News Archive
2/5/2013
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Energy/ Business Services: As we continue to see positive interest in Caithness from the energy sector, I met this week with representatives from Highlands & Islands Airports Ltd, HIE and Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd to discuss feedback from recent contact and to agree the key messages we will continue to take to companies in the sector about the value of doing business in the north. Enabling Activities: Continuing work on developing our activities in support of skills this week: I met with local partners to discuss how we might best help people to understand and take advantage of some forthcoming opportunities in the “home-working” sector, where doing a range of skilled work from a home base can be an attractive option.2/5/2013
Scottish Affairs Committee - Bedroom Tax Impact Inquiry
SCOTTISH AFFAIRS COMMITTEE LAUNCHES NEW INQUIRY INTO THE IMPACT OF THE BEDROOM TAX & OTHER CHANGES TO HOUSING BENEFIT IN SCOTLAND In 2011, the UK’s Coalition Government launched a programme of welfare reform, including reform of the Housing Benefits system. Changes to the housing benefit system announced by the Government include: - The introduction of the Housing Benefit Cap or “bedroom tax” which means a reduction in benefit for anyone with a “spare” bedroom - changes to how the rate of housing benefit is set; - changes to the way the Local Housing Allowance is set; - increasing non-dependent deductions; and - reforms to social housing.30/4/2013
Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 1st May 2013
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (May, 1st) sold 814 store cattle & 49 OTM cattle. Bullocks (477) averaged 236.8p and sold to 304.1p per kg for a 370kg Limousin cross from Wester Tomloan, Ardclach, and £1,280 gross for a 600kg Charolais cross from Lower Gartally, Lewiston.30/4/2013
Polling takes place tomorrow in the Landward Caithness by-election
Tomorrow (Thursday 2 May 2013) voting begins in the Landward Caithness By-election with polling stations open their doors at 7am and remaining open for people to come and vote until 10pm. The electorate for the Ward is 8,546.29/4/2013
Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 30 April2013
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (April, 30th) sold 81 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (45) averaged 232.8p (+8.7p) and sold to 264p per kg and £1,734.60 gross.28/4/2013
Check Out The Latest Sports Items At Wick Sports Shop 
Wick Sports Shop offers a wide range of Adidas F50 and Messi football products and clothing. But there is much more with Canterbury clothing and Nike mercurial footwear.
28/4/2013
Register Your Skills
Highlands and Islands Enterprise would like to increase the number of people registered on their skills register so they can spread the word on job opportunities in North Scotland. It will also help greatly to attract large companies to come and invest in the local area! Go on, inspire investment and get job opportunities - register here: http://www.hie.co.uk/skillsregister.
28/4/2013
£549k of funding available for Highland Fishing Communities
Highland fishing communities are encouraged to apply for assistance from the European Fisheries Fund. The fund aims to help develop communities where fishing is in decline by supporting measures to build skills and knowledge and increase the capacity of local fishing communities and business networks through innovation, collaboration and diversification.28/4/2013
Police Aks For Information Regarding Forced Entry
Police are appealing for information following reports of entry forced to an out building in the Caithness area. The incident took place in Spittal between 20:30 hours on Saturday 27th April 2013 and 19:00 hours on Sunday 28ths April 2013.28/4/2013
Inverness is to host a major conference on health inequalities in the Highlands
The keynote speaker at the ‘Closing the Gap’ event, to be held in the Eden Court Theatre on Tuesday 30th April 2013, will be one of the leading experts in the field. Sir Harry Burns, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, will give a wide-ranging speech on the subject at the conference, which is being organised jointly by NHS Highland and The Highland Council.27/4/2013
Help for honey bees
Bee farmers in Scotland, who have been hit by the bad weather, are to get Scottish Government help to restock their hives. Bee farmers estimate that around 4,000 colonies have been lost due to the prolonged winter weather and Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead announced today that up to £200,000 would be available to help with restocking costs.
27/4/2013
GP pay increase
General practitioners in Scotland will see 1.25 per cent uplift to the GMS contract, which includes a one per cent increase in salary, it was confirmed today. The increase is in line with the one per cent increase all other health workers will receive and will be paid from April 1, 2013.27/4/2013
Bee research before pesticide ban starts
Europe should opt to restrict the use of controversial pesticides by 2015 providing a breathing space to allow evidence gathering between now and then to prove or disprove they are harmful to bees. Scotland’s Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has written to the UK Government urging them to accept the restrictions on the use of neonicotinoids but not to implement them until further evidence is gathered.
27/4/2013
Tobacco bans come into force
The ban on open display of tobacco products in large shops and sales from self-service tobacco vending machines will come into effect tomorrow. The changes are part of a range of measures to improve health by reducing the number of people choosing to smoke, and comes into force a month after the launch of the Scottish Government Tobacco Control Strategy.27/4/2013
Scottish insolvencies reduced for fourth quarter 2012-13
Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) today released official figures reporting personal and company insolvencies in Scotland for the fourth quarter of the financial year 2012-13. There were 3,472 personal insolvencies for the period, which includes bankruptcy awards and protected trust deeds, and this was a 9.9 per cent decrease on the previous quarter.27/4/2013
£15million to build foundations for deep-water wind power
A £15 million fund to help develop deep-water wind turbine foundations in Scotland has been announced by Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, Fergus Ewing. The Scottish Innovative Foundation Technologies Fund will support the development of prototype foundations for offshore wind turbines sited in water depths greater than 30 metres.27/4/2013
Community renewables powering ahead
The Scottish Government is ahead of schedule in delivering its ambitious targets in community and local ownership of renewable energy projects, Energy Minister, Fergus Ewing has confirmed. The Scottish Government’s 2020 Routemap for Renewable Energy has a target of generating 500 MW from community renewables by 2020.26/4/2013
Local Photographer Opens New Shop In Wick
Louise Bain Photography WHOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO OFFICAL OPENING OF MY NEW HIGH STREET STUDIO SPECIAL OFFERS AVAILABLE ON SAT 27th of April 12 - 4 34A High Street, Wick ( next to Sports Shop ) Come in store and book an appointment to be in with a chance of winning a Wonderful Prize ....... bookings already taken this week also included Digital Printing, Enlargements and Framing as well as Canvas Printing contact 07769 655 669 All will be revealed on Saturday ........
26/4/2013
Marketing Breakfast Success by Caithness Chamber of Commerce
Caithness Chamber Of Commerce recently held a marketing business breakfast, sponsored by Navertech. The event was extremely well attended and highly informative.
26/4/2013
