are not to be made as representations to the Highland Council..25/3/2014
Leadership group set up to drive forward Highland Science Academy
A new leadership group has been set up to drive forward a Highland Science Academy that will be a catalyst for bringing new jobs and ground-breaking educational and IT advances to the region. The move brings together The Highland Council, Skills Development Scotland (SDS), Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and the University of the Highlands and Islands in a landmark partnership that will deliver a new and innovative programme of work-based learning, ranging from pre-school to higher education.24/3/2014
Berriedale Braes A9 Improvement Exhibition 2nd April 2014
Transport Scotland are holding a public exhibition for the A9 Improvement at Berriedale Braes. The exhibition will take place between 12 and 7pm on the 2nd of April 2014 at Berriedale Church.
24/3/2014
Business and tourism boost for regional airports
Increased demand for business and tourism flights saw passenger numbers grow by more than 5,100 at HIAL’s regional airports last month. Latest figures show the number of passengers using the airports in February increased by 5.9% to 92,607, compared to February 2013.
24/3/2014
A9 dualling moving apace - three new sections identified for early delivery 
Transport Minister Keith Brown today announced new details for the A9 Dualling programme with three new sections of Scotland’s longest trunk road to be shovel ready in 2017 subject to completion of required statutory procedures. With work on the 7.5 km stretch of road between Kincraig and Dalraddy already due to start in 2015/16, Mr Brown welcomed news that sections of the dualling programme expected to be shovel ready in 2017 are the 10.5 km Pitagowan to Glen Garry, the 8.3 km Dalwhinnie to Crubenmore, and 9.3 km Tomatin to Moy stretches.
23/3/2014
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Week commencing 17thj March 2014 Energy & Business Services: Scottish Government this week gave consents to two applications to develop offshore wind sites in the Moray Firth. The applications from Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Ltd (BOWL) and Moray Offshore Renewables Ltd (MORL) were granted subject to specific conditions relating to environmental monitoring.23/3/2014
Gills Bay Radial - Upgrading The Power Lines - Public Consultation
To enable proposed marine generation sites in the Pentland Firth to connect to the transmission network, SSE are proposing to construct a new 132 kilovolt overhead line from a new substation near Gills Bay to the proposed Thurso South substation at Geiselittle. SSE are carrying out a number of upgrades to the electricity transmission network in the north of Scotland.23/3/2014
Scottish offshore wind farms to be world’s third largest
Thousands of jobs forecast from billion pound investment. Energy Minister, Fergus Ewing, has announced the formal consent of two adjacent offshore wind farm applications in the outer Moray Firth.19/3/2014
