Local Authority News
14/10/2010
Moves to ease social housing pressure in Highlands
Plans to protect housing stock approved Steps to prevent shortages of affordable housing in Highland have been announced today. The Highland Council's application to extend and expand 'pressured areas' status has been approved by the Housing and Communities Minister, Alex Neil.29/9/2010
Don't Get Caught By Free Offers Online Warning
Don't be caught out by 'free' offers and trials online warns Highland Council Trading Standards Highland Council Trading Standards are warning other consumers to be on their guard when responding to online classified adverts or advertising features after hearing from Highland consumer, Ms Jessica Thomas. Ms Thomas was attracted to an advertising article online promoting Acai berries as a slimming aid.28/9/2010
HIGHLAND WIDE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN - Consultation
THE HIGHLAND COUNCIL COMHAIRLE NA GÀIDHEALTACHD TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (SCOTLAND) ACT 1997 AS AMENDED HIGHLAND wide LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN PLANA LEASACHAIDH IONADAIL NA GÀIDHEALTACHD GU LÈIR PUBLICATION OF PROPOSED LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN The Plan & Where to Read It The Highland Council has prepared a Highland wide Local Development Plan. The current "Proposed Plan Draft" (hereinafter referred to as "the Plan") can be inspected free of charge during normal opening hours at the following locations: ï‚· Every public library within the Highland Council area (a full list is available via: http://www.highland.gov.uk/leisureandtourism/libraries/ ) ï‚· Every Highland Council Planning and Building Standards office (a full list is available via http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourenvironment/planning/planning-and-development-contacts.htm ) ï‚· Every Highland Council Service Point within the Highland Council area (a full list is available via: http://www.highland.gov.uk/livinghere/servicepointnetwork/localservicepoint.htm The Plan will also be available on all mobile libraries and can be viewed online at: http://www.highland.gov.uk/developmentplans Content & Purpose The Plan represents the Council's land use vision, strategy and principal, general policies for the whole Highland Council area except that part within the Cairngorms National Park Authority boundary.28/9/2010
Challenge Innovation Fund For Voluntary Groups
The Highland Council has agreed to operate a challenge fund to encourage third sector organisations to develop innovative approaches to assisting people with barriers to employment into training, work experience or jobs. The funding is available until March 2011 and therefore only projects that can complete or are well underway before the end of March 2011 will be considered.23/9/2010
Roll-out Of Alternate Weekly Waste Collections
The Highland Council's Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee has agreed to roll out alternate weekly waste collections to communities across the Highlands as the Council endeavours to be more efficient in the way it delivers services and save up to £500,000 in the process. The challenging timetable of implementations - between April, next year, and April 2012 - is: - • Lochaber and Caithness - April 2011 • Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey - July 2011 • Ross and Cromarty - October 2011 • Inverness - January 2012 • Wester Ross and North West Sutherland - April 2012 • East and Central Sutherland - April 2012 Councillor John Laing, Chairman of the TEC Services Committee, said: "During our budget consultation earlier this year, we received a very clear signal from the public that they want us to increase recycling and be more efficient in the way we deliver this essential service.22/9/2010
Highland Development Plan Consultation Gets Under Way
A 10-week public consultation gets under way on Friday 24 September on The Highland Council's Highland wide Local Development Plan, which represents the Council's land use vision, strategy and principal, general policies for the whole Highland Council area except that part within the Cairngorms National Park Authority boundary. The deadline for comments is 5 pm on Friday 3 December.21/9/2010
Highland Archaeology Festival - 2 - 17 Oct 2010
Get ready to dig deeper this October with Highland Archaeology Festival 2010. This two-week festival which celebrates the archaeology, history, landscape and culture of the Highlands, features a packed programme of guided walks, family activities, self-guided trails, evening lectures, special exhibitions, competitions and conferences.21/9/2010
Council Get sTough To Create A Litter Free Highlands
