News Archive
25/5/2011
Halkirk Spring Clean
Members of the Halkirk Primary Eco-school committee together with P5 and P6 children, staff, the Highland Council Countryside rangers and local volunteers undertook a litter pick around the school grounds and Halkirk Village on Tuesday 17 May. Several plastic bags of litter were filled by everyone as part of the Keep Scotland Tidy Group's 'National Spring Clean' event.
25/5/2011
Ross County and The Highland Council Make Dreams Come True 
Students at schools throughout the Highlands will have the chance to meet JLS or Olly Murs on Saturday 2 July by entering the "Your Choice to Healthy Living" competition. The X-Factor runners up will be playing at the Ross County Football Club, Victoria Stadium, in Dingwall this summer, with tickets still available.
25/5/2011
Recycling Getting Better and Better In Highland
Councillors praise Highland residents for success of new refuse and recycling collections The Highland Council says that the transition to the new refuse and recycling collection service introduced to Caithness, Lochaber and Skye at the beginning of April has run very smoothly, thanks in large part to the positive attitude of householders. The changes have seen the introduction to all residents of Skye and Lochalsh, Caithness and Lochaber of a fortnightly recycling collection for paper, cardboard, food tins, drink cans and plastic bottles, alternating with a fortnightly refuse collection.23/5/2011
Add More Information to Your Business Index Listing
In order to provide a better service to the businesses in Caithness we have upgraded our business listings. Businesses in Caithness are now able to add more contact information to their listing helping their customers reach the right person for their enquiry.23/5/2011
Council To Consult Over Extending Pressured Area Status
Highland Councillors have agreed to consult with tenants, residents and social landlords over a proposal to extend Highland's pressured area status from five years to the new maximum period of 10 years to ensure that social rented houses are available to rent in the future. The outcome of the consultation will be reported to the next meeting of the Council's Housing and Social Work Committee on Wednesday 10 August.23/5/2011
ECS Chairman Bill Fernie Pleased With School Developments
Plans to spend £33 million on new school projects in the Highlands were welcomed today by members of The Highland Council's Education, Culture and Sport (ECS) Committee. The unprecedented spending on seven major school building projects is underway or due for completion in either this financial year or during the first half of financial year 2012/13.21/5/2011
Caithness Wind Turbine Drop-in Sessions Launched
Two drop-in sessions for those interested in developing small-scale or single wind turbine projects in Caithness are being run by Scottish Natural Heritage and charity Community Energy Scotland. The sessions in Halkirk will see staff on-hand to provide advice on potential impacts on nature and landscapes and the feasibility of individual projects.21/5/2011
Town Centre Boost From Scrabster Cruise Ships
Highland Councillors this week welcomed the early boost to the county's tourist season provided by the first cruise ships to visit Scrabster in what will be its busiest season yet for visits by cruise ships. The visits of the Ocean Countess and the Quest attracted hundreds of passengers to key sites in the county, with The Highland Council-funded shuttle bus service between Scrabster and Thurso town centre in particularly heavy demand.21/5/2011
Fairtrade And Health Promoting School
Highland Council and NHS Highland take lead on Fairtrade and Health Promoting Schools guidance Guidance on the sale of Fairtrade food items in Highlands Schools has been endorsed by members of the Council's Education, Culture and Sport Committee. The sale or provision of Fairtrade chocolate as part of pupil education about global trade was one of the drivers in the production of the guidance.19/5/2011
Highlands and Islands Target Renewable Energy Opportunities
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the community and economic development agency for north and west Scotland, is ramping up its drive to help the region become a world centre for the renewable energy industry. The development agency has created a new senior post to spearhead its efforts to capitalise on the region's natural resources and secure economic benefits which could be worth billions to Scotland?s economy.18/5/2011
Council Bids For Funding For 750 Council Houses
Highland Councillors have agreed in principle to build 750 new council houses over the next five years. Members of The Highland Council's Housing and Social Work Committee have agreed to submit a bid for a programme of 101 new build homes for 2011/12 under the Scottish Government's Innovation and Investment Fund.18/5/2011
Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 19 May 2011
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (May, 18th) sold 59 pedigree and commercial Luing cattle at their third annual spring breeding sale sponsored by W & A Geddes and Harbro Ltd. Pedigree bulling heifers (52) averaged £1,343.39 and sold to 1750gns (£1,837.50) for a pair of 25 month old heifers from Messrs A L & A C McCall, Culmailly Farm, Golspie, to the judge, Mr Philip Simmers, Backmuir Trading Ltd, Keith.16/5/2011
North Companies take to Global Stage at All-Energy Exhibition
A number of ambitious Caithness companies are heading to Aberdeen this week to target new business at the UK's largest renewable energy event. The All-Energy Exhibition & Conference this year has attracted over 500 exhibitors from 20 countries across the world.16/5/2011
Highlands and Islands target renewable energy opportunities
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the community and economic development agency for north and west Scotland, is ramping up its drive to help the region become a world centre for the renewable energy industry. The development agency has created a new senior post to spearhead its efforts to capitalise on the region's natural resources and secure economic benefits which could be worth billions to Scotland's economy.
14/5/2011
Looking For Scotland's Top Nature Photos 
The hunt for Scotland's best nature pictures is on, as part of a Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) contest to celebrate Scottish Biodiversity Week. The fifth annual Nature Photography Competition is open to both amateur and professional photographers.
14/5/2011
How Will Public Sector Cuts Affect Scotland?
'Vulnerability index' ranking the 32 local authority areas shows great variation among rural districts Rural Scotland will share the pain of public sector funding cuts with the rest of the country - but some rural areas are much more vulnerable than others, according to new research from SAC's Rural Policy Centre (RPC). In a new RPC report on the implications of changing public sector budgets, each of Scotland's local authority areas is ranked according to its vulnerability to further economic downturn following reduced public spending.13/5/2011
A Car-sharing Club For Caithness?
Pentland Energy Advice is holding a public meeting about its proposed expansion into car clubs. PEA is keen to gauge the level of public support to put in place a pool of cars for our community.
13/5/2011
Caithness Heat and Power To Be Wound Up
The 242 households in Wick which receive their heat and hot water from Caithness Heat and Power (CHaP) have been told that attempts by The Highland Council to find a private operator to take over the district heating system have been unsuccessful and that the Council will now work with residents to reinstate domestic heating systems in their homes. In a letter hand delivered to their homes earlier today (Friday), CHaP Company Secretary, Michelle Morris, Assistant Chief Executive of The Highland Council, advised households that the Council and the directors of CHAP have been striving over a long period to find an operator from the private sector to take over the district heating system The Council was initially involved in discussions with a company called Clearpower.13/5/2011
Highland Motorists Warned To Be Alert To Walk To School Week
Motorists in the Highlands are being alerted by The Highland Council that Monday 16 - Friday 20 May is National Walk to School Week and over 11,000 pupils at 89 primary schools throughout the region could create an increase of pedestrians around schools. Walk to School Week is a national campaign with a simple aim - to encourage all parents and children to make walking to school part of their daily routine.12/5/2011