Highland Councillors are being asked to adopt a zero tolerance approach to enforcement of littering and fly-tipping. A report to the TEC Services Committee on Thursday recommends that: _ • enforcement officers should target Inverness city and other main towns on a regular basis; • the zero tolerance approach to enforcement should be supported by publicity in the local media to advertise the city/towns where enforcement is being targeted; • the numbers of fixed penalty notices issued should be published; • the number of staff authorised to issue Fixed Penalty Notices should be extended to include Community Wardens from Housing and Property Services; • TEC Services and the Housing and Property Service should continue to work with the Police and other agencies to promote a litter free Highlands; and • the effectiveness of the zero tolerance litter enforcement campaign should be monitored through the number of Fixed Penalty Notices issued.21/9/2010
New Day Care Charge
From Monday 4 October, The Highland Council is bringing itself in line with most local councils in Scotland by introducing a flat rate weekly charge for day care services. The £5 per week charge incorporates the existing transport charge of 50p per journey to a day care centre.21/9/2010
Councillors Urged To Identify Street Lighting Pilot
In a bid to reduce energy costs, Highland Councillors are being invited to consult with their local communities to identify appropriate areas for trialling energy reduction options for street lighting. They are also being asked to support development guidelines that street lighting is only required in new residential areas with more than 15 properties.18/9/2010
New team to tackle homelessness in the Highlands
The Highland Council is to establish a dedicated team to reduce the growing number of homeless individuals and families in the Highlands. The move by the Housing and Social Work Committee aims to help the Council meet the target set by the Scottish Government to ensure that all unintentionally homeless people have access to permanent housing by 2012.17/9/2010
Weight restriction for LGV's on Struie Road
The Highland Council has imposed a temporary 7.5 tonne weight restriction on a section of B9176 Struie Road. As of today(Friday 17 September) the restriction applies to all vehicles over 7.5 tonnes wishing to travel on the between the B9176 junction with the A836 at Wester Fearn and the junction between the B9176 Struie Road and the U2002 link road to Edderton.9/9/2010
New Licensing Committee/Board Membership
The Chairman of the new Highland Licensing Committee and Highland Licensing Board is Councillor Peter Corbett, Inverness Central. Vice-Chairman is Councillor Margaret Paterson, Dingwall and Seaforth.9/9/2010
Wick High School Update
The Highland Council and the Scottish Government have committed to building a new high school in Wick. The Scottish Government will provide a substantial element of the funding over the next three financial years and the Council has already committed to matching this funding over this period.9/9/2010
Local Business Alerted To Counterfeiting
Trading Standards officers of The Highland Council are launching an initiative to tackle the sale of counterfeit goods within the workplace. They have written to local employers to advise them of the damage caused by counterfeiting to local businesses, which sell genuine goods.1/9/2010
New Rector of Wick High School Appointed
A new rector for the 756-pupil Wick High School was appointed on Tuesday 32st August 2010. He is Mr Thomas McIntyre, deputy head teacher at Ladymead Community School Technology College, Taunton, Somerset.1/9/2010
Pilot refuse collection scheme begins in Skye and Lochalsh
In a move to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill by households and commercial businesses, The Highland Council begins a 6 month trial of an alternate weekly waste collection scheme in Skye and Lochalsh on Monday (6 September 2010). From this date, collections of the blue recycling bins will become fortnightly, alternating with a fortnightly collection of the general refuse bin.1/9/2010
Council appeals for help to catch dog fouling offenders
The Highland Council's Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Education and Enforcement officer James Sanderson is appealing to members of the public in Brora, Golspie and Helmsdale to help provide information which will help him identify persistent dog fouling offenders. Mr Sanderson says a minority of dog walkers are continuously flouting the law by failing to clear up after their dogs.30/8/2010
Littering Fines Issued In Inverness - More To Follow
Ten fines issued during Inverness city centre litter crackdown A recent anti-litter purge in Inverness city centre resulted in 10 Fixed Penalty Notices of £50 each being issued for smoking related offences. Officers from The Highland Council's Transport Environmental and Community Services based in Aviemore, Dingwall and Invergordon were drafted in to Inverness to help mount the crackdown on Thursday 26th August 2010.18/8/2010
